Guide for Developing

and Sustaining
ICT in Primary Schools*
August 2009

Change Management

Total Cost of Ownership

Financial Alternatives

Digital Learning Content

Orientation & Training

Deployment Models

Author: Vital Wave Consulting *Study funded by Intel Corporation

 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Table of Contents
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................................................ 1

Framework for ICT Programs in Primary Schools ......................................................................................................................... 2

Toward a New Model of Learning .................................................................................................................................................... 2

Conceptualizing ICT Programs in Primary School ............................................................................................................................. 6

Creating an ICT in Primary Education Plan & Total Solution Approach ......................................................................................... 7

Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools ...................................................................................................... 11

Step 1: Readiness Assessment ........................................................................................................................................................ 11

Step 2: Preparation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 13

Step 3: Procurement ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15

Step 4: Implementation and Sustained Operations ........................................................................................................................ 17

Digital Learning Content ............................................................................................................................................................ 19

Change Management: All Stakeholders (except teachers) ......................................................................................................... 22

Change Management: Teachers ................................................................................................................................................. 25

Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) .................................................................................................................... 28

Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding ......................................................................................................................... 31

Potential Funding Models ............................................................................................................................................................... 31

Orientation & Training ............................................................................................................................................................... 37

Deployment Models .................................................................................................................................................................. 40

Sustained Operations ................................................................................................................................................................ 43

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................................. 46

Glossary ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 48

Resources .................................................................................................................................................................................. 49

Bibliography .............................................................................................................................................................................. 50

Endnotes ................................................................................................................................................................................... 51

1

Framework for ICT Programs in Primary Schools
Primary education is the foundation on which a nation’s vital
human resources are built. It is the beginning of formal education
and the focus of many development efforts (e.g., Goal 2 of the
Millennium Development Goals). Technology use in this stage of
the education process is important for a country’s participation in
the global knowledge economy, and technology is also especially
suited to address the demands of primary schooling in some unique
and powerful ways.
Primary schools are a critical and unique part of the educational
system (see box at right). Because of their distinct features,
successful information and communication technology (ICT) in
education programs in these institutions require a different
approach. The purpose of this guide is to lay out the steps required
to successfully deploy learning technology in primary schools and
highlight the distinct characteristics of these schools. It is intended
for local, regional and national officials in developing countries who
would like to realize the potential to transform primary school
classrooms and learning paradigms.
The Guide begins with a discussion of the potential transformative
power of technology in primary schools. It then presents a
framework for thinking about technology in primary school
programs and outlines the components of an ICT in Primary
Education Plan. Next, the Guide highlights the steps involved in a
successful ICT in primary school program. Lastly, it provides
specific detailed guidance in seven topics that are the most
critical for primary school technology in learning programs ,
including:
 Change Management — for all stakeholders and
then for teachers more specifically
 Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership
 Assessing Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding
 Digital Learning Content
 Orientation & Training
 Deployment Models
 Sustained Operations
Framework for ICT Programs in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Toward a New Model of Learning
A vision moves closer to reality
The idea of every schoolchild in the world  rich or poor, male or
female, in rural or urban areas  having access to a computer once
seemed like a faraway fantasy. But that vision is much closer today
than it seemed even five years ago. The evolution of low -cost
devices and mobile communications has allowed students, parents
and educators to dream about how technology might transform
learning and be accessible to all students. In addition, software
content and teaching methods have demonstrated the capability to
effectively deliver technology-based learning, even to primary
school children. Educational technologies have developed to the
point where they can truly transform educatio n.
Unique Features of Primary
Schools that Impact
Technology in Education
Programs
Teachers teach all subjects to one classroom of students
all day. On average, they have less training than teachers
at other levels and likely less previous exposure to
technology.
Schools have larger student-teacher ratios, lower per-pupil
expenditure and fewer resources than secondary or
tertiary institutions. Students do not specialize in subjects
and tracking is less frequent than in upper grade levels.
Home backgrounds of students are the most diverse. This
is the most accessible level of education, and there are no
entrance requirements for basic admission.
Curricula span the broadest range of topics. Children learn
how to learn, and there is an emphasis on basic skills, from
how to hold a pencil to reading, writing and numeracy.
Students’ physical attributes lead to increased safety
considerations (e.g., hardware may need either a cordless
solution or a magnetic, trip-free power cord that
disengages with slight pressure so that children don’t trip).
The fact that users are smaller may impact size/weight
restrictions of device.
2

21 st Century Skills
UNESCO defines 21st Century Skills as including:
 Problem solving
 Communication
 Collaboration
 Experimentation
 Critical thinking
 Creative expression
UNESCO asserts that these skills should be curricular goals
in and of themselves. i
Until now, computers in schools have been used mostly to improve
or complement traditional classroom learning. Students have
generally accessed computers either in labs or in classrooms where
a computer is a shared resource. These models limit each child’s
time on a computer, as well as the extent to which technology can
be used to transform the way children learn . i
The spread of 1:1 eLearning initiatives in which each student and
teacher has a dedicated computer promises to change that.
Students will have the maximum amount of interaction with
computers and the devices will also be able to serve as vehicles for
innovative learning and the development of 21st century skills.
Teachers will also be able to create content, which can be uniquely
tailored to a child’s learning pace, preparation and style. Lastly, 1:1
eLearning will make it easier for students to learn at different
paces without disrupting their peers, an issue that speaks to
primary school teachers everywhere.
Primary schools move into the spotlight
This move toward an interactive, student -centered model across
the entire education system requires a greater use of computers —
from the earliest years. Most computer use in schools, especially in
the developing world, has taken place in secondary schools . But in
some places, educators are recognizing that developing higher
order skills in younger children is key to building
those skills when children move on to secondary
schools . Many of them also believe that computers offer a real
opportunity to address some of the challenges in teaching,
especially in underserved communities and for the specific
challenges in the early grades. For example, student -centered,
computer-based learning may ease the burden on primary school
teachers by allowing students to navigate subjects by themselves,
at their own pace. This could be particularly valuable in rural areas
where there may be few teachers, many of whom may lack training.
Framework for ICT Programs in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
The integration of computers into education from an early age also
prepares students for an economy in which technology is not just a
tool that increases productivity, but an indispensable and
necessary part of every job.
The need to invest in primary schools
Educational administrators with tight budget constraints may not
immediately consider technology in primary education their top
priority. The primary schools in question may have little or no
experience with incorporating technology and would need to build
the infrastructure required to support it. And in addition to the
resources required, introducing computers on a large scale means
rethinking how teachers teach — an extremely important, but
daunting, task.
With recent technological innovations designed specifically for
younger children such as ruggedized laptops and interactive
instructional content, as well as the more prevalent deployment of
technology in secondary schools, there is now a more convincing
case that investing in ICT in primary education produces a return.
As shown in Figure 1 on the next page, technology in primary
schools advances not only short-term educational goals but also
long-term social and economic objectives and the creation of 21st
century skills.
Pioneering 1:1 eLearning in
Primary Schools
The Magellan initiative in Portugal will provide each of the
nation’s primary school children with a localized Intel -
powered classmate PC for use in the classroom and at
home. This may be the most visionary example of the shift
to 1:1 eLearning in primary schools. While Magellan builds
on established programs at the secondary school level, it
takes these models even further. Portuguese leaders
reasoned that, as with language and reading, children can
best master technology when they begin at the earliest
ages.
3

ICT and educational outcomes
Educational outcomes may be measured in terms of academic
performance, such as improved test scores, or non -academic
metrics such as higher student or teacher morale or improved
attendance. Computing initiatives may also aim to reduce
inequalities in student achievement, by facilitating equal
educational opportunities across genders and economic classes.
Technology Designed
Specifically for Primary-
school-aged Children
The device market has changed dramatically with a new
breed of small, lightweight, ruggedized computers, such as
the Intel® Powered classmate PC, designed especially for
primary-school-aged children.
Despite scores of studies that have tried to assess the impact of
ICT on academic performance, there is still not a clear
understanding of the relationship between the two. This is in part
because it is difficult to measure or isolate the effect of computer
deployments. But a growing number of studies in devel oping
country contexts indicate that using computers can improve
learning outcomes and can do so in primary schools specifically.
Figure 1: Near-term and Future Benefits of Technology in Primary Schools
Framework for ICT Programs in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Improvements in test scores  Rigorous studies of primary-
school computing initiatives in Mexico and India have found
improvements in test scores among students provided with access
to computer learning tools compared to control groups that did not
have access to these tools. In Mexico, primary school students who
were given access to computers for use in math instruction
outperformed children without such access. i The same held true in
100 primary schools in India, where third- and fourth-grade
students that had access to a computer-assisted math program
showed significant improvements in math achievement compared
to those that did not have access to the program. ii
Enhanced behavioral outcomes and “soft” skills  For
behavioral and ―soft‖ educational outcomes such as student
motivation and attendance, the evidence of the benefit of
technology in primary schools is even stronger. Numerous studies
have found that both students and teachers that use computers
have increased enthusiasm. One large -scale study in Britain of
special education schools found improvements in a range of
behavioral measures associated with the use of compute rs in a
variety of settings. These benefits were especially strong in
subjects related to research, writing and presentation of work. iii
Students — including primary school children — in Egypt that have
participated in iEARN online collaborative projects state that they
are more confident in expressing themselves to others, dealing
with students from different backgrounds and working in groups. iv
Teacher enhancements  Studies by the World Links program on
technology in developing-country schools have found that
teachers also see benefits, even if they find computers disruptive
at first. Teachers report enhancements to student -teacher
interaction, an expanded sense of community among teachers and
a greater number of opportunities for learning from each othe r. v
And evidence from 1:1 programs in primary schools in Malaysia and
secondary schools in Maine in the U.S. shows that teachers
involved in these programs overwhelmingly think that they
increase student motivation and create a more engaging learning
environment.
4

ICT and economic and social benefits
Advancing schools’ educational goals in the ways described above
is a big reason for bringing computers to primary schools. But the
potential long-term economic and social benefits that ICT can help
deliver are also a major motivator for decision makers. Leaders
know that investments in ICT for education are critical to
developing a skilled workforce and attracting the high -value-added,
21 s t -century jobs that will allow developing countries to move up
the economic value chain. vi
Award-winning Educational
Programs
Teachers at the Atenea School for Girls in Chile developed a
series of media-rich applications for 3 rd , 6 th and 7 th graders
to use on Intel® Powered classmate PCs for their literacy
and math classes. An evaluation of the impact of these
programs led to the school receiving an award for being
one of the best-performing schools in the country, and the
school is now extending classmate PC access to all 3 rd -
through 8 th -grade levels. i i
Enhanced competitiveness  Many of the indices used to rank
countries on knowledge economy competitiveness and
preparedness use the level of investment in ICT as a factor in
determining a nation’s standing. The World Bank’s Knowledge
Economy Index uses access to the Internet in schools and overall
investment in ICT as two of the indicators with which it ranks
countries. Others such as the World Knowledge Competitiveness
Index and the Global Competitiveness Index use measures of
technology readiness as proxies for nations’ ability to compete for
knowledge economy jobs. These indices are important because
they often either reflect or influence the opinions and decision
making of corporations whose opinions may in turn influence
foreign investment decisions.
Reducing inequalities  ICT may also reduce inequalities
between various communities within countries. In many locations,
gaps remain between male and female students and between
urban and rural students. Computers in schools show early promise
in the struggle to bridge these divides. A 2004 study in Chile
showed that although private school students had greater access
to computers at home than public school students, 85 percent of
all students identified school as the place where they accessed
technology most often. The study concluded that the
Framework for ICT Programs in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
government’s ambitious program of introducing computers in the
classroom has shrunk inequalities between Chilean families and
advanced the goal of equality for students. vii
Building a local IT ecosystem and skill set  Computing
initiatives can also have a major impact on the development of the
IT ecosystem in which they exist. Because eLearning initiative s
require technical support, training programs and supplies, local
providers experience higher demand for their products and
services. This impact can be even greater if some portion of the
hardware or software is created or manufactured in -country.
Project Magellan in Portugal provides a vivid example of this effect.
The country’s decision to provide a locally -built Intel-powered
classmate PC for all of its primary schoolchildren has given the
country’s IT sector a big boost. A Portuguese original equipment
manufacturer (OEM) is building the units, adding hundreds of jobs
in the process, and the company is localizing the computer with
assistance from a local design center. Portuguese software
companies have designed the Linux operating system [OS] and
much of the educational content being loaded onto the PCs. Local
companies will supply some of the technical support and
peripherals, while telecommunications companies provide
broadband Internet. The net effect is that the Portuguese IT
ecosystem will be nurtured and grow, and many of the
stakeholders within it will move up the economic value chain.
Technology Boosts
Confidence, Decreases
Inequalities
Girls’ educational status frequently trails that of boys in
developing country contexts. This is often due to the fact
that girls receive less encouragement and attention in
both schools and the home. A Classmate PC installation at
a girls’ primary school in Guadalajara, Mexico , has helped
transform student attitudes. Teachers report that the girls
have become much more participative since receiving their
PCs, asking more questions and speaking up. Teachers
think that this is because the computers allow the
students to try new things with less risk and let them feel
more comfortable with making mistakes, a major part of
the learning process. These short -term confidence gains
could translate into longer-term decreases in inequality.
5

