Telecentre approaches in Cameroon and Kenya illuminated using behavioural archaeology

• Throughout the last decade, telecentres have provided access to electronic communications as supporting information and communications technology infrastructure for community, economic, educational and social development. While the origins of telecentres can be traced to Europe's tele-cottage and Community Technology Centers in the United States in the 1980s, telecentres have taken on a number of varying forms and approaches. This article illuminates approaches used by telecentre projects in Kenya and Cameroon using behavioural archaeology. Literature stresses that behavioural archaeology refers to understanding the artefact as a tool in human activity and technology as the embodiment of human activity in the artefact. Application of the concept to understanding telecentres sheds light on the nature of the use of technology that leads to the existence of particular results or societal outcomes. Using a qualitative methodology, managers, local contractors, and technicians at local telecentres were interviewed. The results show differing approaches to telecentres purpose and design. In Kenya, the focus is on e-government services, whilst in Cameroon it is on conflict solving among different tribes. In its use of behavioural archaeology, this article adds a new perspective to the challenges of making information and communications technology and electronic media available in resource-poor environments.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Data- och informationsvetenskap -- Systemvetenskap, informationssystem och informatik (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Computer and Information Sciences -- Information Systems (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Behavioural archaeology

Cameroon

Kenya

digital villages

electronic communications

ICT infrastructure

resource-poor environments

telecentres

Computer and Systems Sciences

data- och systemvetenskap

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)