Ernberg J. (1998) Integrated Rural Development And Universal Access Towards A Framework For Evaluation Of Multipurpose Community Telecentre, paper presented at a conference at the University of Guelph, Canada, October 26 & 27, 1998

Online: http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/univ_access/telecentres/papers/guelph.html

The document contains the methodology currently being developed to evaluate the pilot multipurpose community telecentre projects by the ITU and partners as part of the Buenos Aires Action Plan adopted by the World Telecommunication Development Centre 1994 (WTDC ‘94) Programme 9 and the Valetta Action Plan adopted by the WTDC '98. The multipurpose community telecentres (MCTs) introduced in the pilot projects provide facilities and support for a wide range of services and applications responding to the needs of the local communities. A common framework for evaluation of these pilot projects including research questions to be answered, indicators and tools is being developed by the partners. In May-June 1998, the first field test was carried out by the ITU in an evaluation of the ITU MCT pilot project implemented in 1996 in Suriname. The proposed framework focused on the following questions: does access to ICTs in rural areas contribute to social, economic and cultural development; what, if any, are the adverse effects; do MCTs provide a sustainable way of providing access to ICTs; and what are the best practices for the set up, organisation, management and operation of MCTs. The proposed framework comprises formative evaluation which refers to continuously monitoring with a view to identifying problems and opportunities so as to remedy short-comings and improve strategies during the project; and summative evaluation which refers to end of project assessment, cost-benefit analysis and impact of the project. Each of these will include product evaluation and process evaluation. The methodology calls for a combination of participatory case studies, focus groups and data collection across projects, before (base-line data), during and after the pilot projects. In the Suriname pilot project, two basic telecentres, each comprising public telephones, a fax and a computer were established in Bownsweg and Gujaba villages. Preliminary findings from these centres indicate that they had a small customer base, limited service offering and relatively high operational costs, making them not commercially viable. The projects were also not found to have achieved their objectives. Comparative studies of similar communities which do not have MCTs is, at present, not feasible. A large number of qualitative and quantitative indicators at national, institutional and community levels have been proposed and can be seen in Annex 2. It is expected that, by trial and error, some of this initial list of indicators will need to be further specified and ‘some of them will turn out to be too difficult or impossible to measure or monitor'. Annex 3 contains questionnaires that have been developed to map current information and communication processes.

(source: www.eldis.org)