Conceptualizing ICT Programs in Primary School
Introducing technology into primary schools involves the
coordination and participation of m any stakeholders over a multi-
year period. When considering a technology deployment, it is
helpful to think of the process in terms of the plans, phases and
participants encompassing all of the elements needed to make the
deployment successful.
The plans pertinent to the technology deployment are those that
guide the integration of the technology with broader educational
goals while managing and observing the changes in processes and
outcomes associated with it. These plans interact with each other
in a feedback loop that ensures the adjustments that are required
for the deployment to meet its goals. They include the ICT in
Primary Education Plan and plans guiding change management and
monitoring and evaluation.
The phases of a technology deployment compris e all of the steps
required to prepare for, implement and sustain the introduction of
Figure 2: Conceptualizing ICT Programs in Primary Schools
Framework for ICT Programs in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
technology in a primary school. They include a readiness
assessment comparing current conditions to goals in the ICT in
Primary Education Plan, preparations including goa l setting and the
creation of a project plan, the procurement process and finally the
implementation and sustained operation of a deployment. Each
phase encompasses a number of steps necessary for successful
deployment.
The participants in a technology deployment are the members of
the education and technology ecosystem. Successful technology
programs require the inclusion of each of these members, from
hardware and software, supplemental learning content and
curricula-providers to governments to the studen ts and teachers
themselves. Deploying a technology solution that embraces all of
them is known as a total solution approach. A total solution
approach reflects the interests and responsibilities of each party in
a unified and comprehensive fashion. The gra phic in Figure 2 below
depicts the intersection of all aspects of a technology deployment.
6

Creating an ICT in Primary Education Plan & Total Solution
Approach
Ensuring that all participants  students, teachers, administrators,
parents, the community and local technology firms  benefit from
ICT in education programs requires that they be guided by a
comprehensive plan. The ICT in Primary Education Plan lays out the
long-term goals and vision that the program will advance. It
influences every aspect of a deployment, from the usage scenari o
(e.g., placing computers in a lab or using a computers -on-wheels
model) to the teacher-training program to the software and
content loaded onto each device. This plan is particularly important
for primary schools where technology is likely being incorpor ated
for the first time and the implementation itself may have to be
more complex.
ICT in Primary Education
Plan
Learning Point Associates defines an ICT in Education plan
as a tool for integrating technology into schools’ curriculum,
based on the shared vision of educators, parents and
community members. It ensures that technology
strengthens existing curricula and supports meaningful,
engaged learning (http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/engaged.htm)
for all students. It also specifies how the technology will be
paid for and how its use will be supported.
Importance
The ICT in Primary Education Plan guides the activities carried out
during a deployment and is designed to make certain that each part
of a technology program is aligned with broader educational goals.
An ICT in education expert in Africa has noted that schools with
ICT in Primary Education Plans are more likely to use ICT in
innovative ways than those that do not. Unfortunately, most
developing-country governments (or subsidiary governing bodies)
do not have an ICT in Primary Education Plan, which deprives
Creating an ICT in Primary Education Plan & Total Solution Approach
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
computer deployments of coherence and makes course corrections
more difficult.
Focus first on learning goals, then on
technology
Though technology deployments often begin with visions of sleek
computers in classrooms, a computer installation should be the end
result of a thorough planning process that includes the
development of comprehensive educational goals for schools, with
technology the means for achieving these goals rather
than an end in and of itself. Thus, the first step in creating an
ICT in Primary Education Plan is determining the educational goals
and priorities in a particular primary school or geography over a
certain period of time (usually five years). These goals, such as
increasing basic literacy or boosting creative reasoning skills, may
be in an existing planning document or they may be mandated b y
policy or law. Often, a required primary school curriculum will
already exist and technology should be used to support these
defined learning objectives. In primary schools, the focus is
frequently on preparation for secondary education; the ICT in
Primary Education Plan should also be aligned with these transition
goals in mind. The ICT in Primary Education Plan should then
describe the ways in which ICT could support these goals, a process
that in turn helps determine the appropriate technology solution .
Both the general goals of education (e.g., literacy and numeracy)
and the specific curriculum objectives (as defined in, for example, a
national curriculum) will be best served by an ICT in Primary
Education Plan that builds on this existing structure.
ICT in primary education plan components
ICT in Primary Education Plans consist of the core elements
outlined in Figure 3. The core elements of the ICT in Primary
Education Plan are further described next:
Overarching needs and vision  Explains how ICT will be used
to achieve broad learning objectives, specific educational goals and
curriculum requirements.
7
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Level of technology integration  Officials may have ambitious
end-goals for the way in which they want to integrate technology
in primary schools and they need to keep these in mind and plan
interim steps accordingly. The figure on the next page is from
Intel’s eLearning Deployment guide and it shows the five
―ingredients‖ (technology access, connectivity, digital content,
improved learning methods and professional development) of an
ICT in Primary Education Plan and how they differ across eLearning
environments. The figure indicates that schools with a five -year
goal of wireless classroom connectivity, for example, would not
want to invest heavily in wiring classrooms in the near term. Most
primary schools in developing countries are at the Basic ICT level
but will likely progress to higher levels of integration. Some
countries will elect to jump directly to1:1 eLearning environments
to maximize student-centered learning and full integration of
technology into teachers’ instruction methods. As near -term
resources may be limited, the effective use of these resources will
require an understanding of how and when the level of integration
is planned to change.
Technology integration goals  Describes the goals for using
technology to augment the teaching, learning and administrative
processes. Particular areas of focus for primary schools m ay be on
seeking ways to increase student and teacher engagement and to
make the instruction more differentiated.
Technology literacy goals  Defines the goals for achieving
student understanding of technology and its responsible use. Many
primary school students will have their first exposure to
technology in schools; a key component of the technology literacy
goals will be to teach children how to use technology responsibly.
Parents will need to understand how this will be achieved and how
they can assist in this process in order to feel comfortable with the
program.
Unique Features of an ICT
in Primary Education Plan
The basic components of an ICT in Education Plan are
similar for primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.
What is unique about primary schools is:
 The limited use of technology in these institutions
means that this will likely be the first ICT in education
plan for these grade levels.
 The plans will be geared more toward the more rigid
requirements of mandatory formal education
(curricula, exit exam criteria).
 The master functional area guides will be distinct, as
funding sources, training levels and ecosystem
players will vary greatly between different levels of
educational institutions.
 Pedagogical integration will take a front seat — the
focus on it in education for primary grades will be on
its role in transforming the way education is done,
whereas in higher grades there will be more focus on
how technology is used for its own sake.

ICT in Primary Education Plan Components

Vision Overarching needs and vision

Technology Literacy Goals

Technology Integration Goals
Goals • Alignment with primary school curriculum
• Transition to secondary education

Progression of Technology Integration

Timing High-level timeline and interim milestones

Guides, Technology and Equipment Guide

Programs Master functional area guides &

School level plans
& Plans programs

Figure 3: ICT in Primary School Plan Components

8
Creating an ICT in Primary Education Plan & Total Solution Approach

Diagram 1: eLearning Environment Scenarios
Technology and equipment guide  Creates guidelines for
selecting the appropriate hardware, software and peripherals for
each implementation. Special attention should be paid to selecting
equipment that is physically accessible to primary school students
and software that is age-appropriate, as well as to ensuring filters
for inappropriate content and anti-virus protection.
High-level timeline and key interim milestones  Determines
the timeline for implementations and checkpoints for evaluation
and/or course correction.
High-level functional area programs and guides  While
technology implementations happen at the school -level, programs
and guidelines should be created at the ministry or district level in
the following areas (note: for programs pertaining to technology
and education, the Ministry of Information Technology [MOIT] or
Ministry of Communications [MOC] or other agencies may need to
be involved):
 Funding
 Training and orientation (pedagogical and technical)
 Human resources management
 Technical support
 Ecosystem and stakeholder engagement
 Monitoring and evaluation model
 Connection to national/district curricula and exit exams
Creating an ICT in Primary Education Plan & Total Solution Approach
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
School-level plans  Requiring individual schools to have their
own plans is a key part of a master ICT in Primary Education Plan.
High-level functional area guides and programs steer technology
deployments, but individual schools should have detailed plans
regarding the timelines, roles and responsibilities connected to
them. These plans should cover each of the functional areas
detailed above at the ―micro‖ level, especially since individual
schools may have responsibility for funding or supporting
technology deployments. In the Unite d States, schools are required
to create plans to apply for subsidized connectivity rates and other
benefits. Several government agencies and nonprofit organizations
have created guidelines and tools for assisting schools with
creating these plans. Assistance of this nature will be particularly
helpful for primary schools, which may be creating these plans for
the first time and are likely doing so under time and resource
constraints.
Intel® Learning Series
Intel, through its Intel Learning Series, collaborates with
both local and global partners to create comprehensive and
integrated ICT solutions specifically for educational
institutions. Its local partners help ensure that the solution
is customized for local environments and all of its partners
work together to optimize their products and services for
Intel Learning Series products.
9

Beneficiaries /
Thought Leaders
ICT in Primary
Infrastructure
Providers
Service
Providers
Figure 4: ICT and Education Ecosystem Participants
The IT ecosystem and planning for the total
solution
An ICT in Primary Education Plan is much broader than just the
technological components; it takes into account all of the
participants in the ICT and Education ecosystem. This entire
system is required in order to provide a total solution. Figure 4
illustrates the key components necessary to deliver a total
solution, each of which should be involved in the creation and
execution of an ICT and Primary Education Plan and program. There
are various participants under each of the categories of the ICT
and Education Ecosystem figure above. These include:
 Beneficiaries and thought leaders  students, parents,
teachers, education organizations and thought leaders
 Governments  national and regional-level Ministry of
Education (MOE), other ministries (e.g., MOIT, MOC) and
district and local school systems
 Software providers  software, content and curriculum
developers that create digital content, learning
management systems and collaboration tools such as
eBooks or Moodle
 Hardware producers  hardware designers, local OEMs,
original design manufacturers (ODMs), distributors and
factory and parts suppliers
 Service providers  training organizations, design
centers, education program design and technical support
 Infrastructure providers  telecom companies,
infrastructure equipment manufacturers, electricians and
electric utilities
Several global vendors will coordinate the contributions of the
diverse ecosystem participants and seamlessly integrate them into
a total solution for schools. This approach minimizes the number of
Creating an ICT in Primary Education Plan & Total Solution Approach
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Governments
(local, regional
& national)
Software
Education
Program Providers
Hardware
Producers
vendors with whom a government or school must work and the
amount of management and oversight required. Providers who
offer a total solution approach may offer hardware, software,
teacher training, technical support, aid in planning, implementation
assistance and financial and budget planning support. Perhaps
most importantly, these providers can offer guarantees that
provide peace of mind. A total solution approach may be especially
important for primary schools with little or no experience in
technology deployments.
Tips and tools
 Learn from sample ICT in Primary Education Plans
and Tools  The Global eSchools and Communities
Initiative (GeSCI) maintains a compilation of ICT in
education plans by country as well as materials on the
integration of ICT into education at
http://www.gesci.org/integration-of-ICT-into-teaching-
and-learning.html.
 Involve all ecosystem participants  including
beneficiaries such as parents and teachers in the
development of the ICT and Primary Education Plan. The
earlier ecosystem participants are involved in the program,
the more likely they will embrace it and assist with its
success.
 Integrate the ICT in Primary Education Plan with
other district- or school-level plans  The ICT in
Primary Education Plan will be most effective if aligned
with other district- or school-level plans, such as a master
budget, master facilities plan and teachers’ professional
development plans.
 Focus on quality  Plans are very important, but what is
equally important is the content with in the plan and how
well thought-out it is.
10
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Step 1: Readiness Assessment
Performing a readiness assessment requires understanding the
gaps between the ICT in Primary Education Plan and existing
infrastructure, identifying the actions required to bridge those
gaps and learning about the technological and pedagogical
advances that can be incorporated into the ICT plan. Figure 5
demonstrates the Readiness Assessment Steps. A brief description
of the steps is provided below.
Incorporate feedback from previous ICT
implementations
 Assess output from the monitoring and evaluation
(M&E) of previous ICT implementations to determine
if and how the requirement document and/or M&E
metrics and processes need adjusting  ICT
implementations have a continuous lifecycle and if th ere is
a new iteration of an existing plan, feedback from the
previous implementations should be incorporated. Previous
implementations often provide the most useful lessons for
future deployments. Feedback from previous deployments
should be used to inform requirements documents. A lack
of useful feedback from older dep loyments may indicate
that monitoring and evaluation processes need to be
updated.
Incorporate feedback
from previous ICT
implementation Revised ICT
in
Education
Plan
Identify tech &
pedagogical advances
Identify Gaps in:
• Ecosystem
• Curriculum & Delivery
• Technology & Infrastructure
• Monitoring & Evaluation
• Training & Professional
Development
Identify advances that affect the ICT in
Primary Education Plan requirements
document
 Research technology and education advances to
identify new systems or approaches that have
emerged since the drafting of the ICT in Primary
Education Plan  Advances in technology happen so
frequently that the requirements document of an ICT in
Primary Education Plan may be obsolete by the time
officials are ready to move forward with an actual
deployment. Planners must look at changes in functionality
and pricing in devices, software and infrastructure when
preparing for a deployment to ensure that the sol ution
chosen reflects the most appropriate, cost -effective
technology to meet the goals. Likewise, accepted
educational practices may have changed, and these
developments too should be accounted for when planning
a deployment.
 Adjust requirements document to reflect improved
systems or approaches  Technology continues to
evolve and new advances should be factored into the
requirements document to make use of innovative
solutions and to keep pace with tools used in society. ICT
in Primary Education Plans must be flexible enough to
accommodate changes in the environment. Once research
has been conducted into advances in technology and
education, the ICT in Primary Education Plan should be
updated to reflect them.
Current
Environment
Assess
magnitude
of disruption Preparation
Stage
& change
management
requirements

Dashed lines are a lesser step and smaller arrows are weaker influences.
Time
Figure 5: Readiness Assessment Steps

