Day 1: Introduction to ICTs and Development

This introductory session to ICT for Social Development will focus on adequate technologies and tools for developing regions to improve Internet access. The technologies will be presented in five major areas:

• Wireless Access
• Low cost and low power computing
• Open Standards, Open Hardware and Open Source software
• Local Services and Content
• Open Access and Open Networks

This session will provides the necessary background for each of these technology areas and refers to practical strategies including existing initiatives. After reviewing the various issues and practical strategies a set of recommendations related to each of the technology areas will be discussed.

Day 2: Localization of Computer Software to Local Languages

This session discusses the need of software localization in local, tribal languages as a measure to foster social development. Furthermore, it targets the practicalities of the different building block of Software localization such as:

• Locale standardization
• Glossary development
• Writing systems
• Character encodings
• Fonts
• Keyboards
• Spell checkers
• Text localization

The session is practical oriented and provides a good overview of what software localization implies in terms of technical skills, linguistic skills, time frame and financial support.

Case Study: Localization of OpenOffice.org into Swahili

Day 3: Solar Energy and Low Power Computing

This session targets the use of renewable energies in combination with low power computing devices. The session starts by providing an introduction to the components of an stand alone (isolated, not connected to the grid) photo voltaic system such as such as solar panels, batteries, regulators, converters and consumption loads.
Thereafter, more advanced concepts such as study of irradiation data, load estimation, system dimensioning, system design and budgeting will be covered.

Finally, we will take a look at a number of low powered computing devices suitable for developing regions and discuss basic requirements for ICT equipment for developing world.

Case study: Building an Electricity Power Backup System in rural Nigeria

Day 4: Wireless Networks and VoIP for Development

This session discusses the possibility of using unlicensed wireless technologies to build Community Wireless Networks in areas where there is no business case for the major players to invest. How can a rural community build their own local access network to share the exclusive satellite Internet connectivity?

The session also discusses the usage of VoIP as an alternative to expensive local GSM phone calls where there is no PSTN network available.

Case study (1): Zittnet, the first wireless ISP in rural Nigeria

Case study (2): Kabale Community Wireless Network

Day 5: ICT and Social Development

This session focuses on how we can measure the success of an ICT development project and what tools that are available. What qualitative outcomes of a project can we measure that actually are results of social development that are just not quantitative outcomes to present to the donor?

An introduction to the evaluation methodology “Outcome Mapping” will be provided and analytic reviews of presented case studies will be jointly conducted.

Day 6-10: Project Assignment

The project assignment should be carried out in groups of maximum 4 students during the 2nd week of the course (12-16th May).
A set of topics reflecting the five areas of the course are proposed by the course leaders. For each area, one technical and one non-technical topic are available. Please read more about the topics for the project assignment here.
The teams are free to propose an alternative topic to the course leaders no later than 9 May 2008.

The assignment should result in a written report which should be uploaded (in Wiki format) to the course Wiki site no later than Monday 16th of May 2008.