Magister Artium - MA / Telecentres in Malawi are being established to bridge the digital divide. Though the basic assumption is that once telecentres have been established many will adopt them, they are being used by a relatively small percentage of the population. However, limited systematic research has been done to understand why. The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing the acceptance and use of telecentres and their services in Malawi. Specifically, the study aimed at establishing: the access and usage patterns of telecentres and their services; relevance of telecentre service to the community members; factors affecting the usage of telecentres; and challenges facing telecentres and their users. The study employed Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovation Theory which explains how innovations are taken up. This was a quantitative and qualitative case study of one Multipurpose Community Telecentre: Lupaso Telecentre. Questionnaires were given to 130 users who visited the Telecentre during a two-week data collection period in May 2014. Face to face interviews were conducted with three telecentre staff and management committee; and one Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority staff, the implementers of the project. Document and records analysis and observation were used to verify data from the Telecentre users, staff and the management committee; and to formulate some questions for interviews with some key informants. The study reveals that a majority (94.6%) view the Telecentre as an important project; it is improving human skills, increasing the finances and strengthening social capital of the community members and many (85%) users are satisfied with Telecentre service. The negative finding is that only a few people use and benefit from the Telecentre; there is uneven access: users are generally male, young, with low educational and income levels, farmers and Nkhondes; and the ICTs are not the chief attraction. The study finds that convenience and cheaper services; compatibility of services with community’s needs; communication channels, social system, visibility of the benefits of using the Telecentre; and complexity of ICTs influence the use and non-use of the Telecentre. Furthermore, the Telecentre and users are facing several challenges that have a negative impact on telecentre usage. Some of the challenges are: lack of Internet searching skills, frequent blackouts, lack of local content and high costs of services. The study concludes that working on these factors and challenges may help in increasing user base. Hopefully, the results will help those implementing and operating the telecentres on how best to attract more users to the telecentres. The results also add to the body of literature in general

Thesis (M.Dev.) -- University of Limpopo, 2009 / Refer to document

Submitted by Joseilda Sampaio (sulesp@gmail.com) on 2014-01-09T16:48:44Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Joseilda Sampaio.pdf: 1895997 bytes, checksum: fc1990a31d8d49b1b86e90c7b93d6c6f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Auxiliadora da Silva Lopes (silopes@ufba.br) on 2014-01-22T17:17:23Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Joseilda Sampaio.pdf: 1895997 bytes, checksum: fc1990a31d8d49b1b86e90c7b93d6c6f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-01-22T17:17:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joseilda Sampaio.pdf: 1895997 bytes, checksum: fc1990a31d8d49b1b86e90c7b93d6c6f (MD5) / O tema central desse trabalho é a cultura digital na formação de professores.Buscamos adentrar nessa temática, a partir da nvestigação e análise de um curso de Pedagogia desenvolvido pela Faculdade de Educação da UFBA, através do Programa de Formação Continuada de Professores para o município de Irecê, que apresenta como proposta agregar projetos e ações para favorecer a integração desta cultura entre professores. Nesta pesquisa, a problemática que motivou os estudos partiu da necessidade de identificar, compreender e refletir sobre a existência (ou não) de interdependência entre o Projeto Irecê e o Projeto Tabuleiro Digital, de forma a perceber se esta inter -relação potencializa a formação da cultura digital no contexto de formação de professores. A pesquisa caracteriza - se pela abordagem qualitativa, tomando como natureza do estudo a etnopesquisa formação , que requer do pesquisador reflexões sobre seu processo formativo juntamente com os membros do grupo pesquisado. A pesquisa foi realizada tomando como instrumentos para coleta de informações e reflexão a análise documental, através dos documentos formulados para a elaboração dos projetos Irecê e Tabuleiro Digital; a observação participante, realizada em duas escolas municipais de Irecê, nas dinâmicas desenvolvidas no Projeto Irecê e Tabuleiro digital, e de entrevistas semiestruturadas com os sujeitos selecionados pela participação direta ou indireta nesses dois projetos. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que para a vivência da cultura digital entre professores, primeiramente, é preciso discutir a concepção curricular dos cursos que formam esses profissionais da educação. Constatamos que a integração desta cultura nos percursos formativos de educadores acontece com a oportunidade de participação em processos contínuos nos quais os professores vivenciem contextos diferenciados que, poderão acarretar mudanças nas suas práticas em sala de aula. Averiguamos que a aproximação entre os projetos Irecê e Tabuleiro Digital contribuiu para a adoção de posturas diferenciadas pelos professores - cursistas, principalmente, ao trabalhar com as tecnologias, superando os medos, as incertezas, colocando em prática o que estavam vivenciando no curso. Mas, apesar de todos os avanços e o desenvolvimento de ações interligadas, percebemos que o movimento de implementar, desenvolver e avaliar os projetos de forma interdependente aconteceu, efetivamente, apenas com a primeira turma de professores formada pelo Projeto Irecê. Hoje, a inter-relação entre os projetos está fragilizada, mas, por outro lado, fortaleceu outros programas/espaços do município de Irecê que passaram a ser responsáveis pela inserção na cultura digital.