11
Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Identify existing gaps relative to technology
plan goals
 Evaluate current environment vs. the goals defined
in the ICT in Primary Education Plan to determine
gaps  Once an ICT in Primary Education Plan is in place,
each component of the plan should be reviewed and
compared to the current environment in each functional
area. For example, if the goal of year three of the Plan is to
deploy a 1:1 eLearning solution for 3rd graders (with 4th
and 5th graders being covered in years one and two), the
current level of funding, technical support, training, human
resources, monitoring and evaluation and ecosystem
engagement would need to be compared to the
incremental requirements associated with adding this
additional age group to the ICT in education program.
Identifying and quantifying gaps is useful not only for
determining the resources needed for successful
implementations, but this step may also provide a ―reality
check‖ on the ICT in Primary Education Plan, which may in
turn require modification.
 Example  Determine content requirements.
Shifting to ICT-enabled education requires the creation
and/or usage of digital content. The ICT in Primary
Education Plan sets the learning objectives of the
program, which will shed light on the areas in which the
content will be required. The content requirements will
need to be compared against the existing content to
Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
determine any gaps and which new content will have
to be secured or developed.
 Example  Determine financial and human
resources gaps. Determining the gaps that exist
between current technology infrastructure and what is
required to accomplish the vision laid out in the ICT in
Primary Education Plan allows decision makers to
understand both the financial resources and the human
resources that will be needed to close the gaps. If the
gaps are too large to fill within th e timeframes laid out
in the ICT in Primary Education Plan, the Plan may need
to be revised accordingly.
Assess change management requirements
 Determine the areas and degree of disruption that
will be caused by the deployment across and within
functional areas  ICT in primary education programs
impact many areas of a school and community. The extent
of these changes should be studied and change
management processes should be in place to usher the
changes and minimize disruptions. Mapping the education
ecosystem allows officials to understand who will be most
affected by a technology deployment and how. Once these
stakeholders have been mapped, their specific change
management needs can be identified. Change management
strategies for stakeholders in general and teachers more
specifically are discussed on pages 22-27 of this Guide.
12
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Step 2: Preparation
The preparations phase concentrates on setting goals, identifying
risks, carrying out the change-management strategy and scoping a
detailed project plan so that each party involved knows their roles
and responsibilities, as well as the timeline for the pil ot and full
roll-outs. Figure 6 demonstrates the preparation steps. A brief
description of the steps is provided below.
Set deployment goals
 Set deployment goals in alignment with ICT in
Primary Education Plan  Setting goals allows for
measurability and benchmarking. Deploym ent goals have to
be aligned with the ICT in Primary Education Plan to make
progress toward achieving the Plan’s vision. The goals of
any deployment should follow the SMART principle: they
 Create a budget, including one-time and recurring
should be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and
timely. Goals that lack these qualities risk producing
unclear outcomes or disappointing expectations.
Determine budget requirements
 Calculate the total cost of ownership of the solution
 Budgets for primary schools are often very tight 
especially with the demands of providing universal basic
education. There is immense pressure, therefore, to make
the most of investments. In technology programs, officials
often try to maximize the number of computers they can
purchase with the budget they have. With the recent
explosion of laptop computers costing only a few hundred
dollars, the idea of placing a computer in the hands of each
schoolchild suddenly seems within reach. But like all
educational programs, technology initiatives require
continual investment and support. Computers at schools are
expected to aid in education for many years. To enable this,
it is critical to understand and plan for the total cost of
ownership (TCO)  or all of the costs associated with the
program over multiple years. See pages 27-30 for a
detailed discussion on the TCO.
cost components  Budgets should be created for the
expected life of the deployment, typically five years , and
cover all of the costs identified in the TCO calculations. If
the budget does not match the TCO requirements, it is
better to revisit the program goals than to move forward
without adequate budget as it is extremely likely that the
educational goals can be met if sufficient funds exist.

Set deployment
goals
Create a detailed
project plan &
associated roles and
responsibilities
Determine budget
requirements

Execute change Procurement

Create a risk
management Stage
mitigation strategy
strategy

Smaller arrows are weaker influences.

Time
Figure 6: Preparation Steps

13
Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Create a detailed project plan & associated
roles and responsibilities
 Create a detailed project plan  A project plan covers
each phase of the implementation, including the pilot and
actual roll-outs, and includes clear milestones. There are
several project planning programs from Microsoft’s Project
to web-based (and free) Basecamp software that can be
used in this effort.
 Assign roles, responsibilities and accountability at
both the government- and school-level  Roles and
responsibilities are defined and timelines are drawn to
provide guidance and clarity within the project plan.
Timelines provide checkpoints for monitoring and
evaluation, while assigning roles and responsibilities gives
people clarity into reporting structures. In Chile, for
example, teachers and school administrators have been
assigned the role of creating a proposal for how they
would use the technology in the school, and they are also
responsible for many of the recurring costs of the
technology such as electricity and connectivity rates.
Meanwhile, the government has taken on the responsibility
for the initial purchase of the technology for the primary
school and conducts national-level assessments of its
effectiveness.
Create a risk mitigation strategy
 Identify most critical and likely risk areas and
determine method(s) to avoid or minimize these
risks  These areas are highlighted throughout this Guide,
along with tangible methods to avoid or minimize them.
 Create a contingency plan to use if these risks occur
 Anticipating the risks and planning for contingencies will
ensure that the plan continues with minimal disrup tions.
Once again, understanding the ecosystem map can help
planners to identify potential risk areas, as well as
strategies for avoiding or minimizing risks. Reviewing
previous implementations to identify areas where
difficulties occur can be a major inpu t into a risk mitigation
strategy. For primary schools with no previous experience
with ICT, examining the difficulties experienced by other
schools, as well as their strategies for dealing with them,
can be a very useful step.
Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Execute change management strategy
 Define change management strategy, including
internal and external communication and outreach
strategies  Change Management strategies for
stakeholders in general and teachers more specifically are
outlined below and discussed in greater detail on pages
22-27 of this Guide. For example:
 Teachers’ change management  School teachers
are change agents. They help sculpt children’s
foundational skills and even their personalities.
Technology is simply one more area where teachers
can work as change agents. Given that teachers are
vital to the success of the program as we ll as to the
realization of the intended curriculum and the
transmission of 21 s t -century skills and competencies to
students, they warrant a specific change management
strategy. This strategy is multi-dimensional.
 Change Management for all other ecosystem
players  The implementation of a new technology
project in a school does not end with buying
computers. Deploying ICT in primary schools involves
many different participants and touches on many
aspects of the education system. It also entails a major
change in how young students learn, how teachers
teach and the role of administrators, parents and
others in the education ecosystem. While the
technology deployment will bring significant learning
and socio-economic benefits, in the short term many
stakeholders may find it disruptive. This is especially
true in primary schools, where people may be less
familiar with ICT. Managing the transition from
traditional learning methods to technology -enabled,
student-centered education requires a change
management strategy.
 Set into motion change management strategy 
Defining and executing the change management strategy
early will ensure that stakeholders are on board and
prepared for the ICT in Primary Education Plan. In the
Change Management section of this Guide, m any of the
recommended activities begin before the technology ever
enters the school.
14

Step 3: Procurement
The procurement process centers on determining the appropriate
models for financing and deploying the technology solution, and
then on managing the tender process to ensure the selection of a
bid that meets the educational goals, internal capacity and
financial constraints of a school or school system. Figure 7
demonstrates the Procurement Steps. A brief description of the
steps is provided below.
Assess financial alternatives and secure
funding
 Identify potential funding sources including non -
traditional sources and ecosystem partnership that
have resources that can defray critical costs 
Governments need to both identify and tap into all
ecosystem and development community partners for
financial as well as technical (e.g., ICT, training,
pedagogical) support for technology programs from the
start. They also need to select a financing model that
minimizes total costs and suits their particular initiative.
Completing a thorough assessment of the best financial
alternatives and moving to secure funding avoid s
interruptions to ICT in education programs. See pages 31-
36 for further description on funding sources and
approaches.
 Select preferred purchasing model - Evaluate the pros
and cons of possible purchasing models and select most
appropriate purchasing model for the deployment. Each
school or school system has a different set of financial
constraints and purchasing guidelines, and the purchasing
model chosen should reflect that. Options include up -front
payment, vendor or third-party financing, leasing and
grants. The terms offered by equipment vendors may be a
Assess financial alternatives &
secure funding
Choose deployment &
management models
Figure 7: Procurement Steps
Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
part of the considerations when selecting the right model,
as will constraints such as the appropriateness of interest
payments and the accounting rules of the school system.
 Prepare and submit funding proposal(s)  Each
ecosystem partner has different requirements for funding
proposals. Banks may require evidence of collateral
whereas development agencies may want proof of
potential educational impacts. It is advised to review
winning proposals and past funding history of the various
ecosystem players to best position your own proposal for
success.
Choose deployment and management
models
 Evaluate and choose deployment and management models
 ICT in education programs can be complex and will
require the support of skilled professionals from the
planning through the deployment and sustained operations
stages of the program. This is especially true when a
school or group of schools is installing technology on a
large scale for the first time, which is often the case in
primary schools. Administrators need to decide how they
want to manage the procurement and deployment process,
as well as how to maintain the solution once the
installation is complete. Deciding whether to insource or
outsource may be the central deployment model question,
but beyond that, a whole host of other decisions must be
made. In India, for example, many primary schools rely on
local technology vendors for implementation and technical
support whereas, in Chile, primary schools often depend on
local universities for these services. Please see pages 41-
43 for further discussion on deployment models.
Define and manage
tender process
Time
15

Define and manage tender process
 Frame the tender, including the financial and administrative
terms and technical specifications  Planners should cast a
wide net when researching their tender. Looking at primary
school technology tenders in other countries as well as
their own guidelines can help officials understand the
implications of terms. Clear language and bidding rules may
attract more vendors and in turn help obtain a lowe r
purchase price. Procurement guidelines that restrict foreign
bids may result in higher prices, though increasing the
chances of success for local firms might help develop the
local IT ecosystem. It is also beneficial to ask for line-item
bids so it is possible to do a line-by-line comparison and
also understand what vendors are including, and what they
are not, in their solutions.
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Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
 Announce the tender, hold a pre-bid meeting to review and
revise the RFP and finalize the tender  Comprehensive,
well-defined tenders are a result of a well-crafted Request
for Proposal (RFP). Consultants and service providers may
be of assistance in creating an RFP, which should include
the content requirements, teacher training programs and a
determination of baseline metrics. Money to pay such
consultants may come from the overall technology budget,
but a well-designed RFP may result in savings that cancel
out those costs, while avoiding problems caused by
inadequate proposals.
 Evaluate, select and execute contracts with vendo rs 
Although quite tempting, price should not be the only
variable considered when evaluating bids. Officials may
want to consider the overall value offered in each solution
and determine whether they are indeed comparing similar
solutions.
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 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Step 4: Implementation and Sustained Operations

Once a contract has been executed, a technology solution can be
deployed. A proper deployment begins with an appropriate physical
environment and a thorough orientation for all stakeholders
involved in it. Once teachers and students begin using the
technology, maintaining deployment requires a plan to successfully
troubleshoot problems, continually adjust the solution based on
user feedback and evaluations, provide scheduled maintenance and
communicate the benefits experienced by users. Figure 8
demonstrates the Implementation and Sustained Operations Steps.
A brief description of the steps is provided below.
Set organizational process in motion
 Continue executing change management and associated
communications strategies  Change management and
communications efforts should continue long after the
technology is deployed and operating. These strategies are
most effective if continued over the life of the
deployment, to ensure a long-term commitment to the
program and to keep people informed as each phase of the
deployment occurs. Change Management strategies are
discussed in greater detail on pages 22-27 of this Guide.
 Adjust ICT in Primary Education Plan based on monitoring
and evaluation feedback  Flexibility is a key ingredient of
a successful ICT in Primary Education Plan. Lessons from
each implementation, both positive and negative, should be
used to adjust the goals and expectations contained within
the Plan, which should in turn influence both the way the
current program is used and the way the next technology
deployment is executed. The graphic on page 45 illustrates
this cycle.
Physical installation
 Deploy physical infrastructure  A suitable physical
infrastructure is critical to the success of a technology
deployment. Facilities must be physically secure enough to
avoid theft and climate-specific to prevent heat- or cold-
related damage to devices. Desks and chairs should be
appropriate to young children. Wiring should take into
account the energy requirements of the devices chosen,
and the usage model  current and future  selected for
the deployment (e.g., 1:1 learning, computers on wheels,
computer lab) should influence the cabling and connectivity
infrastructure installed. For example, a primary school in
the San Francisco Bay area in the U.S. installed Ethernet
cabling for its computer lab although its ICT in Primary
Education Plan specified that in year two it would migrate
to a computer-on-wheels system. In hindsight, they
realized that it would have been more cost effective and
easier on the system administrator (a librarian) to have
started out with a wireless network.
 Install, test, troubleshoot and certify hardware, software
(including digital content) and connectivity solutions 
Early troubleshooting avoids downtime once a deployment
is installed. Testing should simulate likely usage models.
Problems (and solutions) with any component of the
deployment should be documented and communicated to
teachers and support staff.

