part completed a socio-economic questionnaire together with a fieldworker. Post-field, the selection process was guided by the sex, age and occupation quotas, as well as other
parameters for selection such as previous experience of computer use, distance of household from telecentre and relative level of household income.
Initial-QLAs (the second stage) comprised of three field-days spread over a week.
Initial methods were concerned with general area information, followed by exercises that focussed on local definitions of QoL, participants’ relative QoL and general information on communication patterns and information usage. Importantly, this stage also involved participants setting their own life goals during individual interviews.61
The third stage with a planned focus on computer training and use, was expanded from one to two phases of computer training given participants’ limited knowledge about what computers could be used for. Immediately after their first training session, participants could begin using the computers at their local telecentre. The first phase was aimed at skilling the participants with basic offline and online computer use. The second phase focussed on information, practical ideas and computer applications that could assist with participants’ more common goals. The mid-QLA was done prior to phase 2 training, both to monitor changes in QoL and importantly to fine-tune the content of phase 2 training.
The fourth stage encompassed the final-QLAs, establishing changes in participants’
perceived QoL over the fieldwork period, as well as the use and impact of ICT access, and the impact of the project as a whole. Information was gathered mainly through intensive
individual in-depth interviews (IIDIs) which were structured around visual methods. The nature and sequencing of methods and topics for each of the QLAs was detailed in a series of practical field guides. These have not been included due to their length. Appendix D (p317) provides a summary of QLA methods, topics and sequencing.62
61 For maduzane areas, this stage included two initial-QLAs.
62 Nine field guides were produced and each is between 15 and 36 pages long. A guide for a particular assessment (initial, mid or final) was edited after some areas were completed, when warranted by the nature and extent of issues raised and decisions taken during field debriefing. Field guides were practical documents aimed to prompt facilitators about sequencing of steps for particular methods; questions for probing once the main part of the exercise was done; and advice on what actions to consider should things not progress according to plan.
Table 5-4: Research stages, methods and topics
Dates Research stage Focus of data collection
June
2008 First
Stage
Recruitment &
selection of participants (Initial field-day)
Baseline socio-economic data (through a questionnaire)iii
Practical information and communication data for logistics
July - August
2008 Second
Stage Initial-QLA
General area information
Local definitions of QoL, participants’ level of QoL and recent QoL changes.
Information and communication patterns.
Participants’ life goals.
October 2008 to May 2010 (Dates varied extensively)i
Third Stage
Phase 1 computer trainingii
Computer basics and word processing (Module 1): To help participants with skills and knowledge to use computers off-line (unconnected use).
Internet and email (Module 2): To help participants with skills and knowledge to use computers on-line (connected use).
Mid-QLA
Review of level of QoL, reasons for changes and review of life goals
Individual communication and information use patterns
Action planning to reach individual goals and additional aspects participants’ wanted to learn using computers.
NEW Phase 2 computer trainingii
Needs-based training: To help participants to think through issues related to common life goals (studying, finding a job, starting a small business) and to give targeted computer training to use different applications (including social networking tools) to support common goals.
March to May
2010 Fourth
Stage Final-QLA
In-depth review of QoL changes over past two years.
Reflection on life goals and use of computers.
Social views on computer usage and project impact
Basic socio-economic data for comparison with the 2008 data (through a questionnaire).iii
September
2011 Fifth
Stage
NEW Dissemination Workshopiv
Presentation of CLIQ findings to participants and other local stakeholders.
Composition of messages to CLIQ, the telecentre and national government.
Notes:
Shaded blocks indicate period over which participants could use computers at the telecentre at a time that suited them, without paying for use.
i. Appendix E (p320) contains process timelines for each area.
ii. Training sessions were held with groups of 8 to 12 participants, with most participants having access to their own computer. Further detail on computer training is provided in Appendix D (p317).
iii. During the initial field-day, potential participants were interviewed through a quantitative questionnaire. This data was used to select participants. During the final-QLA, fieldworkers administered another socio- economic quantitative questionnaire; however these data sets are not analysed in this thesis.
iv. CLIQ gave digital and hard copies of a Living Resources Guide, in an effort to support telecentre users (see Appendix F, p324).
The fifth stage (local dissemination workshops) took place in each area with participants as the prime audience, although other local stakeholders were also invited (some of whom took part). Each participant was presented with a copy of the CLIQ community report, as well as a certificate of attendance reflecting their training and their participation in QLAs; copies of their life goals; and copies of project photographs in which the participant featured. After listening to the findings and some group interaction, participants composed messages regarding the way forward. Messages were directed at CLIQ, their local telecentre, and national government, based on the findings presented to them and in light of their experiences of engaging in CLIQ. The telecentre (and any local leaders that were present) were also given a report and copy of the digital presentation.
Participants were informed about the living resource pack which CLIQ compiled for the telecentre and its users, containing what we felt were relevant information and contacts, website addresses and templates (see Appendix F for a list of the contents of this pack, p324). There were differences in the research processes and activities between areas, given the unique dynamics of each telecentre and local area. These are discussed in chapter 6.
5.2.3 Overview of Computer Training
Based on interaction with participants during the initial-QLA, most participants could not readily envisage how computer use could assist them – other than attaining a certified qualification to assist them with getting a job. Thus the training needed to demonstrate the link between computer use and individuals’ specific, yet diverse needs. The end goal of the training was that of fostering life skills - skills for the practical use of various computer applications within a local context that could directly assist participants with their individual life goals.
After the initial-QLAs, we recognised that two phases of computer training were needed. In order for participants to express which applications they wanted to learn to use, and for them to incorporate computer use in their planning to reach their goals; participants had to acquire a basic sense of what computer use was.63 Phase 1 computer training
covered basic computer use in two modules, namely off-line use (including word-processing)
63 This is aptly captured by Britz (2004) and Barrantes (2007).
followed by on-line use (internet and email). Modules one and two in Phase 1 were usually separated by about a week, while a six month gap was aimed at between Phase 1 and Phase 2 training (see Table 5-4). Phase 2 training was designed immediately after the mid-QLA and focussed on aspects of computer use and applications linked to common life goals, namely:
finding a job; operating a small business; further study; and general internet use (including social networking).
After the first training session, participants were awarded 100 hours of computer use at their local telecentre, at no cost to themselves.64 The telecentre facilitators were tasked with recording the number of hours each participant used per visit and the participants were expected to fill in a computer use form for each computer session. Participants could use their free hours up until the final-QLA, which was designed to be a period of about one year.
However, the period of time between the first computer training and the final-QLA in each
64 Telecentres were reimbursed for the cost of the time used by participants at the end of each month, based on a monthly time sheet recording hours used per participant. The only usable data on participants’ computer usage was from the eMpumalanga telecentre and as a result only one or two payments were made to the eNyakatho and eNingizimu telecentres, while eMpumalanga received regular payments.