ICTs for development
New technologies and education in developing countries: assessing the application of multimedia to improve education in rural Niger and Burkina Faso
Is multimedia technology desirable and possible for rural educators in West Africa?
Authors:
J. Gural
Publisher:
International Institute for Communication and Development , 2001
This technical paper considers the relevance and potential of multimedia to improve educational content in rural Niger and Burkina Faso. The authors state that a new satellite system has already been set up to serve rural educators in Niger and that multimedia technology has the potential to provide quality radio, television and internet based content.
The paper argues that teachers working in isolated schools have no access to additional training or means of communicating with colleagues. Providing new communication and information services will help them to perform their educational task and improve the distribution of up-to-date information into rural communities. The feasibility study described here looked at interest, costs, distribution needs, skill levels needed and political issues connected with developing and distributing educational content via television, satellite and radio in West Africa.