Physical installation

Set organizational process in Realize &

motion communicate benefits

Create enabling environment

Time

Figure 8: Implementation and Sustained Operations Steps

17
Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Create enabling environment
 Conduct orientation and training  Orientation and training
are essential components of ICT in education programs,
especially in primary schools where the technology is often
being deployed for the first time. All stakeholders whose
efforts will coalesce to make the technology in education
program a success will benefit from being involved in
orientation or training sessions. Orientation and training is
a sub-component of change management, but is important
enough to warrant a separate discussion. Please see pages
37-39 for further discussion on orientation and training.
Realize and communicate benefits
 Integrate ICT classes or computer-aided learning into
curriculum, begin to teach (with) these new tools  The
launch of a deployment is a critical time, when teachers in
particular need maximum support and communication.
Gathering feedback and information from the early days of
a deployment are important mechanisms for catching
problems early and rectifying them. Early ―wins‖ can be
highlighted and communicated, and building on early
enthusiasm can help to institutionalize support for the
program by all stakeholders.
 Ensure student safety  Technology programs promise to
benefit children greatly, but educators bear a responsibility
to protect children from the negative aspects of
technology and to teach them to use computers
responsibly. Bullying and access to inappropriate content
are areas of major concern to primary school parents as
well as educators. The British organization Becta
advocates a multi-tiered approach to limiting children’s
access to inappropriate content or interaction. The Becta
approach combines policies such as the appointment of an
e-safety coordinator, training to help students a nd
teachers navigate the Internet safely and the use of
filtering software and technology solutions to prevent
children from intentionally or accidently accessing unsafe
materials.
 Sustain operations  Technology deployments in schools
do not end with the installation of new computers.
Ensuring that everyone in the education ecosystem 
students, teachers, administrators and parents  benefits
from deployments requires a strategy for sustained
operations. This plan involves building a model for ongoing
technical support and teacher training, creating
Steps for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
mechanisms for learning from implementations and
adjusting the ICT in Primary Education Plan accordingly, and
maintaining regular communications with all involved in the
deployment. See pages 44-46 for further discussion on
this topic.
 Communicate benefits and outcomes  All stakeholders 
from teachers to parents to government officials to the
funders of the technology in education program  have a
vested interest in its performance. Continually evaluating
and communicating the results, and making real-time
adjustments to better ensure positive results , will increase
the likelihood of the sustained operation of the current
program and continual investment and interest in future
programs. In addition, efforts to recognize teachers,
students and administrators who are leading the way and
reaping the benefits can contribute to building momentum
and sustaining enthusiasm. These individuals and examples
can also be highlighted in case studies and used to develop
best practices, which will benefit the technology and
learning programs in primary schools in their countries and
beyond.
Seven critical components of a sustained ICT
in primary school program
In addition to the ICT in Primary Education Plan and the steps
identified in the previous sections, there are seven topics that are
especially critical for the sustained success of primary school
technology in learning programs. These include:
 Change Management  for all stakeholders and then for
teachers more specifically
 Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership
 Assessing Financial Alternatives & Securing Funding
 Digital Learning Content
 Orientation & Training
 Deployment Models
 Sustained Operations
This section of the Guide will provide a deeper explanation of
these crucial topics, as well as a series of tips and tools that will
help ensure the success of the ICT in primary school learning
program.
18

Digital Learning Content
Primary schools traditionally focus on providing children with basic
skills  reading, writing and numeracy. Digital learning content,
therefore, should be designed to impart these basic skills. But that
is just the first step. The power of technology is two -fold and
content can be designed to:
 Deliver traditional subjects in a more efficient, effective
and enabling manner.
 Prepare students for participation in a competitive global
knowledge economy and to equip them with the cognitive
and technical skills required in the 21st century.
The novel teaching methods afforded by technology provide
additional skills and the opportunity to transform the classroom
into a center for student-driven exploration, though this does
entail managing a change in the way teachers teach and the
traditional student-teacher hierarchy (see page 25). The additional
cognitive benefits from these innovative pedagogies may have the
greatest impact if they are first implemented at the primary level.
Importance
Educational content is at the core of the value -add of 1:1
eLearning programs. As a first ste p, computers may be perceived as
IT training vehicles. But to be used meaningfully as learning tools,
they have to offer content that corresponds to the required
curriculum. Unfortunately, educators from Eastern Europe to Sub -
Saharan Africa and the Caribbean complain about the dearth of
learning content specifically targeting primary schools. Securing (or
creating), using and managing the most productive content is
therefore fundamental to making classroom computing a
worthwhile investment. Computers in the classroom will be vehicles
for ICT skills as well as valuable pedagogic tools.
Digital Learning Content
Defined
Digital learning content refers to the programs and
information available via computers or other technology
devices. It can reside on the computer itself or be accessible
via external sources (e.g., CDs, school networks or the
Internet). Digital content is most powerful when it is both
aligned with the mandated curriculum and designed to
provide students with 21st-century skills. Governments,
therefore, may need to adjust the mandated curriculum to
fully exploit the power of computing tools.
Digital Learning Content
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Differentiated Instruction
Student diversity is a significant challenge to primary
school teachers and administrators given the complex mix
of students’ developmental ages, academic preparation and
home resources and environments. Com puters offer a
unique way to address student diversity and may be used
as a tool for teachers to provide more differentiated
instruction. For instance, digital content and computer -
aided learning could be structured to tailor instruction to
the user. Content can be localized for language, cultural
relevance and sensitivity. It can also be used to tailor
learning to the individual’s level and pace. At a broader
level, technology can overcome the disparities between
rural and urban areas by catering to the ed ucational needs
of the specific context.
Tools
As content encompasses a number of different areas, there are a
variety of tools that will be useful in creating an effective package.
 Create a market for digital learning content tailored to
primary schools  By expanding eLearning to primary
schools, governments open up a large new market for
educational products. Governments can retain control over
the direction of this content by setting standar ds. These
standards will also make content developers feel
comfortable with creating content. Educators will benefit
from the ability to choose appropriate and innovative
content for their students. A simple but important first
step is digitizing the existing primary school curriculum.
Zambia and Libya are in the process of digitizing their
primary school curricula.
 Revise existing primary school curriculum to incorporate
ICT and 21st-century skills  The strength of technology is
that it enables innovative learning approaches and the
Digital Learning Content
introduction of 21st-century skills. The primary school
curriculum and exams may need to be re-structured to
include and promote these skills. If this does not happen,
the technology’s potential may not be fully realized. For
example, a primary school computer teacher in India
claimed that there was no ―space‖ on the school timetable
for ICT and therefore the lab was closed most of the time.
Even with traditional material, new learning and teaching
models could be developed that would take advantage of
computers’ unique capabilities (e.g., multi-media
assignments).
20
19

Rethinking Primary School
Curriculum
The Costa Rican government has changed its curriculum to
exploit the power of technology and produce a workfor ce
armed with 21st-century skills. Its curricula now emphasizes
the cultivation of problem-solving, collaboration and
creativity skills from a student’s earliest years in school.
 Encourage teachers  and possibly students  to create
new, locally-relevant content  With a well-coordinated
teacher change management strategy, teachers could be a
vital source of content for the computers, especially as
these participants become more familiar with the
technology and have the time to create this material. For
example, in Estonia, approximately 10 percent of primary
school classrooms have a class blog. (Teachers use free
blogging services such as Google’s Blogger.) Teachers use
this site daily to document class activities. Parents monitor
the sites closely and enjoy being more connected to their
child’s learning experience. In the short - to mid-term,
governments may want to create or motivate the creation
of primary-school-specific content while providing training
to teachers on the technology and the pedagogical
opportunities it enables. Even with centrally -created
content, teachers should be able to tailor it to their
classroom’s needs. Teachers can, for example, translate the
lesson into the local language or they can choose to go
deeper on a subject with which their class has struggled. In
the long run, as a student-centric learning environment is
embraced by teachers and students (and parents), students
can be encouraged to create learning content as a part of
the learning process. One effective application is to enable
young students to create videos of their projects as an
alternative to presenting in front of class. With teacher or
parent assistance, students as young as 3rd or 4th grade
can create a script expounding on topics as simple as ―my
family‖ and deliver it in a digital video format. In doing so,
they practice presenting in a less intimidating environment
than directly in front of peers.
 Support organizations that can endorse and be a
repository for digital learning content  Universities,
nonprofit organizations and private -sector firms are all
continually developing learning content. The challenge is
that educators may not be aware of this content or it may
not clearly meet mandatory curriculum requirements. In
Latin America alone, there are dozens of local -language
content providers and tools spanning educational games ,
education-related web portals and child-oriented
Digital Learning Content
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
collaboration tools. To take advantage of these tools,
governments could support the creation of an organization
to both endorse and be a repository for learning content.
The South African Department of Education has moved in
this direction with the creation of the Thutong P ortal
(http://www.thutong.doe.gov.za), which provides free
content, learning objects and professional development
tools that are aligned with the So uth African national
curriculum.
 Do not assume continual nor fast Internet access  In
certain circumstances, computers may not always be
connected to the Internet. It is essential that content be
flexible enough to take advantage of Internet-based
resources while still maintaining function without
connectivity. For example, eGranary allows schools to
receive previously downloaded web content directly onto
their servers, reducing the need for a constant Internet
connection. In Libya, some primary schools have deployed a
caching technology on the schools’ servers that updates
the content overnight so that the students can access it
the following day.
 Allow for independent/unstructured use  Computers could
be made available outside of school hours to allow for more
independent and unstructured learning without taking
away time from normal school hours. In laptop programs in
Rwanda and Portugal, children are allowed to take laptops
home to increase their and their family’s familiarity with
the technology.
Skoool™ for Primary Schools
Primary schools are where students build important
foundational skills in math and science — skills that are
critical to the advancement of societies and economies
worldwide. Strong curricula and prepared teachers in these
areas are essential for primary school children to gain the
competence and motivation to excel in these subjects in
secondary school and later in their careers. Intel recognizes
the importance of these subjects and has focused its
Digital Learning Content
Skoool TM resources in this area. It recently added primary
school modules to its eLearning platform
(www.skoool.com).These modules will initially be available
in Spain and Portugal and consist of more than 70
interactive learning tools for 10 - to 12-year-old students.
Many Skoool TM lessons include assessments, which help the
students reflect on what they have learned and fill gaps in
their understanding of key principles of science and
mathematics.
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17