O trabalho discute a importância das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TICs) na sociedade atual destacando a questão da exclusão digital e as alternativas de inclusão como os telecentros comunitários. Busca compreender como os usuários de telecentros empregam suas competências informacionais ao utilizar a Internet como meio de comunicação para o exercício da cidadania. Utiliza as normas de Competência em Informação da Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) como tipos ideais para avaliar as competências informacionais dos usuários ao navegar pela Internet. Desenvolve uma investigação qualitativa da inclusão digital a partir de um estudo de casos múltiplos incorporados. Como resultado, demonstra que os usuários dos telecentros, participantes da pesquisa, empregam principalmente quatro das cinco normas da ACRL. Conclui que os telecentros são espaços propícios para a realização de atividades relacionadas à educação continuada com grande potencial para o desenvolvimento de competências informacionais. Sugere a realização de oficinas que abordem as cinco normas de competência em informação com seus respectivos indicadores de desempenho, a ser implementada de forma conjunta por bibliotecários e profissionais da comunicação, tendo em vista a grande inter-relação existente entre competência em informação e educação para mídia. Sugere, ainda, a realização de outros estudos de caso também qualitativos para complementar esse. / The study focuses on the importance of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to society. It highlights the digital exclusion problem and presents Community Telecentres as an alternative for inclusion. It seeks to understand how users employ their information skills when using the Internet as means for the exercise of the citizenship. It uses the Information Literacy Standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) as ideal types to evaluate users´ information skills. It carries out a qualitative inquiry from a multiple incorporated case studie. As result, it demonstrates that the respondents apply mainly four of the five standards of the ACRL (2000). It concludes that telecentres are favourable spaces for the accomplishment of activities related to continued education and have great potential for the development of information literacy. It suggests the implementation of workshops that approach the five standards of information literacy, with its respective performance indicators, to be implemented jointly by librarians and communication professionals, in view of the existing connection between information literacy and media literacy. It also suggests the accomplishment of other qualitative case studies to complement the one described here.

