Abstract:

This article explains the possibility of merging approaches to educational computing research for the benefit of developing regions. It is on the premise that educational researchers, policymakers, and practitioners agree that educational research is often divorced from the problems and issues of everyday practice (The Design-Based Research Collective, 2003). Moreover, educational effectiveness and efficiency is a factor of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) especially the computer – a ‘tool of our time’. Developing countries have seen the potential of educational computing as a catalyst in the enhancement of knowledge acquisition and management, but approaches to educational ICT research in these settings have not been explored. Noteworthy is that software developers have either developed materials on the basis that they are conversant with all the contextual factors, or have remained oblivious about the advantages accruing from understanding the change process. Consequently, in this paper, a blended approach is proposed where two strands namely (rapid) prototyping and basic research ought to sit side by side if the exceeding relevance of educational computing research is to be sustainable and its returns fully exploited in the developing regions.

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Bisaso, Ronald (2006). Optimizing the potential of educational computing research in emerging countries. In Williams, D. and Baryamureeba, V (eds) Measuring computing research excellence and vitality,Kampala, Uganda: Fountain Publishers, 1-7