 Enabling assessment  Ongoing assessment is a valuable
teaching resource. Computers are well-suited to both give
individualized assessments and to allow teachers to track
student progress. Most governments require standardized
tests that primary school students must pass to progress
to the next step in their education. Computer -based
assessments aligned with these tests could reveal to
teachers how well-prepared students are for these
important educational milestones. Educators cou ld also
take advantage of instantaneous assessments to gauge
where students are during a lesson. Lastly, feedback from
students and teacher assessments could be used by policy
Digital Learning Content
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
makers to inform future content and deployment
strategies.
 Use computers as part of the existing curriculum to
support areas with resource constraints  Computers have
the capacity to enable learning even when important
learning tools are absent. In primary schools, where
physical resources such as microscopes, atlases and
encyclopedias could be relatively scarce, computers can be
used as a proxy for these tools. F or example, children can
learn about the microorganisms that live in ponds and the
basic concept of germs by viewing pictures of micrographs
online. They can also use Google Earth, Moon and Mars to
learn about our planet and beyond.
Digital Learning Content
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Change Management: All Stakeholders (except teachers)
The implementation of a new technology project in a school does
not end with buying computers. Deploying ICT in primary schools
involves many different participants and touches on many aspects
of the education system. Deployment also entails a major change in
how young students learn, how teachers teach and the role of
administrators, parents and others in the education ecosystem.
While the technology deployment will bring significant learning and
socio-economic benefits, in the short term many stakeholders may
find it disruptive. This is especially true in primary schools, where
people may be less familiar with ICT. Managing the transition from
traditional learning methods to technology -enabled, student-
centered education requires a change management strategy.
Change Management
Change management is an approach for ensuring that people
and processes are prepared to succeed in a new
environment.
Importance
 Communication — In order to embrace change, people need
Developing a comprehensive plan for change management allows
planners to navigate the potential problems that may occur during
implementations and to avoid some problems entirely. As with any
fundamental change, technology deployments are exciting but
potentially threatening, as they result in altering long -standing
practices with which people feel comfortable. A structured change
management approach allows individuals to feel as thoug h their
needs and concerns are being understood and responded to during
the technology deployment, which may reduce institutional
resistance and even increase enthusiasm.
Components of a change management plan
Successful change management plans contain sev eral key
components viii as shown in Figure 9 and described below:
 Leader involvement — Individuals throughout an
educational system will look to leaders to see whether they
are embracing the change they are promoting. Administrators,
union leaders and senior teachers are especially important
here. Leaders who embrace technology deployments, and who
motivate and challenge everyone to embrace them, are more
likely to succeed in bringing about change. For example, school
principals may attend trainings with teachers, showing their
willingness to commit their time to learning about technology.
Administrators or head teachers may model effective
Change Management: All Stakeholders (except teachers)
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Leadership
Involvement
Orientation &
Communication
Training
Feedback &
Consistency
Recognition
Figure 9: Change Management Components
integration of the technology by using it for their
administrative duties.
to understand it. It is essential, therefore, to create a
comprehensive communications plan that lay s out what the
technology in education program is trying to achieve and what
steps are needed to get there. Communications must be
Change Management All Stakeholders
timely and clear, and they must reinforce core messages and
the program’s vision. Communications should stress how the
program will benefit teachers, administrators, parents and
primary-school students. Communications with teachers can
be made easier by negotiating the introduction of technology
with teacher unions, which will then become allies in
communicating the changes to teachers. At the outset,
program implementers can hold focus groups with key figures
in the school and community, explaining the technology and
its overall fit with the area’s education plan. Other
communication tools include town hall meetings, online tool s
(e.g., websites, blogs or podcasts), newsletters and
discussions during parent-teacher meetings. Many primary
schools in developing countries around the world are moving
toward local governance structures; communication and
coordination with local groups (e.g., the local school board) is
essential. Lastly, as the lines blur between the
responsibilities of different Ministries (e.g., the MOE
and MOIT), inter-ministry communication is critical to
ensuring alignment between visions and resources .
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 Orientation and Training — Training all stakeholders
affected by a technology deployment is highly important and
should begin well in advance of an actual implementation.
Training reduces the stress that often accompanies a major
change by letting stakeholders build the confidence and skills
they need to navigate change. Again, this is especially
important for primary schools, where there m ay be limited
experience with computers. Please see the orientation and
training section on pages 37-39 of this Guide.
 Feedback and Recognition — Programs that are set up to
provide ―quick wins,‖ or early measures of success, may be
more sustainable. People like to feel that their efforts are
producing tangible results, and that they are making progress
toward the ultimate goal. Similarly, recognizing positive
efforts towards change (for example, by giving awards to
teachers who make the most innovative use of technology in
the classroom or creating school- or district-wide contests to
acknowledge students that excel in collaborative or multi -
media projects), and discouraging efforts aimed at blocking
change, reinforces leadership’s commitment to technology in
education deployments. Assessments on subjects that the
community deems important (e.g., materials that will be on
important exams) may yield outcomes that resonate with local
policymakers. Assessments could be given before the program
is implemented and then early on in its life, and the results
could demonstrate quickly and effectively how the computers
are aiding learning. Funding agencies — foundations, bi- and
multi-lateral organizations — are also very keen on seeing
tangible results, and future funding may hinge on a country’s
ability to demonstrate near-term as well as longer-term
impact.
 Consistency — ICT in education programs are long-term
initiatives that require continual monitoring and refinement.
Change is, in these cases, a continual process. Change leaders
must remain committed to reinforcing their message and
guarding against complacency. Implementers may take
advantage of leading community members, who will be more
likely to stay in the area, to help provide constant support to
the program. Because turnover rates are high among primary
school teachers, sessions to initiate the new teachers and
gain their commitment from the beginning will be critical to
the long-term success of the program.
Ecosystem participants
A successful plan for change management must, in part, consider
the needs of each group of primary- school stakeholders.
Change Management: All Stakeholders (except teachers)
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Inter-ministry
Communication
The MOIT of a Southeast Asian country decided to provide
primary school students with computers to decrease the
weight of backpacks. There was a great deal of concern
about the health of small children carrying heavy textbooks
on their backs. The MOE became aware of this initiative
and began communications with the MOIT about the
program. The end result was a shift in focus from backpack
weight to a new vision for the country’s primary education
system. This outcome was positive for all of the
stakeholders involved, especially the primary target: the
children.
 Teachers — See Change Management: Teachers page 25-27.
 Students — Students of all ages usually embrace technology
deployments, and their enthusiasm can be useful in
encouraging change among more resistant stakeholders.
Computer ―clubs‖ or peer-support groups can help children
transition to new technologies and encourage students to
develop their skills so that they might assist with support and
maintenance as they become more proficient. High -
performance students can also serve as peer mentors, with
benefits for both the mentor and mentee.
 Parents — Parents are often enthusiastic for their children
to learn about technology, but they may have concerns about
Change Management All Stakeholders
exposure to inappropriate content. These concerns can be
managed by installing adequate software filters and by
including parent associations in the change management
process. Parents who have not been exposed to or do not
understand a new technology may also feel inadequate in
supporting their children’s attempts to learn this new
technology. In the Magellan 1:1 eLearning deployment in
Portugal, representatives of parent associations have been
invited to observe teacher training sessions. See pages 2 2-24
for additional change management strategies for parents.
 Administrators — Administrators may often be concerned
about using teacher time to learn about ICT rather than
teaching (especially in primary schools). Several teacher
training programs, such as Intel’s® Teach, address these
concerns by bringing administrators into the p rocess and
encouraging them to experience how ICT can improve
teachers’ skills and confidence. Administrators may also
embrace change if they understand how technology can
improve their own ability to do administrative tasks. This is
especially true in primary schools, where administrators may
be quite overburdened.
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 Governments — Governments are often the first to embrace
a move to introduce technology in primary schools, as in
Portugal. However, change must be institutionalized o r it risks
being lost as government administrations change over time. In
addition, getting buy-in for technology deployments at the
local-government and school levels helps solidify support for
the deployments and encourages governments to stay with
the deployments even when there is a change in political
administration.
Tips and tools
 Overcommunicate rather than undercommunicate —
While simplicity is important, providing stakeholders with
concise, frequent information reduces confusion and increases
opportunities for feedback. Documenting all decisions and
plans — starting from the ICT in Primary Education Plan —
ensures that everyone has a common understanding of the
program, vision and direction. This is extremely important
given the fact that technology in education programs may be
in place longer than the politicians who initially supported the
technology.
Change Management: All Stakeholders (except teachers)
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
 Be proactive, not reactive — Create a vision for the
program and sell it energetically. Avoid behaving defensively
when opponents suggest major changes to the program;
behaving defensively allows opponents to go on the
offensive.
 Involve local leaders in the conceptualization and
management of the program — This creates ownership
and also gives program implementers an ―in‖ to the local
context.
Change Management Tools
Specifically Designed for
Schools
e-Lead’s change management tools and resources are
specifically designed for helping schools with the change
management process. One of the resources offered on their
site is a planning toolkit. See www.e-
lead.org/resources/resources.asp?ResourceID=26 .
Change Management All Stakeholders
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Change Management: Teachers
Cultural / Political
Technical
Pedagogical
Figure 10: Dimensions of Teacher Readiness
Primary-school teachers are change agents. They help sculpt
children’s foundational skills and even their personalities.
Technology is simply one more area where teachers can work as
change agents. Given that teachers are vital to the success of the
program as well as to the realization of the inte nded curriculum
and the transmission of 21 s t -century skills and competencies to
students, they warrant a specific change management strategy.
This strategy is multi-dimensional (see box at right).
Importance
Teachers are on the front lines in their classrooms. Policymakers
need to secure their buy-in for the program to be successful and
sustainable. An added program component means extra work, and
the motivation of teachers to do this extra work is crucial. In Chile,
the government motivates primary-school teachers by requiring
that they — and the school administrators — put together a
proposal for how they will integrate the technology into learning.
This helps ensure that the technology will be embraced by te achers
and that the learning objectives drive the technology deployment.
Tips and tools
There are a number of change management tips and tools for
teachers:
 Take a short- and a long-term view — The change
management strategy is most effective when it has both a
short- and long-term component.
Change Management: Teachers
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Three Dimensions of
Teacher Readiness
Teachers are the main implementers of formal education
and the front line of technology in education programs.
They require and deserve preparation and a coordinated
transition on a number of key dimensions as they become
users and disseminators of this new technology. These
dimensions are outlined in Figure 10 and include:
 Technical — Primary school teachers often have the
least training and are the least likely to have
extensive exposure to ICT. They need technical
training on how to use hardware, software programs
and all other accompanying materials. This knowledge
base is vital to teachers’ productive use of computers
as well as to their feeling of empowerment to use
computers.
Change Management Teachers
 Cultural and political — Technology can dramatically
change the teacher-student dynamic. Teachers must
be prepared for, and embrace, these new power
structures. Primary school teachers may have the
least say in schools and local governance and may be
most accustomed to a rigid teacher-student
hierarchy. If teachers are incorporated into the
decision-making process, they may feel more
empowered to voice concerns and participate in
creating solutions. Group consensus and cooperative
learning for the teachers could greatly benefit the
long-term sustainability of innovative computer use.
 Pedagogical — 1:1 eLearning offers a unique
opportunity for teachers to create an entirely new
and more individualized learning environment.
However, new teaching methods pose new challenges
for teachers. Planning innovative lessons may take
more time — especially at the start. Preparation for
this new atmosphere and new practices should
include time to allow teachers to practice new
teaching and management procedures. Governments
should also encourage sharing among teachers.
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 Short-term — An effective teacher change management
strategy is needed to ensure that teachers embrace
the introduction of technology in the classroom.
Teacher enthusiasm will lead to a smoother initial
implementation and an increased likelihood of success
of the program. It will also pave the way for the
sustained operations of the deployment. The best way
to achieve these goals is to involve teachers in the
initial planning stages of the program. For example, a
primary school in Uttar Pradesh, India, required that
teachers participate in technology workshops far in
advance of the deployment of technology in their
school. The school’s administration believes that the
success of the subsequent primary-school technology
program was largely due to the teachers’ increased
familiarity and comfort with technology.
 Long-term — Continued effective use of the computers
in the classroom depends largely on the sustained
motivation and abilities of teachers. Teachers who are
rewarded for embracing the technology will be more
likely to meaningfully integrate it into the educational
environment.
 Peer-support and master teachers — Teachers tend to
respond best to advice, coaching and support from o ther
teachers. This holds true for questions about class
management, pedagogical advancements and technology
tools. In technology programs, other teachers can provide
technical advice, perspectives on pedagogical practices and
a sense of community in computer use. This same advice
may not be accepted as well if provided by administrators,
who may be perceived as having caused the teachers ’ new
stress and workload by introducing the technology in the
classroom.
 Identifying and assigning a “master teacher” or
program champion — This is an excellent way to
facilitate the integration of computers and the
development of innovative classrooms. The master
teacher already has the respect of and relationship
with other teachers as well as an intimate knowledge
of the concerns teachers face. This individual can serve
as a champion or evangelist for productive technology
uptake. To identify the master teacher, policymakers
can talk to numerous local stakeholders —
administrators, teachers and community members —
someone who has the skills or potential to master the
program. The person should also be well-connected
with other teachers and hold their respect. Identifying
Change Management: Teachers
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
this individual may be challenging in primary schools, as
teachers are less likely to have a great deal of
exposure to and knowledge of ICT. Administrators may
focus on finding an enterprising teacher with the
enthusiasm and aptitude for technology and cultivating
that teacher for this role. This is the tactic a primary
school successfully adopted in Ghana. Note: The master
teacher in this case is distinct from the ―head teacher‖
or the teacher with the most seniority and who often
plays an administrative role.
 Alternative peer-support mechanisms — There are
alternative peer-support mechanisms that
administrators can use in addition to or instead of a
master teacher. For example, there could be an
incremental rollout of the technology. In this case, the
teachers from the first round of implementation would
mentor those involved in subsequent rounds. Another
strategy is to form groups of teachers that receive
training together and work with each other throughout
the year. The technology itself offers peer -support
opportunities, as an online collaboration tool could be
implemented to connect teachers virtually and provide
Change Management Teachers
an online support group. Lastly, informal support
among teachers could be encouraged. Currently, from El
Salvador to the Philippines and Uganda, teachers report
that they rely most heavily on other teachers for ICT
support.
Success in Rural Areas
A number of issues particular to rural areas in developing
countries may affect the change management strategy for
primary school teachers. For example, rural areas are more
likely to be understaffed, so close attention should be paid
to giving teachers logistic and human resources support
during the changeover. Special attention could be given to
highlighting how IT resources could alleviate some of the
teachers’ time management stresses, and to ensuring that
the changeover and training itself do not overburden the
staff. Furthermore, rural teachers, on average, have
attained lower levels of formal education and teacher
training. This could be an added challenge — and cost  as
training may have to begin at a more rudimentary level and
be more structured. On the other hand, rural teachers may
be more motivated to be involved in the changeover if they
can gain additional certification and skills.
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 Providing incentives — Integrating technology into the
curriculum and lesson plans will take additional time and
effort for the teachers. Increased compensation or
recognition might make this new technology more
appealing and more likely to be fully adopted. For example,
a survey conducted by the International Institute for
Communication and Development found that teachers in
Tanzania expected the government to provide them with
additional incentives for taking on the extra work
associated with ICT in education programs. ix Compensation
or recognition could be based on the amount of training a
teacher receives, the performance of their students or
their own use of the technology. Incentives could include
one or more of the following items:
 Financial incentives — e.g., salary increases, discounts
on home computers
 Professional development and/or certification
opportunities — e.g., ICT training, training in new
pedagogical models
 Increased status — e.g., classification as a ―master
teacher‖
Change Management: Teachers
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
 Non-monetary goods — e.g., involvement in the ICT and
education steering committee, greater involvement in
the school administration and planning
 Informational resources — Teachers should have a good
base of easily-accessible, useful information regarding the
computers to prevent them from feeling unprepared.
Teachers may be especially intimidated by the ease with
which primary-school students surpass teachers’
capabilities with technology. Providing an accessible
knowledge base for teachers could prevent adverse
reactions. These informational resources could include:
 Content — (programs, data, information) in digital form
on the computers themselves
 Printed forms — e.g., basic troubleshooting guides, a
list of Internet links to help quickly access relevant and
credible content
 Local experts on hand — for real-time advice or
support
Change Management Teachers
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 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Budgets for primary schools are often very tight — especially with
the demands of providing universal basic education. There is
immense pressure, therefore, to make the most of investments. In
Total Cost of Ownership
technology programs, officials often try to maximize the number of (TCO) Defined
computers they can purchase with the budget they have. With the Total cost of ownership (TCO) is a method of identifying
recent wide availability of laptop computers that cost only a few and budgeting for all of the costs associated with
hundred dollars each, placing a computer in the hands of each acquiring, maintaining, operating and benefitting from a
schoolchild suddenly seems like an idea within reach. But like all technology initiative over multiple years (often five). It is a
educational programs, technology initiatives require continual concept pioneered by Gartner, Inc., a research firm.
investment and support. Computers at schools are expected to aid
in education for many years. To ensure that computers do lend
years of support, it is critical to understand and plan for the total

Total Cost of Ownership

cost of ownership (TCO), that is, all of the costs associated with The components of TCO
the program over multiple years.
There are three major cost categories of technology programs
in the primary schools of developing countries, according to a 2008
Hardware Costs: Just a report by Vital Wave Consulting. These are:

Small Fraction of Overall  Initial costs — Costs related to the initial purchase and
installation of computers, including acquiring hardware and
Costs software and upgrading the physical infrastructure of
The cost of computers represents a small fraction of the schools and classrooms to accommodate the hardware and
total cost of ownership for ICT in education programs. software

 Recurrent costs — Ongoing costs related to the

maintenance and support of computers over their lifetime,
Importance including teacher training, technical support, Internet
Understanding the TCO gives officials a clearer picture of the scale connectivity and electricity
of the program they can afford. This will enable them to determine
 Hidden costs — one-time costs that are often ignored or
the devices and usage scenarios that best meet budget
underestimated, such as the replacement of computers
constraints, but more importantly, it will support their longer -term
that break or end-of-life costs
educational goals.

