do public access icts have an impact on socio-economic development? findings of the global impact...
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Presentation at the University of Washington Information School - February 4, 2013 Research ConversationTRANSCRIPT
Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA)@ the University of Washington Information [email protected]
Do Public Access ICTs have an Impact on Socio-Economic Development?
Findings of the Global Impact Study
The solution to development!
Invest, invest, invest!
HISTORY OF PUBLIC ACCESS TO ICTS
High expectations!
peregrinari
Mark Surman
Mark Surman
CSC India
PUBLIC ACCESS ICT RESEARCH
Top ICT4D research focus in the 2000s, but…
Inconclusive evidence
Anecdotal impact evidence
Scattered, isolated studies
No studies on indirect impacts or impacts on non-users
Claims “disadvantaged” populations not being reached
Conflicting claims about public access ICT models
ARE PUBLIC ACCESS ICT VENUES…
failures?
make_change
frivolous?
mikekogh
needed? digital.democracy irrelevant? DFID
THE GLOBAL IMPACT STUDY
Goal: To answer the question: do public access ICTs impact people’s lives?
• Generate evidence
• Produce policy and program recommendations
• Advance open research
Global five-year $5 million research project
Funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Led by the Technology & Social Change Group with over 30 research partners around the world
this is a blank slide for photos or graphics
Lithuania
Ghana
Botswana
South Africa
Bangladesh
Philippines
Chile
Brazil
THE LARGEST STUDY OF ITS KIND
libraries telecenters cybercafés
EXPLORE DIFFERENT MODELS OF PUBLIC ACCESS
RESEARCH DESIGN
WHAT DID WE FIND?
Digital inclusion
Social and economic impacts
Value of public access
DIGITAL INCLUSION
Dorian V.
THE CRITICAL FIRST TOUCH
Bangladesh Brazil Chile Ghana Philippines0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
First use of computer at public access venueFirst use of Internet at public access venue
% o
f use
rs
For more than half of the user survey respondents, a public access venue provided them with their:• first ever contact with computers (50%) • first ever contact with the Internet (62%)
ONLY OPTION FOR ACCESS
Public access venues were the only source of access to the Internet for at least a third (33%) of survey respondents
The majority of respondents (over 55%) would see a decrease in their use of ICT if public access venues were no longer available
To get help from other users
To get help from venue staff
Better equipment than home or work
No other option for computer access
To work or be with friends or other people
No other option for Internet access
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Main reasons for using public access venues
ACCESS TO INFORMATION OF ALL KINDS
Users see public access venues as places where a broad range of information needs can be met
Almost half of users (47%) had come to the public access venue on the day of the survey to look for specific information Culture & language
Health information
Government services
News
Employment & business opportunities
Entertainment
Education
0 20 40 60 80
Type of Information Sought
DIGITAL LITERACY – ICT SKILLS
Users identified public access venues as the most important place for development of their computer (40%) and Internet (50%) skills
Publ
ic a
cces
s ve
nue
Home
Scho
ol0
10
20
30
40
50
60
ComputerInternet
VENUE STAFF SUPPORT DIGITAL INCLUSION FOR NOVICE USERS
7% of all users use public access mainly to get help from venue staff
quinn.anya
22% of users in Bangladesh use public access mainly to get help from venue staff
Users in Bangladesh have lower computer/Internet skills and experience
Staff empathy is more important than ICT skills for novice users
All
BangladeshBrazil
Chile
Ghana
Philippines
0102030405060708090
100
% o
f use
rs
DIGITAL INCLUSION – NON-USERS BENEFIT TOO
18% of non-users surveyed were former public access users
30% of ex-users first used a computer at a public access venue
35% of ex-users first used the Internet at a public access venue
Information search trends similar to users
Digital skills development more important for ex-user-computer non-users
SOCIAL & ECONOMIC IMPACTS
IMPACTS VARY ACROSS CATEGORIES Highest proportions of perceived positive impacts in social, leisure, &
education Lowest proportions of perceived positive impacts in many of the
priority domains No perceived impact in many categories
Communication with family & friends