Submitted by Edileide Reis (leyde-landy@hotmail.com) on 2013-04-29T15:29:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Joseilda Sampaio.pdf: 1895997 bytes, checksum: fc1990a31d8d49b1b86e90c7b93d6c6f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Auxiliadora Lopes(silopes@ufba.br) on 2013-06-10T19:17:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Joseilda Sampaio.pdf: 1895997 bytes, checksum: fc1990a31d8d49b1b86e90c7b93d6c6f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-06-10T19:17:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joseilda Sampaio.pdf: 1895997 bytes, checksum: fc1990a31d8d49b1b86e90c7b93d6c6f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / O tema central desse trabalho é a cultura digital na formação de professores. Buscamos adentrar nessa temática, a partir da investigação e análise de um curso de Pedagogia desenvolvido pela Faculdade de Educação da UFBA, através do Programa de Formação Continuada de Professores para o município de Irecê, que apresenta como proposta agregar projetos e ações para favorecer a integração desta cultura entre professores. Nesta pesquisa, a problemática que motivou os estudos partiu da necessidade de identificar, compreender e refletir sobre a existência (ou não) de interdependência entre o Projeto Irecê e o Projeto Tabuleiro Digital, de forma a perceber se esta inter-relação potencializa a formação da cultura digital no contexto de formação de professores. A pesquisa caracteriza-se pela abordagem qualitativa, tomando como natureza do estudo a etnopesquisa formação, que requer do pesquisador reflexões sobre seu processo formativo juntamente com os membros do grupo pesquisado. A pesquisa foi realizada tomando como instrumentos para coleta de informações e reflexão a análise documental, através dos documentos formulados para a elaboração dos projetos Irecê e Tabuleiro Digital; a observação participante, realizada em duas escolas municipais de Irecê, nas dinâmicas desenvolvidas no Projeto Irecê e Tabuleiro Digital, e de entrevistas semiestruturadas com os sujeitos selecionados pela participação direta ou indireta nesses dois projetos. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que para a vivência da cultura digital entre professores, primeiramente, é preciso discutir a concepção curricular dos cursos que formam esses profissionais da educação. Constatamos que a integração desta cultura nos percursos formativos de educadores acontece com a oportunidade de participação em processos contínuos nos quais os professores vivenciem contextos diferenciados que, poderão acarretar mudanças nas suas práticas em sala de aula. Averiguamos que a aproximação entre os projetos Irecê e Tabuleiro Digital contribuiu para a adoção de posturas diferenciadas pelos professores-cursistas, principalmente, ao trabalhar com as tecnologias, superando os medos, as incertezas, colocando em prática o que estavam vivenciando no curso. Mas, apesar de todos os avanços e o desenvolvimento de ações interligadas, percebemos que o movimento de implementar, desenvolver e avaliar os projetos de forma interdependente aconteceu, efetivamente, apenas com a primeira turma de professores formada pelo Projeto Irecê. Hoje, a inter-relação entre os projetos está fragilizada, mas, por outro lado, fortaleceu outros programas/espaços do município de Irecê que passaram a ser responsáveis pela inserção na cultura digital. / Salvador

O trabalho discute a importância das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TICs) na sociedade atual destacando a questão da exclusão digital e as alternativas de inclusão como os telecentros comunitários. Busca compreender como os usuários de telecentros empregam suas competências informacionais ao utilizar a Internet como meio de comunicação para o exercício da cidadania. Utiliza as normas de Competência em Informação da Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) como tipos ideais para avaliar as competências informacionais dos usuários ao navegar pela Internet. Desenvolve uma investigação qualitativa da inclusão digital a partir de um estudo de casos múltiplos incorporados. Como resultado, demonstra que os usuários dos telecentros, participantes da pesquisa, empregam principalmente quatro das cinco normas da ACRL. Conclui que os telecentros são espaços propícios para a realização de atividades relacionadas à educação continuada com grande potencial para o desenvolvimento de competências informacionais. Sugere a realização de oficinas que abordem as cinco normas de competência em informação com seus respectivos indicadores de desempenho, a ser implementada de forma conjunta por bibliotecários e profissionais da comunicação, tendo em vista a grande inter-relação existente entre competência em informação e educação para mídia. Sugere, ainda, a realização de outros estudos de caso também qualitativos para complementar esse. / The study focuses on the importance of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to society. It highlights the digital exclusion problem and presents Community Telecentres as an alternative for inclusion. It seeks to understand how users employ their information skills when using the Internet as means for the exercise of the citizenship. It uses the Information Literacy Standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) as ideal types to evaluate users´ information skills. It carries out a qualitative inquiry from a multiple incorporated case studie. As result, it demonstrates that the respondents apply mainly four of the five standards of the ACRL (2000). It concludes that telecentres are favourable spaces for the accomplishment of activities related to continued education and have great potential for the development of information literacy. It suggests the implementation of workshops that approach the five standards of information literacy, with its respective performance indicators, to be implemented jointly by librarians and communication professionals, in view of the existing connection between information literacy and media literacy. It also suggests the accomplishment of other qualitative case studies to complement the one described here.