Initial Costs Recurrent Costs Hidden Costs

(26%) (61%) (13%)
Retrofitting Support Replacement hardware
Cabling & wiring Training Damage or theft
Software Connectivity Planning costs
Hardware Electricity End-of-life costs
TCO Components
Deployment Consumables
(5-year period)
Subscriptions

Diagram 2: TCO Components

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Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

The TCO Components pie chart shows how these costs break down
in a typical developing-country deployment in a primary school.
Notably, the initial costs of acquiring and installing the technology
add up to only about a quarter of the total costs in a five -year
period. Recurrent costs such as teacher training, connectivity and
support make up over 60 percent of total costs. The tendency to
focus on computer sticker price, therefore, is misguided .
Costs are consistent across devices,
scenarios and operating systems
One of the striking findings of the Vital Wave Consulting study is
that the TCO of computer deployments is remarkably consistent
across device types, usage scenarios and operating systems when
looked at on a per-seat basis. Whether a netbook is chosen over a
low-cost desktop or a Linux operating system (OS) over a
Windows-based OS, the costs of items such as teacher training,
support and Internet connectivity change v ery little. Because of
the magnitude of these largely fixed costs, varying initial
hardware and software costs do not have a large
impact on TCO.
While the costs across the range of hardware and operating
systems are more consistent than many would expec t, they are
also consistently much higher than most officials would assume.
Costs across various device types (desktop computers — new and
used — and netbooks) and usage scenarios (the two scenarios in
the study were a computer lab and a 1:1 eLearning envi ronment)
average nearly US$3,000 x per seat. This is far more than the
sticker price of the several hundred dollars many educators may be
using as a reference point. However, the price also covers a much
longer time period — five years — and an assortment of costs. A
more accurate understanding of the costs also means a more
realistic assessment of the budget needed for success.
Labor-related costs stand out
When the initial, recurrent and hidden cost categories are further
broken down, three items emerge as important to every device and
installation scenario: computers, teacher training and support. Two
of those, teacher training and support, are areas associated with
the cost of labor, whereas computers are associated with the price
of hardware.
 Teacher training — Adequate teacher training is essential
to the success of deployments, but too often it receives
inadequate investment, which creates negative
consequences for the entire deployment.
 Support — Costs associated with Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3
support typically make up nearly a third of total costs. Tier
Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
1 costs, which support on-site computer teachers or lab
assistants, represent the greatest cost. Specialized support
skills, like those needed to maintain less common operating
systems, may further increase costs, due to the premium
placed on scarce labor.
Critical Success Factors:
Understanding Your
Ecosystem
The local technology ecosystem is a major factor
determining not only the success of a school computer
Total Cost of Ownership
deployment but the costs as well. In order for deployments
to work, schools need access to a skilled pool of
professionals, available training resources, content
providers and a stable platform on which locally -
appropriate applications can thrive. For example, choosing
an operating platform whose support requires skills th at
are not available locally may vastly increase support costs,
and the inability to find support resources may require
users to secure additional funds to switch to another
system. Familiarity with the local ecosystem can prevent
costly mistakes and help ensure a solution that fits local
needs and resources.
Tips and tools
 Overestimate rather than underestimate —
Performing a TCO analysis sheds light on the true expense
of maintaining a successful computer deployment, one that
achieves learning objectives. Although these costs are
high, the costs of a failed investment are often much
higher. Overestimating costs allows for a cushion when
unexpected events happen.
 Make the TCO a living document — A TCO analysis
needs to be integrated into all aspects of a school
technology plan. Budget documents, facilities plans and
teacher training programs should flow from and influence
the TCO.
 Remember that little things can cause big
headaches — Seemingly small-cost items that are not
planned for, such as anti-virus software, inadequate
physical security for computers or insurance, can cause a
technology program to fail. Think of what could go wrong
and factor in the costs of prevention.
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Plan for Viruses
New computer viruses are constantly arising and can cause
serious problems. A lack of adequate security software, the
use of pirated programs and corrupted storage devices can
ruin a school computer installation and result in a loss of
the entire investment.
 Transfer costs — School principals and administrators are
often concerned that their limited budgets are going
toward paying teachers to acquire technology skills and
master new pedagogical learning models rather than
teaching students. Some Latin American governments have
addressed this concern by providing salary increases to
teachers who achieve a certain level of additional training
in critical skills such as technology. Teachers then have an
incentive to finance their own training to obtain these
skills. They also may respond more favorably to the training
as they themselves have funded it. Even though teachers
may have slightly higher salaries, this approach may be
more affordable and less disruptive for schools in the long -
run.
 Remember that one size may not fit all — Officials
considering large, multi-school deployments should
remember that costs may vary between schools. Urban and
Understanding the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
rural primary schools will likely have dramatically different
electricity and connectivity costs, for example, or different
levels of available professional support. TCO analyses
should encompass the different circumstances of each
school.
 Vital Wave Consulting TCO Report — This report
discusses many of the issues identified above at greater
length and compares the costs associated with various
devices, usage scenarios and operating systems. The report
can be found at
http://www.vitalwaveconsulting.com/insights/articl
es/affordable-computing.htm.
 Factor in the costs of replacement parts — Determine
which items have the highest rates of failure and factor
Total Cost of Ownership
the costs of replacement parts into the TCO.
TCO Calculator
The Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative (GeSCI) has
a comprehensive, TCO calculator (based on Microsoft Excel
software) at http://www.gesci.org/ict-infrastructure-
connectivity-and-accessibility.html that allows educators to
enter cost data specific to their geography.
30
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding

Students — and consequently countries — will become more
competitive in the global marketplace as 21 s t -century learning
Potential Funding Models
skills are imparted from the earliest grades. With these benefits
Governments need to both identify and tap into all ecosystem and
come costs. Even in lower-income countries such as Nigeria and
development community partners for financial as well as technical
Ghana, parents are willing to contribute to their children’s
(e.g., ICT, training, pedagogical) support for technology in education
education and have dipped into their own pockets to help fund ICT
programs from the start. They also need to select a financing
in primary-school programs. Students themselves are providing IT
model that minimizes total costs and suits their particular initiative.
support, and governments are both directly funding these
The tables below outline potential funding models that
programs as well as creating indirect mechanisms (tax incentives)
governments can consider depending on their environment.

Financial Alternatives
to defray the costs of technology in primary schools. Ecosystem
partners and members of the development community (including
non-profit organizations and bi- and multi-lateral organizations)
also provide value-added programs that help defray critical costs.
Leave No Stone Unturned
Importance A wide array of stakeholders benefit from technology
programs in schools. Each of these entities — as well as the
In order to scale and sustain ICT in education programs, long- technology development community — can and should be
term funding is a must. At least one primary school in Africa has tapped to contribute to the costs of the technology
forbidden the usage of newly purchased computers in the program. The key is understanding the unique offerings and
classroom as the costs of electricity have skyrocketed. In India, abilities of each stakeholder and maximizing their individual
there are cases in which five or six primary -school children need to contributions.
share a computer as the majority of the devices are out -of-service
and there is not sufficient funding to repair them. In both cases,
the intended educational outcomes are not being achieved as TCO
was not budgeted and funding was not secur ed in advance of
deploying the technology. However, this situation is easily avoided
with adequate planning, budgeting and expectation setting.

31
Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

For all countries

Creative thinking is key in securing sustained funding for technology in primary education programs. Officials need to consider hybrid approach es
that combine public, private and development community resources — both financial and technical — in a way that will allow all potential sources
to be tapped. Traditional sources must be tapped, but non -traditional methods can also be leveraged to fund these programs.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

 Collaborate with other ministries (e.g., MOE and the MOIT) to increase ICT in primary school funding.
The overall burden of funding for these programs will be less if shared among various entities.
Government cash
payments or subsidies  Create tax incentives for private-sector firms. For example, the Philippines created an Adopt -a-School
Program in which firms received tax incentives and PR opportunities in return for supporting the
Governments
modernization of schools in poor areas.
(federal, regional and
state)
 Provide credit or loan guarantees for local OEMs and school districts for ICT in primary school
programs.
Government-provided
credit  Explore creative financing programs with local banks.

Financial Alternatives
 Issue bonds to fund ICT in primary school programs.

Vendor-supported  Work with telecom providers on bundled (and subsidized) hardware and Internet connectivity initiatives
Business Partners
programs for primary schools.

Development Grants and/or support  Identify and target organizations that focus on ICT in education or on improving primary -school
Community programs (e.g., technical education. Initial targets can include USAID (discussed at the end of this section), regional
(NGOs, foundations, bi- assistance, training, development banks and NGO’s such as the International Institute for Communication and Development
and multi-lateral assistance with drafting (a Dutch NGO that has worked with ICT programs in education in Africa and Latin America). Contact
organizations) tenders) information for these organizations is listed in the Resource section of this Guide.

Teachers and Teacher or parent-  Explore the willingness of teacher unions and parent -teacher organizations to support the purchase of
Teachers Unions funded cash payments technology for teachers, children or schools.

 Charge student activity fees (or equivalent) to defray recurring costs (e.g., electricity) and collect them
Students and on an annual basis. Structure these fees based on the economic situation of the parent. Require in -
Cash payments
Parents kind contributions (e.g., labor, volunteer hours) if financial contributions are outside of the means of
select families.

3G License Fees to Fund ICT in Primary School Programs

From Portugal to Venezuela, governments are taking advantage of the significant funds generated from selling 3G licenses. Gov ernments
that have not yet sold 3G licenses — or have not earmarked the proceeds of these sales for other purposes — should consider setting aside a
portion of the proceeds to help subsidize technology in primary school programs.

1
32
Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

For countries with universal access or universal service funds

Several countries use universal service funds to help defray Internet connectivity costs for primary schools. The United Stat es’ E-Rate plan
provides discounts based on the level of poverty and number of rural students at the school ( See http://www.universalservice.org/sl/ ). With
universal basic education requirements, primary schools are likely to have some of the poorest and most remote students and c ould benefit
greatly from a program of thi s nature.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

Governments (federal, Government cash  Tap into universal access or universal service funds — particularly to provide subsidized

regional and state) payments or subsidies Internet connectivity to primary schools that are deploying ICT in education programs.

For countries that have piloted or will soon pilot ICT in primary schools
Recording, rewarding and promoting success is key to sustaining energy and the momentum of ICT in primary school programs. It is also crucial

Financial Alternatives
to attracting external funding.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

Governments (federal, Government cash  Reward positive behavior. Provide in -kind grants and program incentives for primary schools

regional and state) payments or subsidies that successfully implement ICT, show academic progress with ICT, etc.

Development Community
(NGOs, foundations, bi- and
multi-lateral organizations)
 Rigorously monitor, evaluate and communicate the results of ICT in primary education
Grants
programs as organizations often want to invest in programs with tangible positive outcomes.

For countries that are significant commodity exporters

From copper to diamonds and coffee beans, developing countries around the world earn significant returns through exporting commodities. A
portion of these proceeds could be used to fund ICT in primary school projects to start transforming the next generation of citizens into
information consumers and producers.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

Governments (federal, Government cash payments or  Consider dedicating a portion of commodity funds (such as oil trust funds) to

regional and state) subsidies technology in primary school programs.

For countries with import tariffs, duties and value-added taxes

Many countries charge import tariffs, duties and value-added taxes on technology products and services. Governments may elect to decrease or
waive these for ICT in primary school programs and consider them a strategic investment in the country’s future.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

 Waive or decrease import duties, tariffs or value -added taxes for technology that

Governments (federal, is a component of ICT in primary -school programs.

Tax or tariff incentives
regional and state)  Waive or decrease duties, tariffs or value -added taxes for technology purchases
by primary school teachers and parents who will use t he technology for home use.

33
Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

For countries with state-owned banks, microfinance institutions or Islamic banking regulations
Governments are involved in financial services either directly (i.e., state -owned banks) or indirectly (e.g., influencing Islamic banking regulations).
Governments can use these tools and influence to facilitate access to credit for ICT in primary school programs.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

 Require state-owned banks to create low-interest lending programs for

technology in primary school programs .
Governments (federal,
Government-provided credit  Provide credit or loan guarantees in accordance with Islamic banking principles for
regional and state)
local OEMs and school districts for ICT in primary school programs .

 Explore creative financing programs with microfinance institutions.

For countries with relatively developed business ecosystems

Financial Alternatives
Tap into the business ecosystem and local NGOs for support for the ICT in primary school program .

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

 Encourage local OEMs or other firms to provide even deeper discounts to

Discounted prices
technology in primary education programs.

Business Partners
 Tap into vendor-supported programs such as Intel Teach (teacher training) and
Vendor-supported programs Skoool T M (primary-school content) to defray critical cost components of the ICT in
primary school program.

 Seek out local entities, such as the Chamber of Commerce or a technology -related
Development Community
Grants or credit trade association that may be able to provide grants, matching funds or other
(NGOs)
types of support for the program.

For countries with relatively limited technical resources

Countries with limited technical resources would benefit by exploring capacity-building programs offered by both business partners and
development community members.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

Business Partners &

Support programs (e.g., technical
Development Community  Think beyond financial grants and seek packages with financial, technical and
assistance, training, assistance with
(NGOs, foundations, bi- and capacity-building components.
drafting tenders)
multi-lateral organizations)

34
Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

For countries that tie teacher salaries to professional development requirements

Some countries — including several Latin American nations and the United States — tie teacher salaries or certification renewals to professional
development requirements. Governments can incorporate ICT requirements into these requirements.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

 Provide incentives in the form of increased salaries for teachers that meet
specific ICT skill milestones.

Teachers and Teachers Teacher initiation and financing of ICT  Encourage teachers to take ICT and ICT in education courses during non -school
Unions training hours. Libyan primary-school teachers, for example, took courses during their
summer break in order to prepare for an ICT in primary -school program that was
initiated in the fall.

For countries that require that primary school teachers have a university degree

Financial Alternatives
More and more countries are requiring primary school teachers to have a university degree. These degree programs can be adjus ted to include
ICT and ICT in learning programs to increase teachers’ familiar ity with the technology and its usage in education.

Funding Source Financing Method Strategic Approaches

Teachers and Teachers Teacher initiation and financing of  Add ICT skills and technology-enabled instruction courses to core teacher-training
Unions ICT training curriculum in universities and certification programs.

Regional Development Banks

Contact the regional development bank for assistance with ICT in primary education programs. To help make a case for the importance o f
these investments, point to the example of the Inter-American Development Bank, which has been very active in supporting 1:1 eLe arning
programs, including initiatives in Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Haiti. The Asian Development Bank also has experience in supporting
ICT programs with a primary school component (projects in Mongolia and Sri Lanka).

These banks have offices or a presence in most countries in the region. The M inistry of Foreign Affairs can also provide assistance with
identifying the international organizations that are accredited in the country. If the development bank does not have a local office, th e
government may approach the headquarters of the organization, which would be able to provide further assistance. The Resource section of
this Guide provides links to the contacts for these organizations.

