(967)TABLET TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEVELOPMENT: A LONGITUDINALCASE STUDY FROM A RURAL WEST AFRICAN TELECENTRE

摘要

Investigations into the sustainability of Telecentres in developing nations indicate that most fail within ashort period of time because of financial difficulties and socio-cultural problems. The end result is thatvast amounts of money and resources are expended on development projects that do not generatethe desired impact for the communities and individuals targeted. The results of a longitudinal casestudy of a rural Telecentre in West Africa are presented in this article. The goal of the research was toexplore how the different computing technologies offered at this Telecentre are used with an emphasison investigating tablets that were recently installed. The findings are based on observation andinterviews with Telecentre managers, workers, patrons, and members of the community. Participantsrelated their perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of tablet technologies that utilize touchscreens as the input method versus traditional computer systems which rely on keyboards and mice.Building on Reijswoud’s Theory of Appropriate ICT (2009), this investigation reveals that tablettechnologies are a more appropriate form of technology than traditional computers in a developmentsetting and superior to them in several ways. In addition, it was found that offering tablets cancontribute to Telecentres becoming more successful in terms of patron outcomes and financialsustainability. The paper concludes with the identification of a number of areas for further research.