Ronda Železný-Green, PhD

The use of digital technology, particularly cell phones, is growing as a medium for data collection in social research. However, there remains concern about our implementing appropriate ethical practice when we are conducting digital research with people, including girls, who are considered vulnerable. In this article, I will discuss some of the ethical considerations that emerged during an action research project I undertook with a community of secondary school girls in Nairobi, Kenya. These… Show more

The use of digital technology, particularly cell phones, is growing as a medium for data collection in social research. However, there remains concern about our implementing appropriate ethical practice when we are conducting digital research with people, including girls, who are considered vulnerable. In this article, I will discuss some of the ethical considerations that emerged during an action research project I undertook with a community of secondary school girls in Nairobi, Kenya. These considerations are related to privacy in connection with surveillance as a means of cell phone-based data collection. My aim is to initiate a scholarly dialogue on creating a framework of ethical practice for digital research with girls—particularly those who are infrequently given a voice in the literature on girlhood studies. Show less

Green SIM is a packaged service offering available exclusively on the Airtel network which provides voice-based agricultural information to help rural farmers to improve their farming practices. Green SIM agriculture content services, as well its marketing and distribution are managed by IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited (IKSL) which is a joint venture between the Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), the largest farmers’ cooperative in India and Bharti Airtel, the largest mobile… Show more

Green SIM is a packaged service offering available exclusively on the Airtel network which provides voice-based agricultural information to help rural farmers to improve their farming practices. Green SIM agriculture content services, as well its marketing and distribution are managed by IFFCO Kisan Sanchar Limited (IKSL) which is a joint venture between the Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), the largest farmers’ cooperative in India and Bharti Airtel, the largest mobile network operator in the country, with over 200 million subscribers.

Green SIM provides a profitable business case for the VAS providers, and indirect benefits for the operator. Find out how the service maintains a customer base of over 3 million users by providing relevant content and using a combination of marketing methods on the ground. Show less

This paper traverses the small but growing area of informal learning on mobile. The author drew on numerous examples from projects she has been involved in or was familiar with from countries including the Philippines, Ireland, South Korea, and South Africa.

The extended case study was written based on data that the author gathered during three separate research periods in Nairobi, Kenya over a two-year period between 2012 and 2014. These Master- and PhD-level fieldwork trips were… Show more

This paper traverses the small but growing area of informal learning on mobile. The author drew on numerous examples from projects she has been involved in or was familiar with from countries including the Philippines, Ireland, South Korea, and South Africa.

The extended case study was written based on data that the author gathered during three separate research periods in Nairobi, Kenya over a two-year period between 2012 and 2014. These Master- and PhD-level fieldwork trips were undertaken with the generous funding support of the Irene Marshall and Helen Shackleton funds from Royal Holloway, University of London, as well as the U.S. Fulbright programme of the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Show less

The ‘Akazi Kanoze youth Livelihood Programme’ in rwanda provides an example of how a consortium of players can collaborate to deliver a multifaceted service. To scale, donors and NGOs must seek to align objectives of various stakeholders with an aim to sustain the service in the absence of funding.

Key highlights of the report:

• mobile offers a perfect opportunity to extend the youth employment initiative
• multi-stakeholder partnerships can be effective in supporting… Show more

The ‘Akazi Kanoze youth Livelihood Programme’ in rwanda provides an example of how a consortium of players can collaborate to deliver a multifaceted service. To scale, donors and NGOs must seek to align objectives of various stakeholders with an aim to sustain the service in the absence of funding.

Key highlights of the report:

• mobile offers a perfect opportunity to extend the youth employment initiative
• multi-stakeholder partnerships can be effective in supporting mobile employment efforts and adding value to the activities and
public images of operators, governments and donors.
• Government involvement will be beneficial to the governance, design and implementation of a nationwide mobile employment
service.
• scaling will come through the reuse of the platform across skills training, job connection, employment information sharing and
micro financing. Show less

Girls in Kenya commonly face multiple barriers to school attendance. At the same time, mobile phone use is growing throughout the country, and particularly in urban centres including Nairobi. As this technology spreads, the possibility increases of people using mobile phones for their own development purposes, including for education and learning. This article examines mobile phone use by girls at one secondary school in Nairobi, and in particular their attempts to mediate interrupted school… Show more

Girls in Kenya commonly face multiple barriers to school attendance. At the same time, mobile phone use is growing throughout the country, and particularly in urban centres including Nairobi. As this technology spreads, the possibility increases of people using mobile phones for their own development purposes, including for education and learning. This article examines mobile phone use by girls at one secondary school in Nairobi, and in particular their attempts to mediate interrupted school attendance using this technology. Show less