Education
Pursuing interests & hobbies
Meeting new people
Pursuing other leisure activities
Time savings
Access to employability resources & skills
Financial savings
Access to government information & services
Local language/culture activities
Health
Income
Sending or receiving remittances
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
PositiveNoneNegative
DOMAIN USES
Communications & Leisure
Education Employment & Income
Culture & Language
Health Governance0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
% of users engaged in domains in the last 12 months
All Venues
USER NEEDS DRIVE USE
Didn'
t hav
e th
e ne
ed
Didn'
t thi
nk o
f it
No sp
ecifi
c re
ason
Secu
rity
of m
y in
form
atio
n
Privac
y
Som
e ot
her r
easo
n0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Why didn’t you use public access for…
Employment & Income Education HealthGovernance Culture & Language
% o
f u
se
rs
Did you search for a job? (57%)
Did you find information to apply? (89%)
Did you apply? (91%)
GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Did you search for info on how to use government services? (64%)
Did you find information you were looking for? (94%)
Do you feel more knowledgeable on how to use? (95%)
Employment & Income
Governance
INDIRECT IMPACTS
60% of non-users have family or friends who use public access
10% of nonusers have asked someone to use public access venue on their behalf• For specific tasks as well as information searches
Up to 63% perceive positive impacts from family/friend’s use in 13 impact categories
THE VALUE OF PUBLIC ACCESS
Ryan McFarland
WILLINGNESS TO PAY
People want access, regardless of where it is: Where users don’t have a variety of venue options, they are prepared to pay to get to whatever venue is available
Non-users value public access: Non-users are willing to pay for other people to have public access
IMTFI
LIBRARIES ARE HIGHLY VALUED…WHERE THEY EXIST
Where people do have a choice of venues, public libraries are highly valued where they exist
Chris Blakeley
MOBILE PHONES ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE
Almost all users surveyed have a mobile phone (96%)
The majority (88%) of public access users use a mobile phone daily or almost daily
Only 4% of non-users don’t use a public access venue because of mobile phones ICT4Gov.net
• Researchers in South Africa found that mobile phones complement, rather than replace, public access venues
• Teens have developed practices to maximize use of both mobile phones and public access computers & Internet Marion Walton
COMMUNICATIONS & SOCIAL NETWORKS
25%
21%
17%37%
MORE THAN FUN & GAMES
95%
6%
Has using public access computers for commu-nications and leisure improved your overall
ICT skills?
Yes No
Non-instrumental uses (gaming, social) can lead to instrumental
(employability) skills
Public access can help keep families connected when
separated by migrant work
KC Wong
POINTS TO PONDER What we can expect from public access
• Digital inclusion – technology access, first touch, ICT skills• Opportunity for social & economic impacts• Benefits extend to non-users
Public access is a part of a larger information ecology• People use a variety of tools and resources for communication &
information needs• New technologies don’t always supplant older ones
Communications is a critical asset for economic, social, and personal well-being• Use of technology for communications is important and can lead to
better overall ICT skills• People need to feel connected to friends and family – public access
fills this need
MORE…
Much more to say…
Survey instruments, methodology Open data, open research User demographics, behavior Services offered & used Venue characteristics & comparisons Impacts by gender, age, occupation, education level, income Country breakdowns In-depth study findings
Technology & Social Change Grouptascha.uw.edu | @taschagroup
globalimpactstudy.org | @ictimpact
Thank You
Araba [email protected]
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
USER SNAPSHOTMajority of users are:
Young (68% under 25 years old) Male (65%) Highly educated (82% high school +) Students (44%) Employed (39%) Proficient in English (74%) Below poverty level (51%)
Majority of users: Have +3 years computer & Internet experience
(+60%) Have medium or high computer skills (80%) Have medium or high Internet skills (69%) Own ICTs:
• Computers (56%)• Internet access (28%)• TV (95%)• Radio (83%)• Mobile phone (96%)
Jewish Agency
Corycam