O trabalho discute a importância das Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TICs) na sociedade atual destacando a questão da exclusão digital e as alternativas de inclusão como os telecentros comunitários. Busca compreender como os usuários de telecentros empregam suas competências informacionais ao utilizar a Internet como meio de comunicação para o exercício da cidadania. Utiliza as normas de Competência em Informação da Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) como tipos ideais para avaliar as competências informacionais dos usuários ao navegar pela Internet. Desenvolve uma investigação qualitativa da inclusão digital a partir de um estudo de casos múltiplos incorporados. Como resultado, demonstra que os usuários dos telecentros, participantes da pesquisa, empregam principalmente quatro das cinco normas da ACRL. Conclui que os telecentros são espaços propícios para a realização de atividades relacionadas à educação continuada com grande potencial para o desenvolvimento de competências informacionais. Sugere a realização de oficinas que abordem as cinco normas de competência em informação com seus respectivos indicadores de desempenho, a ser implementada de forma conjunta por bibliotecários e profissionais da comunicação, tendo em vista a grande inter-relação existente entre competência em informação e educação para mídia. Sugere, ainda, a realização de outros estudos de caso também qualitativos para complementar esse. / The study focuses on the importance of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to society. It highlights the digital exclusion problem and presents Community Telecentres as an alternative for inclusion. It seeks to understand how users employ their information skills when using the Internet as means for the exercise of the citizenship. It uses the Information Literacy Standards of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) as ideal types to evaluate users´ information skills. It carries out a qualitative inquiry from a multiple incorporated case studie. As result, it demonstrates that the respondents apply mainly four of the five standards of the ACRL (2000). It concludes that telecentres are favourable spaces for the accomplishment of activities related to continued education and have great potential for the development of information literacy. It suggests the implementation of workshops that approach the five standards of information literacy, with its respective performance indicators, to be implemented jointly by librarians and communication professionals, in view of the existing connection between information literacy and media literacy. It also suggests the accomplishment of other qualitative case studies to complement the one described here.

Cette thèse porte sur l’appropriation d’Internet par les visiteurs des centres d’accès public à cette technologie installés par le gouvernement et les ONG au Chili au début des années 2000. L’implantation de ces centres s’insère dans une politique officielle d’accès à une technologie qui est considérée comme un outil de développement. Les autorités s’appuient sur un discours plus large qui fait référence à la Société de l’information et au besoin de la population de participer adéquatement à celle-ci; l’accès et la maîtrise des technologies de l’information et communication, et en particulier l’Internet, permettrait aux personnes de bénéficier des avantages de cette nouvelle société. Conscients que ce n’est pas toute la population qui peut s’abonner à un service d’Internet à domicile, les télécentres aideraient les personnes à faible revenu à le faire. Au niveau théorique, nous avons mobilisé certaines notions liées aux études sur les usages des technologies. Plus spécifiquement, nous nous sommes servis du modèle de l’appropriation qui se penche sur la construction des significations que font les personnes de l’usage d’une technologie. Ce modèle montre la complexité du processus et les facteurs d’ordre personnel et social qui entrent en jeu. Selon ce modèle, le contexte social est clé pour comprendre la construction de la signification sur l’usage. Nous faisons aussi référence à d’autres études qui se penchent sur les différents moments de l’appropriation : la domestication, les propos de Michel de Certeau et la sociopolitique des usages. Finalement, nous proposons de considérer certains facteurs qui peuvent avoir une influence dans le processus d’appropriation, tels que les représentations des usagers, le contexte socio-économique, le réseau d’appui et le genre. D’un point de vue méthodologique, étant donné que nous voulions explorer un phénomène sans pour autant faire de généralisations, nous avons utilisé une démarche qualitative et comme stratégie de recherche, l’ethnographie. Nous avons visité 5 télécentres dans 4 villes ou villages de différentes régions du Chili. Nous avons fait des observations et des entrevues semi-ouvertes avec des usagers, des responsables des télécentres et les responsables des réseaux de télécentres. La thèse montre la complexité du processus d’appropriation et la spécificité de l’appropriation d’Internet dans les centres d’accès public. Nous avons constaté comment les relations interpersonnelles – le réseau d’appui- jouent un des rôles les plus importants