ICT for Development: Two Contradictory Stories of an ICT Initiative

Submitted by Michael D Myers on Tue, 2010-03-30 04:37

Publication Type:

Conference Proceedings

Authors:

Lin, Cecilia I; Kuo, Feng-Yang; Michael D. Myers

Source:

Americas Conference on Information Systems, Volume 759, San Francisco, California, p.1-9 (2009)

URL:

http://aisel.aisnet.org/amcis2009/759

Keywords:

ICT Development, Postcolonial Theory, Paternalistic, Technological Supremacy

Abstract:

In this study we have explored two different perspectives of one ICT project. The mainstream perceives that an educational ICT project for the aboriginal as successful, while the local aboriginals and teachers are not satisfied with the ICT project. By adopting the postcolonial theory and ethnography method, this study enables us to compare and contrast these two viewpoints. It appears that the paternalistic nature of the ICT project as well as the belief of technological supremacy contribute to the disparity between the mainstream and the locals.