Abstract: This exploratory paper picks up elements from the European Commission’s educational vision and philosophy behind Opening up Education, the resulting initiative of the OpenupEd.eu MOOC platform, and takes this as a starting point to look at potential challenges for developing MOOCs that include vulnerable learner groups. In order to align the future conceptualization of MOOCs with the vision and philosophy of Europe, potential tensions of contemporary and future education are listed… Show more

Abstract: This exploratory paper picks up elements from the European Commission’s educational vision and philosophy behind Opening up Education, the resulting initiative of the OpenupEd.eu MOOC platform, and takes this as a starting point to look at potential challenges for developing MOOCs that include vulnerable learner groups. In order to align the future conceptualization of MOOCs with the vision and philosophy of Europe, potential tensions of contemporary and future education are listed. The current dichotomy of xMOOC and cMOOC are used to mark some of the unexplored MOOC territory. Practical answers to contemporary, ICT-supported educational challenges are provided as options to fuel the debate. The challenges and options for future online education initiatives are based on insights and ideas of international scholars and researchers reflecting on potential barriers for learners and online education. This paper aims to stimulate discussion of the potential for new educational technologies to ensure social inclusion for virtual and physical vulnerable learner groups. Show less

As we celebrate the International day of the girl today, we should take time to remember that young mothers are still girls, too. We need to do what we can to support them in their educational endeavours — even in things considered to be non-traditional. Mobile learning might be one way we can support young mothers when school interruptions occur due to early pregnancy. Here are some of my thoughts which draw upon the Kenyan context.

As we approach the 2015 deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the fact that for approximately 126 million children education will remain out of reach is all at once deplorable and cause to think outside of the box to address this issue. There is a general reluctance to try technology-based approaches that may help these children enter or make returns to education. Yet, despite the challenges involved, here’s why I think mobile technology can help.

Seeking to better connect the potential of indigenous knowledge exchange and the
use of mobile phones for facilitating these exchanges, this chapter will begin by
fully defining the concept of indigenous knowledge and its emic perceptions. Once
common narratives on indigenous knowledge are crystallized, a link will be made to
the primary areas of focus, methods and ICTs employed when indigenous knowledge
has been used as a lens for intergenerational knowledge exchange within… Show more

Seeking to better connect the potential of indigenous knowledge exchange and the
use of mobile phones for facilitating these exchanges, this chapter will begin by
fully defining the concept of indigenous knowledge and its emic perceptions. Once
common narratives on indigenous knowledge are crystallized, a link will be made to
the primary areas of focus, methods and ICTs employed when indigenous knowledge
has been used as a lens for intergenerational knowledge exchange within indigenous
communities. This will include an exploration of published projects where the mobile
phone has been utilized for and by indigenous people for IK exchange purposes.
From these analyses, suggestions for best pedagogical practices when commingling
indigenous knowledge and mobile phones in informal educational settings will
emerge with the aim to promote awareness of the impact that indigenous knowledge
exchange and mobile technology could provide for communities in the Global South
who leverage these tools. Show less

Rehana, 15, walks head down through the Delhi streets to her school, 15 minutes from home. When she walks past the local park, the boys stop playing cricket and stare, whistle and make rude comments. She shares the public toilet nearest her home with 250 other people, and knows of girls who have been attacked there. She and her friends are pretty creative when it comes to ways of protecting themselves: chilli powder and safety pins are the current home-made weapons of choice. Rehana also learns… Show more

Rehana, 15, walks head down through the Delhi streets to her school, 15 minutes from home. When she walks past the local park, the boys stop playing cricket and stare, whistle and make rude comments. She shares the public toilet nearest her home with 250 other people, and knows of girls who have been attacked there. She and her friends are pretty creative when it comes to ways of protecting themselves: chilli powder and safety pins are the current home-made weapons of choice. Rehana also learns martial arts. She says “If there’s one thing girls should learn in life, it’s karate.”

Plan International’s latest research[2] with over 1,400 girls and boys in five cities in low and middle income countries shows some disturbing results. In most cities, only a small minority of girls felt ‘always safe’ in their city; in Kampala, Uganda, 80% of the girls who took part reported feeling ‘very unsafe’ or ‘unsafe’ in public spaces and in Delhi, over half of the girls ‘never’ or ‘seldom’ felt safe on public transport, with similar numbers reported for public spaces.

In cities like Delhi, women and girls are also increasingly turning to technology to keep themselves safe. In the wake of the recent highly publicised attacks, there’s been a huge growth in mobile phone apps aimed at helping women to call for help if they are threatened.... Read more at https://sarahljohns.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/chilli-powder-and-mobile-apps-how-safe-do-girls-feel-in-the-city/ Show less