dans le processus de rapprochement au centre et à la technologie, ainsi que dans le processus d’apprentissage et d’usage même. Nous avons constaté également que la construction de la signification de l’usage est étroitement liée au contexte et aux expériences de vie des personnes. Un même usage n’a pas la même signification pour tous nos interviewés : pour certains, le clavardage peut être seulement une activité de loisir et pour quelqu’un d’autre, un outil de développement personnel et émotionnel. Les projections sur les usages futurs ne sont pas les mêmes non plus chez les adultes et chez les plus jeunes, ces derniers étant davantage conscients de l’Internet comme un outil de travail. L’interprétation de l’usage diffère aussi entre les hommes et les femmes (plus que les usages mêmes): certaines femmes voient dans l’usage d’Internet et dans la participation au télécentre une activité qui les fait sortir de leur rôle typique de femme au foyer. Finalement, nous avons observé que la signification de l’usage n’est pas seulement construite à partir de l’expérience personnelle immédiate; les usages des autres sont toujours évalués par les visiteurs des télécentres. / This thesis is about the appropriation of Internet in Public Access Centers (“Telecenters”) implemented by the government and NGOs in Chile during the first years of the present century. Telecenters are part of an official public policy aiming to facilitate access to the Internet, a technology widely considered to be an important tool for development. Political authorities make reference in their discourse about the new Information society and about the necessity that individuals know how to participate adequately in this society: access and good performance in the use of information and communication technologies (ITC) - specifically Internet- would allow people to enjoy some of the benefits and advantages of this new society. Nevertheless, the government is aware that not all the population is able to afford a home Internet service, especially in rural areas; telecenters put Internet within the reach of a larger segment of the society. From a theoretical point of view, in this thesis, we have used some notions linked to well-known studies about the uses of technologies. More specifically, we have used the ‘appropriation model’. This model proposes to study the construction of meaning that people make of the usage of one technology, in our case, of Internet. This model shows the complexity of the process by which people integrate a technology in their lives, and the personal and social factors that play a role in this process. For this approach, the social context is fundamental for understanding the construction of meaning of the uses of the technology. In our theoretical chapter we also refer to other approaches dealing with different aspects of the appropriation process: the domestication of a technology, the de Certau point of view, and the sociopolitical use point of view. Finally, we propose to consider some other factors which may have an influence on the appropriation process: the users’ representations of Internet, the social and economical context where they live, the social network they have, and their gender. From a methodological point of view, we have utilized a qualitative approach and ethnography as a research strategy, because we wish to explore this “appropriation phenomenon” without making generalizations. We have visited five telecenters in four cities or villages in different regions of Chile. We have made observations and semi-structured interviews with users, with people in charge of centers, and also with people in charge of the networks of telecenters. This thesis shows the complexity of the appropriation process and specifically it discusses the appropriation process in Internet public access centers. We have verified how important interpersonal relationships (social network) are: they play one of the most important roles among future visitors because they can be informed about telecenters and about the importance of computers and Internet in everyday life. They are also important in the learning process and in the first steps of the utilization of the technology. The social network is comprised of family and friends, and also of those in charge of centers. We have verified too that construction of the usage meaning of uses is closely linked to the social context and life experience of the visitors. On the other hand, we have observed that the same use doesn’t have the same meaning for all users: for some of them, chat is a leisure activity, for others, it is a personal and emotional development tool. Projections about future uses of Internet are not the same among young people and adults. For example, young people very often consider Internet as a work tool. Interpretations of the uses are sometimes different between women and men: some women interpret the use of Internet, and their participation in telecenters, as an activity which changes their typical role as homemakers. Finally, we have observed that meaning of the use is not only constructed by the immediate personal experience; the uses of others are always evaluated by visitors of centers, and these uses seem to confirm their own way of using the Internet.

