ICT4D in the Field

Course Objective

The field of ICT4D (Information and Communication Technologies for Development) generally addresses problems of, and solutions for, the "unconnected people in the world". Currently, this is still a large part of the world's population, the majority of whom live in poor, remote, often

rural, regions of the world, often in so-called developing low/middle-income countries.

This course is based on "active learning" principles. At the end of the course, students will:

- Be familiar with the various aspects and implications of the concept of the Digital Divide, and how this affects people in low-resource environments (Knowledge and understanding).

- Have knowledge and understanding of technologies, methodologies, and social dimensions in the design and deployment of digital technologies for an International Development context, and be able to apply this knowledge in the analysis and design for a real-world use case (Applying knowledge and understanding).

- Be able to investigate and deliberate, from an ethical perspective, between technological opportunities, and their possible negative social or societal impacts, in view of the needs and requirements of people in low-resource environments (Making judgments, Investigative skills, Critical Thinking).

- Be able to (i) communicate with users and stakeholders about user requirements and operational goals; (ii) discuss in a team of students and write a scientific report about a major aspect of the course's theme, (Communicative and Collaborative skills).

-Be able to present individually a given topic from the studied theme and answer questions and defend an argument during an oral presentation (Communicative skills).

- Be able to (i) explore the problem- and solution space in an open-ended, unfamiliar, culturally diverse low-tech, low-resource environment and (ii) identify and address a set of relevant Sustainable Development Goals (Learning skills, Creative Problem-solving).

Course Content

In the ICT4D in the Field course we address the following subjects:

Currently, various advanced digital technologies are at the centre of attention, claiming a wide range of beneficial application opportunities, although others express doubts and concerns about various developments as undesirable for the Global Society [1]. Heavy investments to boost new

digital technologies are taking place in the industrialized parts of the world.

The course ICT4D in the Field undertakes to investigate these matters, thereby giving due attention to the specific contexts of people's needs as well as the different geographic, economic, cultural and socio-political contexts, focused at countries and regions in the Global South.

Students work in groups to carry out a use case analysis and design assignment focused on a specific selected use case frm one of various geographies (countries/regions). Through this group project they seek to answer a number of key questions:

(a) What is the state-of-play regarding advanced digital applications for the Social Good relevant to people in low-resource environments of the world? Here, one may think as a reference point of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as combating hunger, ensuring food security, reducing inequalities, etc.

(b) What are associated foreseeable positive and negative or adverse consequences, risks, and social and environmental impacts related to the application of various digital technologies, and how may these risks be managed and the adverse consequences mitigated?

(c) In consequence, what are the implications to be drawn for the application of advanced digital innovations specifically in the context of the respective Global South countries or regions, in terms of policies, regulations, education, sustainability and the civil/civic debate?

Guest lectures from ICT experts and specific development-related domain experts will be given throughout the course, with focus on specific regions and countries in the Global South.

Students then work in groups on essay and design assignments relating to the above-mentioned questions. This work will typically involve a "mixed-methods" approach to the gathering of empirical data and evidence, involving finding and reviewing relevant literature and documentation, catering for conversations with stakeholders of potential "users" or "beneficiaries", and interviewing experts and/or policy makers. The produced essays are critically reviewed (also by students themselves), can be iteratively improved, and serve as the baseline for the group's final project report that is to be presented and discussed at a plenary seminar at the end.

Students' individual work in the course will involve (i) summary minutes of all lectures and guest lectures; (ii) critical review of other student group report and individual essays; (iii) a porfolio containing a personal justification, interview notes, lab notes and a personal reflection report; (iv) a concluding oral presentation.

[1] See e.g. the Public Letter on Lethal Autonomous Weapons, initiated by AI researcher Toby Walsh and colleagues, cf. https://futureoflife.org/open-letter-autonomous-weapons/. As another

example, see a recent Digital Humanism lecture given by Stuart Russell,

author of a widely used university textbook on AI, under the title “How

not to destroy the world with AI”, see https://informatics.tuwien.ac.at/news/1902 (lecture available on the DigHum YouTube channel).

Additional Information Teaching Methods

Lectures and short workshop talks.

Group project work based on methods from design science and action research.

A \"mixed-methods\" approach to the gathering of empirical data.

Interviewing users and experts.

Collaborative Hydrid International Learning (CHIL), onsite at VU with online students from two other universities.

Informed argument writing, reviewing and discussion.

Oral presentations.

Method of Assessment

Type and Weight of each component:

Group final project report and presentation/discussion (40%),

Individual active participation (10%)

Individual lab notes and reflection report (25%)

Individual essay assignment including oral presentation (in total 25%)

To pass the course, scores of each component must be 5.5 (55%) or higher.

Compensation: it is not possible to compensate one component with another.

Mode of re-examination: if insufficient, each component can be revised and resubmitted once.

Literature

Necessary literature list will be made available electronically (e.g. provided via Canvas).

For useful hints, see also the literature for master course ICT4D (X_405101).

As an essential part of the course students themselves search for and review recent literature relevant to the central theme.

Additional Information Target Audience

Master Artificial Intelligence

Master Computer Science

Master Information Sciences

Master Computer Security

(From other universities: UDS, UNIMAS, Aurora European Universities Network):

Master-level students or staff, with a relevant background and interest in a digital domain (for example, a bachelor degree in CS, IS, AI, information systems, HCI, digital humanities, computational social science, or other digital multidisciplinary domains, or work experience

in the ICT/software industry or service sector). See also: Custom Course Registration.

Custom Course Registration

Given the intensity of the course there is a limited number of places available. Participation therefore requires an advance selection procedure entailing a motivation letter with an explanation of your background knowledge, and an interview. Prospective students are

requested to enroll in this course before 12 March 2024, by sending an e-mail with their motivation and background letter to Dr. Anna Bon, a.bon@vu.nl .

Recommended background knowledge

Programming skills (Java, Python, PHP, ...).

Bachelor-level or equivalent study and/or work experience in a digital domain (cf. section Target Audience)