35
Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding

Tips and tools
 Consolidate purchases to maximize economies of scale
and consider quantity discount programs  Consistency in
hardware and configuration will also decrease TCO, as
support costs are less than with diverse platforms.
 Consider using a single vendor for the total solution 
Another approach to qualifying for quantity discount
programs is to minimize the number of vendors used. One
vendor that provides a total solution may end up costing
less (in financial and oversight terms) than multiple
vendors that each provide a separate piece of the puz zle.
 Maximize indirect relationships  Global vendors may have
relationships with members of the development
community. For example, Intel has partnered with USAID to
support ICT in primary school education programs across
the globe.
 Evaluate the pros and cons of alternative purchasing
models  These include up-front payments, vendor or third-
party financing, leasing and grants.
 Establish cost-recovery mechanisms from ICT
infrastructure in primary schools  For example, schools in
South Africa operate computer labs as for-fee cyber cafés
after school hours. Revenues are used to fund the
sustained operations of the technology for the students.
 Think about the C — communications providers and funds —
in ICT  As 3G licenses gain traction (and their sale
provides revenue windfalls), universal service fees
accumulate and mobile phone companies increasingly
bundle computers with broadband access, communications
providers and funds may be the best source of financing
for ICT in primary school programs. Now is the time to
exploit these opportunities, as soon these funds may be
dedicated to other programs and mobile operators may
move away from bundling and on to another product mix.
Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
 Join the Anytime, Anywhere Learning Foundation  It is a
non-profit membership organization based in the U.S. that
provides resources and a community around 1:1 eLearning
programs. Membership is free. (Contact information is in
the Resource section of this Guide.)
USAID: Strong Supporter of
ICT in Primary-school
Programs
USAID has collaborated since 2005 with Intel on ICT in
primary-school programs in Egypt, Guatemala, Indonesia,
Jordan and Kenya. The two partners have provided schools
Financial Alternatives
with a wide variety of resources, inc luding teacher training
and curricula, technology, program administration,
monitoring and evaluation support and translations of
digital educational content.
Regions of focus: USAID works in five regions: Sub-
Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean,
Europe and Eurasia, and the Middle East
 Contact information:
 USAID’s Mission website has contact
information for countries in which USAID has a
presence (see Resource section for the URL)
 US Embassy staff can be contacted for
countries in which USAID does not have a
formal presence. The US embassy staff should
be able to direct you to USAID’s country
representative. (see Resource section for the
URL)
36
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Orientation & Training Orientation vs. Training

Orientation and training are essential components of ICT in education
programs, especially in primary schools, where the technology is often being
deployed for the first time. All stakeholders whose efforts will coalesce to
make the technology in education program a succ ess will benefit from being
Orientation  Refers to workshops, planning sessions and
discussions in which stakeholders attempt to understand
the new technical and pedagogical concepts behind the ICT
and education program; acquire greater understanding of
the functionality and benefits of technology; and

Orientation & Training

involved in orientation or training sessions. Orientation and training is a sub -
component of change management, but is important enough to warrant
separate discussion.
Importance
Technology, like other tools, is only powerful if it is used correctly. Teachers
will often use technology if instructed to do so, but computers will be most
effectively used when coupled with adequate training. From India to Mexico,
Rwanda and Turkey, primary-school teachers have reported that they did not
feel adequately trained on technology they were expected to use. These
teachers were unable to take full advantage of the technology and sometimes
even rejected it. Table 1 outlines the importance of and the possible training
and orientation methods appropriate for the diverse stakeholders of a primary -
school technology program.
understand how to ensure safe usage of the technology by
primary-school-level children. These sessions are
particularly important in instances in which the children
bring the computers home. The purpose of these sessions
is to address sensitization, familiarity and cultural and
political acceptance of the technology.
Training  Follows initial orientation and refers to more
in-depth instruction or usage of learning materials in order
to master — and be equipped to teach  a subject. Teachers
are the main recipients of this level of training (both
technical and pedagogical); it is also referred to as
―professional development.‖

Table 1: Importance of and Possible Training and Orientation Methods by Stakeholder Group

Orientation Or
Stakeholder Importance and Possible Methods
Training
Teachers are one of the most important stakeholders in the effective use of in -school technology. It is the teacher
who will be working with the children day -to-day as they use the technology. Teachers can be on board in the early
Teachers
planning stages of a technology in education program and can be continually supported via orientation and training
sessions. Orientation sessions could include:

 Sessions focused on providing familiarity with both the technology and the new learning models that can be
Orientation
achieved with the technology.

 Introduction — and ideally input  to the ICT in Primary Education Plan.

 Communication with teachers who have already used technology in their classrooms.

 Orientation to the various resources (e.g., list of online content and/or basic tr oubleshooting techniques)
available to teachers.

Teachers in primary schools generally teach all subjects and therefore need multiple levels of training:

 Detailed technical training for teachers, designated IT staff or a local support team is vital to the
sustainability of the project. Demonstrations and guided practice on the hardware and software that teachers
will be using provides a hands-on way of familiarizing teachers with the tools.

 Training on the new pedagogies and classroom managemen t skills needed is essential for teachers to fully
Training
exploit the potential for computers to transform classrooms. Role play and modeling of the novel classroom
environment could be very helpful, as could shadowing or student -teaching in a classroom already u sing ICT, if
possible. A few of the final sessions could even require students to work through example lessons.
Assess Financial Alternatives & Secure Funding
This training needs to happen before, during and after the initial implementation of the technology and is an ongoing
component of the ICT in pr imary-school education program.

37
Orientation & Training
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Continued

Orientation Or Importance and Possible Methods

Stakeholder
Training

Governments (e.g., MOE, MOIT) at both the national and regional level, as well as school districts, may spearhead ICT in
education programs, but they can also benefit from orientation on many of the topics in this Guide. For example:

Orientation & Training

 Initial, focused demonstrations of the technology with important individuals could secure the buy -in of
ministry or district leaders. Then, expanded training courses for managers and their working groups (e.g.,
ministry leaders and their subsidiaries) could guide the design and management of ICT implementations. Case
Government Agencies studies are an excellent tool to use to h elp future ICT implementation overseers gain the technical knowledge
Orientation
and School Districts they need and ability to find resources when problems arise.

 Supplementary workshops and sessions could focus on topics such as outlining the new learning models that
can be achieved via technology, creating robust ICT in Primary Education Plans, successfully budgeting for and
financing ICT in education programs , and defining, monitoring and evaluating success.

Orientation sessions are also an opportunity for different government agencies (e.g., Ministries of Education, IT, and
Technology and Communication) to interact and potentially collaborate on ICT in primary -school education programs.

Parents, while not in the classroom every day, are intimately connected to their children’s education. These
stakeholders  especially in primary schools  must approve of the content and technologies to which their children
will be exposed. However, they often may not understand the material or the machines, especially in rural areas where
the overall level of education is likely to be lower. Community members are more tangential but still vital to the health
and success of the computer education program. They too need to be brought up to speed on what is happening in
their local classrooms.
Parents and Community
Orientation
Members  Sessions could be focused on promoting familiarity with the technology and demonstrating the educational
and community impact of these additions. Public awareness campa igns may be used, and hands-on
demonstrations may be even more effective. Inviting the community into the classroom throughout the year in
a structured way may sustain this beneficial relationship. In the Magellan 1:1 eLearning program in Portugal,
for example, representatives of parent organizations were invited to observe teacher training sessions. Lastly,
courses on Internet safety could be very important for parents, especially when the children bring the
computers home.

School administrators are vital to the logistic implementation of the program as well as the strategic vision of the
computers’ use in the classroom.

 Pre-implementation sessions could introduce the technology, but the focus should be on giving examples of
School Administrators Orientation how ICT-in-primary-education programs have been managed in other implementations. Administrators could
hear testimonies from other administrators and share best practices. One example of such a program is Intel’s
Teach — Leadership, which is specifically tailored to school administrators. In this forum, administrators
interact with their peers to become more comfortable with taking a leadership role in the promotion, support
and ongoing success of technology in education programs.

Students may be confronted with new learning tools and methods, and a transition period may facilitate their
acclimation to the novel technologies.

 Students may have to be familiarized with the technology in the same way that the community nee ds to be.
Students Orientation
Beyond familiarization, their teacher can provide the crucial initial training and further skill development.

 The orientation for students will also be the critical juncture at which to impact proper usage guidelines (e.g.,
replacement responsibility, proper handling, email etiquette, permissible web sites, ramifications if rules are
broken).

38
Orientation & Training

Tips and tools
 Ongoing professional development for teachers  Needs
not be based on traditional training methods like multiple -
day, on-site workshops. Less expensive, less disruptive and
more innovative methods could be used, such as mentoring
programs, phased and staggered rollouts, ongoing training
workshops on computers or distance learning. Local OEMs
(LOEMs) who provide a complete ESP solution are one
potential source of this type of training. Regardless of the
model selected, the model should be continually monitored,
evaluated and refined to ensure its effectiveness and
efficacy.
 Train-the-trainer programs  In some cases, it may be more
efficient to train one or two computer experts per school.
These ―local experts‖ can facilitate sustainability and be a
point of contact and continuity for the program. It may also
be useful to have trainings for teachers at each grade
level, as there will be different requirements and
competencies for each group. Teachers who have been
involved in previous implementations and have benefited
from using the technology could support other teachers
and form support communities.
 Leverage local and virtual resources  The primary school
could liaise with local teacher training schools for training
workshops. Teachers at nearby secondary schools that
have already deployed technology in education programs
could be another powerful resource. Many teachers,
especially primary school teachers, are getting addit ional
certification through distance learning classes, and ICT
could be offered as a course. The computers themselves
could be used as teachers, but a human resource may still
Orientation & Training
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
be necessary to answer questions or help teachers get
started.
 Pre-service training  Governments can greatly reduce ICT
in education training requirements by modifying basic
teacher education to include both ICT training and
Orientation & Training
computer-aided learning into the college curriculum.
Teachers that understand technology and have learned
how to use it would need less guidance on integrating
technology in their own classrooms. In Jordan, pre -service
teachers are required to take technology courses, but the
teachers have noted that there should be more of a focus
on how to integrate the technology with the curriculum. xi
 Hands-on practice  Create as many hands-on practice
opportunities as possible, working through case study
examples and practicing real lessons on computers.
 Incorporate the use of technology in the teachers' lives 
Meaningfully incorporate technology into teachers’ lives
(e.g., administrative duties, encouraging personal use of
computers in the home) to help teachers become more
fluent and comfortable with the technology.
Intel© Teach
Intel® Teach prepares teachers to introduce and integrate
21st century learning in their classrooms. The training
sessions have been successfully used by both pre -service
and seasoned teachers. The program relies on a teach-the-
teacher model, which enables school districts to replicate
the training both broadly and affordably.
39

Deployment Models
ICT in education programs can be complex and will require the
support of skilled professionals from the planning through the
deployment and sustained operations stages of the program. This
is especially true when a school or group of schools is installing
technology on a large scale for the first time, which is often the
case in primary schools. Administrators need to decide how they
want to manage the procurement and deployment process, as well
as how to maintain the solution once the installation is complete.
Deciding whether to insource or outsource may be the central
deployment-model question, but beyond that, a host of other
decisions may need to be made.
Importance
Procuring equipment, organizing teacher training and arranging for
multi-year technical support are critical tasks, and governments or
schools (especially primary school administrators) may not have the
internal capacity to tackle them. Given that constraint,
governments or school administrators often choose to outsource
some or all of the process to an outside vendor or consultant. The
decision to insource or outsource is one of the most central
decisions that planners must make, as it determines how resources
will be managed, what external and internal roles will be and how
much the deployment will cost. Deployment models are also
important in addressing technical failures that prevent teachers
from delivering lessons, one of the biggest obstacles to successful
IT implementations and a source of much teacher frustration .
To insource or outsource: Key questions to
answer
In answering perhaps the most basic deployment model question,
whether to insource or outsource a technology deployment,
officials need to consider the following questions along the basic
dimensions of time, cost and human resources:
 How has the school or district managed previous
technology deployments (unlikely in primary schools in
developing countries)? Has it insourced or outsourced
these deployments? What has worked or not worked?
 Is there currently internal staff that has the time and
expertise to manage the deployment proce ss? If not, which
is likely the case in primary schools, what would be the
time and cost associated with adding such staff? What
Deployment Models
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Deployment Models
Insourcing and Outsourcing
Defined
Outsourcing  The transfer of job functions to a
contractor, so that the entity can focus on core business
and leverage the special skills of the external group
Insourcing  Assuming functional responsibilities as an
organization rather than contracting that function or job
with an outside agency
other work or responsibilities would have to be postponed
for current, qualified staff to take on deployment
management?
 Does the school or district have experience with managing
outsourced resources? What internal staff would be
responsible for doing so?
 If the project must be outsourced, what vendors or
partners are eligible for consideration? Are these vendors
local or outside the area? How do they compare to one
another or to internal resources in expertise and cost?
 Would the TCO (see page 32) be lower using an insourced
or outsourced solution?
 Is there flexibility in the timeframe of the deployment?
How would insourcing or outsourcing affect compliance
with this timeframe?
 Is the deployment taking place over several phases or
stages? If so, does it make sense to insource some phases
and outsource others? If outsourcing, does it make sense
to use multiple vendors or the same ve ndor for the entire
process?
 Does the solution require specialized skills or expertise?
Are these skills readily available in the primary school or
surrounding community? How do local skills affect the
decision to insource or outsource?
The answers to these questions may provide greater clarity into
the decision about whether insourcing or outsourcing makes more
sense. Beyond that first decision are several additional layers of
decisions that may need to be made.
40
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Insourcing vs. outsourcing: Pros and cons

Deployment Models
There are benefits and drawbacks to both insourcing and outsourcing as deployment models. Officials may consider the extent t o which the pros
or cons of each model apply to their situation, and how each model compares to an alternative model.