Cette thèse porte sur l’appropriation d’Internet par les visiteurs des centres d’accès public à cette technologie installés par le gouvernement et les ONG au Chili au début des années 2000. L’implantation de ces centres s’insère dans une politique officielle d’accès à une technologie qui est considérée comme un outil de développement. Les autorités s’appuient sur un discours plus large qui fait référence à la Société de l’information et au besoin de la population de participer adéquatement à celle-ci; l’accès et la maîtrise des technologies de l’information et communication, et en particulier l’Internet, permettrait aux personnes de bénéficier des avantages de cette nouvelle société. Conscients que ce n’est pas toute la population qui peut s’abonner à un service d’Internet à domicile, les télécentres aideraient les personnes à faible revenu à le faire. Au niveau théorique, nous avons mobilisé certaines notions liées aux études sur les usages des technologies. Plus spécifiquement, nous nous sommes servis du modèle de l’appropriation qui se penche sur la construction des significations que font les personnes de l’usage d’une technologie. Ce modèle montre la complexité du processus et les facteurs d’ordre personnel et social qui entrent en jeu. Selon ce modèle, le contexte social est clé pour comprendre la construction de la signification sur l’usage. Nous faisons aussi référence à d’autres études qui se penchent sur les différents moments de l’appropriation : la domestication, les propos de Michel de Certeau et la sociopolitique des usages. Finalement, nous proposons de considérer certains facteurs qui peuvent avoir une influence dans le processus d’appropriation, tels que les représentations des usagers, le contexte socio-économique, le réseau d’appui et le genre. D’un point de vue méthodologique, étant donné que nous voulions explorer un phénomène sans pour autant faire de généralisations, nous avons utilisé une démarche qualitative et comme stratégie de recherche, l’ethnographie. Nous avons visité 5 télécentres dans 4 villes ou villages de différentes régions du Chili. Nous avons fait des observations et des entrevues semi-ouvertes avec des usagers, des responsables des télécentres et les responsables des réseaux de télécentres. La thèse montre la complexité du processus d’appropriation et la spécificité de l’appropriation d’Internet dans les centres d’accès public. Nous avons constaté comment les relations interpersonnelles – le réseau d’appui- jouent un des rôles les plus importants dans le processus de rapprochement au centre et à la technologie, ainsi que dans le processus d’apprentissage et d’usage même. Nous avons constaté également que la construction de la signification de l’usage est étroitement liée au contexte et aux expériences de vie des personnes. Un même usage n’a pas la même signification pour tous nos interviewés : pour certains, le clavardage peut être seulement une activité de loisir et pour quelqu’un d’autre, un outil de développement personnel et émotionnel. Les projections sur les usages futurs ne sont pas les mêmes non plus chez les adultes et chez les plus jeunes, ces derniers étant davantage conscients de l’Internet comme un outil de travail. L’interprétation de l’usage diffère aussi entre les hommes et les femmes (plus que les usages mêmes): certaines femmes voient dans l’usage d’Internet et dans la participation au télécentre une activité qui les fait sortir de leur rôle typique de femme au foyer. Finalement, nous avons observé que la signification de l’usage n’est pas seulement construite à partir de l’expérience personnelle immédiate; les usages des autres sont toujours évalués par les visiteurs des télécentres. / This thesis is about the appropriation of Internet in Public Access Centers (“Telecenters”) implemented by the government and NGOs in Chile during the first years of the present century. Telecenters are part of an official public policy aiming to facilitate access to the Internet, a technology widely considered to be an important tool for development. Political authorities make reference in their discourse about the new Information society and about the necessity that individuals know how to participate adequately in this society: access and good performance in the use of information and communication technologies (ITC) - specifically Internet- would allow people to enjoy some of the benefits and advantages of this new society. Nevertheless, the government is aware that not all the population is able to afford a home Internet service, especially in rural areas; telecenters put Internet within the reach of a larger segment of the society. From a theoretical point of view, in this thesis, we have used some notions linked to well-known studies about the uses of technologies. More specifically, we have used the ‘appropriation model’. This model proposes to study the construction of meaning that people make of the usage of one technology, in our case, of Internet. This model shows the complexity of the process by which people integrate a technology in their lives, and the personal and social factors that play a role in this process. For this approach, the social context is fundamental for understanding the construction of meaning of the uses of the technology. In our theoretical chapter we also refer to other approaches dealing with different aspects