Basic necessities before education

The basic necessities of life need to be met before education can even be considered. This is twofold; do they have the resources (Appleton, 2001) and assets to allow the child to leave the home, do they have the health, wellbeing and access to learn. The biggest issue for child education is the need for the childs labor (Cockburn, 2001). If they can be freed from labor and the family has the assets; the child can persue education.

Poverty is a complicated issue

The more you read the less you know. The purpose of this blog is to be critical of applying educational technology in impoverished countries. There is no doubt that poverty shames and diminishes us all (Lewis, 2005). The main question being, could educational technology help people out of the poverty cycle? Before we apply technology to education to meet this end, it is important to know that education (without technology) can assist in bringing people out of poverty. Given the complexity of poverty (Appleton, 2001; Cockburn, 2001; Christiaensen, 2003) and the plethora of factors which perpetuate poverty it is not so simple to say, if those who live in poverty were more educated they would no longer live in poverty.

Critical Pedagogy

This blog looks at the 3rd world educational technology initiatives from a critical pedagogical perspective. Why critical pedagogy? It is a very empowering approach to pedagogy. For educational technology initiatives to be successful they need to be driven and highly influenced by the students. Critical pedagogy provides an approach to learning that is aligned with constructivist learning theory and the institutional structures of the school, and the social and material relations of the wider community, society, and nation-state (McLaren, 1998). This alignment creates an environment where students will be empowered to leverage the technology in the hopes for social change and a better lot in life.

References

Appleton, S. (2001). Education, Incomes and Poverty in Uganda in the 1990s. CREDIT Research Paper No. 01/22, University of Nottingham.

Cockburn, John. (2000). Child labour versus education: Poverty constraints or income opportunities?, Paper presented at a Conference on Opportunities in Africa: Micro-evidence on firms and households, April.

Christiansen, L., Demery L., and Paternostro, S. (2003). Macro and Micro Perspectives of Growth and Poverty in Africa. World Bank Economic Review, 17, 317-47.

Dunford, C. (2002). Microfinance as a vehicle for educating the poor. Retrieved on April 4, 2006 from http://devnet.anu.edu.au/online%20versions%20pdfs/57/2757Dunford.pdf

Gow. K.M. (2001). How access to microfinance and education through technology can alleviate poverty in third world coutnreis. International Journal of Economic Development, 3(1), pp.1-20. http://www.spaef.com/IJED_PUB/3_1/3_1_gow.pdf

Kanpol, B. (1999). Critical pedagogy: An introduction (2nd Ed.). Westport, CT: Bergin & Garvey.

Lewis, S. (2005). Race Against Time. House of Anansi Press. Toronto, Canada.

McLaren, P. (1998). Revolutionary pedagogy in post-revolutionary times: Rethinking the political economy of critical education. Educational Theory, Fall98, Vol. 48 Issue 4, p431, 32p;

Ryder, M. (2006). Critical Pedagogy. Retrieved on March 31, 2006 from http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/crit_ped.html

Travers, A., Decker, E. (1999). New Technology and Critical Pedagogy. Retrieved on April 3, 2006 from http://radicalpedagogy.icaap.org/content/issue1_2/01travers1_2.html

Williams, L. (2004). Rage and Hope. Retrieved on march 31, 2006 from http://www.perfectfit.org/CT/index2.html