of the appropriation process: the domestication of a technology, the de Certau point of view, and the sociopolitical use point of view. Finally, we propose to consider some other factors which may have an influence on the appropriation process: the users’ representations of Internet, the social and economical context where they live, the social network they have, and their gender. From a methodological point of view, we have utilized a qualitative approach and ethnography as a research strategy, because we wish to explore this “appropriation phenomenon” without making generalizations. We have visited five telecenters in four cities or villages in different regions of Chile. We have made observations and semi-structured interviews with users, with people in charge of centers, and also with people in charge of the networks of telecenters. This thesis shows the complexity of the appropriation process and specifically it discusses the appropriation process in Internet public access centers. We have verified how important interpersonal relationships (social network) are: they play one of the most important roles among future visitors because they can be informed about telecenters and about the importance of computers and Internet in everyday life. They are also important in the learning process and in the first steps of the utilization of the technology. The social network is comprised of family and friends, and also of those in charge of centers. We have verified too that construction of the usage meaning of uses is closely linked to the social context and life experience of the visitors. On the other hand, we have observed that the same use doesn’t have the same meaning for all users: for some of them, chat is a leisure activity, for others, it is a personal and emotional development tool. Projections about future uses of Internet are not the same among young people and adults. For example, young people very often consider Internet as a work tool. Interpretations of the uses are sometimes different between women and men: some women interpret the use of Internet, and their participation in telecenters, as an activity which changes their typical role as homemakers. Finally, we have observed that meaning of the use is not only constructed by the immediate personal experience; the uses of others are always evaluated by visitors of centers, and these uses seem to confirm their own way of using the Internet.

The study primarily described and analysed the attempts made through the former Technikon SA at the implementation of ICT centres in Southern Africa over a period of six years. Based on some contemporary theory, the study suggested an approach for the implementation of ICT centres in developing regions. In the introduction, the study deals with the problems of technology transfer to developing regions and refers to the impact of globalisation on third world economies. In particular, the study highlights the barriers to technology transfer with specific emphasis on the peculiarities that are unique to each region. The study further analysed the approach that was used by the former Technikon SA for the deployment of ICT centres especially as ICT centres were considered by many as an ideal manner for the transfer of technology. In order to contextualise the understand and findings of the research, the study relied on the fact that the research was based on a longitudinal study. The advantages of this longitudinal study meant it was possible to observe and record the life of an ICT centre over a significant period of time. Not only was it evident that there was little regard for the respective communities needs and the that there was no indication of these ICT centres being successful, but that the same mistakes were being repeated. At national level, an enormous amount of effort and money had been channelled into the roll out of ICT centres with little guarantee of success. International symposiums suggested that through technology, third world economies could make the quantum leap into the information age and that the deployment of ICT centres was one of the ways in which this could be achieved at the local level. There was little evidence to suggest that any significant success had been achieved through the many attempts at ICT centre deployment. Through the study, a research instrument was developed that was used to assess and measure the success of each of the centres. The approach for ICT deployment suggested in the study, was based on the research instrument as well as on models developed by certain theorists (Heeks, Van Ardenhoven and Snyman). The study in the end analysed the nature and impact of implementing ICT centres without considering the critical elements that were identified as critical success factors for ICT centre success. Critical success factors that include role players from government to the community, local, ownership, identification of local needs, local knowledge, an understanding of the local conditions, support structures and partnerships were shown to be key to the success of and ensuring sustainability of ICT centres. The study also provides a perspective on the conflict that arose between the implementer of ICT centres and the communities. / Thesis (PhD (Information Science))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Information Science / unrestricted