Pros Cons

 Internal staff will gain skills for future deployments or  Limited knowledge base and time of existing staff (especially
continued development of the current deployment in primary schools) may require hiring of highly skilled but

 Local ecosystem partners will develop, which could enhance costly staff

competitiveness and economic development of the area  Limited knowledge and use of best practices developed by
Insourcing outsiders could mean repeating mistakes of others
 Implementation time may be quicker if internal expertise is
present and outsourced contractual procedures are time -  Contractual obligations for new staff may be costly
consuming  New staffing requisitions may not be approved
 Primary-school parents may be more comfortable personally
knowing who is working on the project

 Using vendors frees up busy primary school internal staff to
concentrate on teaching and supervisory, monitoring and
evaluation tasks
 Outsourcing provides possible access to vendors’ external
Outsourcing network for current or future projects
 Use of outside resources limits internal development of
resources who understand technology and processes
 Vendor failure or end of partnership may entail extensive costs
as new vendor or internal resources are trained

 Using vendors leverages best practices and experiences from

multiple deployments in varying environments

 Private firms develop and strengthen the ICT skills and

knowledge base of the country

Technical support: Alternative models of support

Recommendation
The ongoing maintenance and technical support of a computer deployment is
When outsourcing, an Education or managed service
one of the most important aspects to determine of the deployment model.
provider (MSP) that specializes in education can be a good
Fortunately, there is a variety of models that have been used by schools,
choice. An MSP offers continuous managing of IT functions,
including primary schools, to ensure that computers are maintained in
monitoring and fixing problems proactively over the
working order. The following are among the models that primary school
Internet rather than being onsite. This may be an especially
administrators can consider:
good choice for primary schools that are physically remote.
Intel’s® vPro technology now allows MSPs to communicate
 Pooling support with secondary schools  Secondary schools are
with and manage PCs from the MSP service center, even if
more likely to have in-house technical support than primary schools
a system is powered off, its OS is inoperative or its
and may have additional capacity to support primary-school computer
software agents have been disabled.
installations, especially if there is overlap in systems. Whether such a
model can work, however, depends on primary schools and secondary
schools being in close proximity and their ability to negotiate a cost -sharing agreement. Success is more likely with schools that already
have cost or personnel-sharing arrangements. In some countries, such as Finland, the administration of primary and secondary schools
has been merged. In those cases, this type of sharing solution could be a viable option.
 Using non-profit organizations or volunteers  Technical support may be provided by organizations or individua ls that provide their
services at little or no cost. Local universities, the IT departments of multinational corporations, parents, alumni and othe rs may have the
skill, interest and time to assist in the support of technology deployments at primary school s. In Singapore, for example, parents who
want to send their children to certain schools must agree to volunteer a certain number of hours at the school. Internal staf f must
supervise volunteers, though, and with no profit motive, schools must ensure that this model is sustainable. Providing non -monetary
compensation, such as credits for college students, offers one possible solution.

41
Deployment Models

 Training teachers to provide support  If no teacher with
advanced technology skills resides at a school, primary
schools may choose to train one or two teachers at a
school to provide support. Teachers may earn extra wages
and benefit from additional skills. Schools, however, must
have a plan to prevent teachers from leaving once the
training investment has been made.
 Student-provided support  It is very common — from
Africa to India and Latin America — for secondary school
students to provide at least basic support for technology in
education programs. Not only does the school save money,
but the students gain a higher level of ICT skills, which
better positions them for success in the job market. There
are some examples of peer support in primary schools, such
as computer clubs in Macedonia, or using students with
advanced skills to help others, which is done in Australia
and the United States. And even the youngest students
can support simple tasks such as helping the teacher roll
the computer-on-wheels cart to the next room or plug in
the laptops for recharging.
Each of these alternative models has its own set of positives and
negatives, but they present the possibility of allowing primary
schools to leverage unique local assets to offset costs.
Tips and tools
 Plan for the life of the solution  The model that is
ultimately chosen should be sustainable for the duration of
the deployment being considered. Relying on technical
support from a handful of local university students whose
Deployment Models
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
presence might last for one year in a f ive-year deployment,
for example, runs the risk of disruption. This consideration
Deployment Models
may seem obvious, but unfortunately, many technology -in-
education programs focus almost entirely on the initial
deployment and first year of operation.
 Consider support for IT strategy, not just tech support 
While technical support is critical, primary schools need
support with deployment as well as with the creation of
their long-term IT strategy (including the integration of
novel teaching methods and tools). Changes in the external
environment or the ICT in Primary Education Plan may
require a shift in tactics that schools lack the capacity to
implement.
 Know your ecosystem  A good understanding of the
technology and education ecosystems in which a school
exists provides valuable assistance in deciding which
technical-support model to choose. It provides decision
makers with the context to understand which model suits a
school’s unique circumstances and needs.
 Dedicated system administrator  Consider designating
one person — either a teacher or a member of the school ’s
administration — as a systems administrator. In this way,
the logistics of computer use and upkeep could be
separated from the work individual teachers must do,
especially if students are allowed to use the computers
outside of class time. It is not uncommon for an
administrator to step in for a specific subject in primary
schools in Ghana, ICT training could be another potential
gap school administrators could fill.
43
42

Sustained Operations
Technology deployments in schools do not end with the
installation of new computers. Ensuring that everyone in the
education ecosystem  students, teachers, administrators and
parents  benefits from deployments requires a strategy for
sustained operations. This plan involves building a model for
ongoing technical support and teacher training, creating
mechanisms for learning from implementations and adjusting the
ICT in Primary Education Plan accordingly , and maintaining regular
communications with all involved in the deployment.
Importance
It is essential to have a plan for supporting technology programs
once the computers are switched on. Individual computer
installations are often expected to last for five years or more and
the use of technology in those institutions will likely be permanent.
A long lifespan as well as positive educational outcomes is possible
if there is a thorough plan for maintaining both the technical and
human aspects of the deployment. A plan for sustained operations
takes into account all components of the deployment, including
contingency plans in the event of a disaster or other external
disruptive event and allows officials to get a better return on the
investment they have made.
Program evaluation and maintaining success
Almost as soon as the planning for a technology in education
program is set in motion, information about how it is working starts
to accumulate. Each program experiences some of the successes
foreseen by educators and officials, along with unanticipated
benefits and unwanted surprises. All of this information is useful.
Some of it may support assumptions made at the start of a
deployment, while some may challenge those assumptions. No
deployment goes exactly according to plan, but maintaining a
feedback loop, or mechanism for adjustment, is essential to
sustaining operation. The figure below illustrates a typical
feedback loop in an ICT in education deployment.
All stakeholders, from teachers to parents, government officials
and the funders of the technolog y in education program, have a
vested interest in the program’s performance. Continually
evaluating and communicating the results, and making real -time
adjustments to better ensure positive results, will increase the
Sustained Operations
Sustained Operations
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Sustained Operations
Sustained operations refers to the ongoing maintenance,
support and monitoring and evaluation of ICT in education
deployments. It encompasses continuous adjustments to
training, a feedback loop in which the results from the
deployment and external developments are used to adjust
the technology plan and ongoing communications to
stakeholders.
A plan for sustained operations also al lows officials to get
a better return on the investment they have made.
Demonstrating that a deployment has a positive return on
investment is a pre-requisite for educators to justify
additional or continued investment in technology. Planning
comprehensively for the human and technical elements of a
technology deployment may lengthen the period during
which a deployment produces a return while keeping the
investment needed to do so to a minimum.
likelihood of the sustained operation o f the current program and
continual investment and interest in future programs. In addition,
efforts to recognize teachers, students and administrators who are
leading the way and reaping the benefits can contribute to building
momentum and sustaining enthusiasm. These individuals and
examples can be highlighted in case studies and ―best practices ,‖
which will benefit the technology and learning programs in primary
schools in their countries and beyond.
It is appropriate to revisit the ICT in Primary Schoo l Education
Framework introduced at the beginning of this Guide — Figure 11,
below — to reinforce the idea that any technology in primary
education program is a continuum, not a one -time implementation
or effort. The ICT in Primary Education Plan is a living document. It
needs to be updated and revised based on the monitoring and
evaluation of program results from the schools. Just as the ICT in
Primary Education Plan guides each deployment and the change
management processes used to support it, so the scho ols will also
need to continually adjust their ICT in Primary Education Plans as
feedback is received.
43

Figure 11: Conceptualizing ICT Programs in Primary Schools
The heart of a successful feedback loop is a strong monitoring and
evaluation mechanism. Monitoring and evaluation tools and
strategies allow planners to understand what is working in an ICT
in education program  and what is not. Success metrics must be
established for shorter-term educational goals, which can align
with goals laid out in the ICT in education plan. Educators and
administrators may use exams to assess whether academic goals
are being met, or they might use surveys to determine the impact
of the deployment on student, teacher and staff attitudes,
practices and knowledge. Non-academic measures of success, such
as changes in the community’s feelings toward ICT, are important
as well, since they may affect a school’s ability to sustain
technology programs. Finally, methods of determining how
performance on short-term goals impact longer-term social or
economic goals may also be considered. Intel’s eLearning
Deployment Guide (on page 51) highlights organizations that have
created measurement standards that can be used to evaluate
success in an ICT in education program.
As information about the performance of deployments is collected,
―lessons learned‖ can then be used to adjust the ICT in Primary
Education Plan. Goals may change, or components within the plan
may change to reflect lessons learn ed during the deployment. For
example, the ICT in Primary Education Plan may not have originally
envisaged students providing low-level technical support in order
to reduce costs. Lessons from the deployment’s first year,
however, may show that this is a feasible and cost-effective
model. The Plan may then be changed to incorporate this support
model.
Sustained Operations
Sustained Operations
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Chile’s Enlaces Program
The Enlaces program, Chile’s IT in education initiative, has
established several databases to monitor and evaluate the
performance of participating schools. One database stores
statistics on participating schools and the number of
teachers trained and links these statistics to databases at
the Ministry of Education, while others record installation
conditions, track hardware warranties and monitor Internet
connection performance.
Components of a sustained operations plan
When creating a plan for sustained operations, officials should
refer to their ICT in Primary Education Plan, which should address
each part of the technology and education ecosystem.
 Teacher training  Though teachers must be trained before
a deployment is launched, regular ongoing training is also
critical. Continuous training reinforces the skills teachers
have already learned while teaching them new skills as
technology is more fully integrated into student learning. A
strong, reliable teacher training program, whether provided
internally or by outside organizations, is also necessary as
new teachers consistently need to be trained due to the
high turnover rates in primary schools.
45
44

 Financing and budgeting  1:1 eLearning projects may
require the purchase of new hardware each year. But a
given school or school system’s financial picture might
change, as might external conditions such as interest rates
or financing options. This means that the original financing
option chosen may no longer be optimal and another
method of financing should be used. Likewise, yearly
evaluations of technology program expenditures and how
they compare to projected budgets can be used to
determine whether changes to the original plan are needed.
Cost projections for computers should be as complete as
possible and include the costs of spare parts, replacement
and disposal. Budgets should reflect the TCO analysis (see
page 28) performed before the project was launched.
 Support  The support model for a technology
implementation is chosen during the deployment process
(see page 45). As one of the most critical areas of a
technology deployment, technical support must be
constantly evaluated to ensure that computers are being
used as intended and are performing with minimal
downtime. Increasing the size of deployments over a multi -
year period can also have implications for support models.
Budgets and expenditures can be compared to projections,
as well as to the costs of changing support models.
 Communications  Timely, consistent communications are a
key part of change management plans (see page 22) but
regular communication continues well after a deployme nt.
At each stage of deployment, ecosystem stakeholders
need information on how they will be affected and a
mechanism for giving feedback. Without consistent
communication, momentum towards institutionalizing new
ways of teaching and learning can quickly f all away.
Tips and tools
 Build a better timeline  A thorough, detailed timeline with
regular milestones and set evaluation metrics helps to
ensure that monitoring and evaluation, as well as
adjustments, happen consistently . A timeline also may
prevent stakeholders from neglecting the plan.
 Create incentives for success  Projects succeed when
ecosystem stakeholders have a stake in their success.
Offering incentives, such as compensation or recognition,
for active participation and leadership in technology
initiatives can help prevent a loss of momentum.
 Avoid complacency  The successful launch of a
technology deployment is cause f or satisfaction, but
recognizing that deployment isn’t the final step helps avoid
complacency that hinders continued success.
Sustained Operations
Sustained Operations
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
 Continuous, effective communication  Keeping in close
touch with local implementers will reassure new
technology users and identify problems as soon as
possible. In addition, a good public relations plan to
broadcast program success will provide additional public
support, both emotionally and financially.
Continual Improvement
Monitoring, evaluating and continually refining an ICT in
education program is essential for its immediate success
and for continued investment in similar programs. The
objective of these activities is two -fold: (1) to revise
practices that are not performing as expected and (2) to
amplify those that are meeting or exceeding expectations.
Monitoring, evaluation and refinement activities need to
happen on multiple levels:
Student:
 continually evaluating student progress
 reporting to parents on student achievement levels
 identifying problem areas and adjusting learning
methods and tools
Teacher:
 highlighting and disseminating best-practices
 monitoring teacher use of computers for
administrative purposes
 monitoring teacher familiarity and proficiency with
computers
 identifying and rewarding innovative use of
technology by teachers
School:
 comparing outcomes to baseline and peer
performance
 evaluating progress toward exam requirements
 increasing administrator familiarity and proficiency
with computers
Government:
 evaluating return on investment to ICT in primary -
education programs
 comparing academic, administrative and social
outcomes in different schools or regions
45

Conclusion
As decision makers think about the resources and processes
needed to bring the benefits of technology to primary school
children, it is worth considering the growing role that ICT plays in
the world today. Technology is present in nearly every area of life,
from consuming media to running a business to providing and
accessing health care. Technology is not going away; rather, its
role will continue to increase. Children must be provided with the
skills and knowledge they need to integrate it into their lives at an
early age. Just as educators would not wait until secondary school
to begin teaching children how to use money responsibly or to
instill civic values, so too they must begin at an early age to
prepare students for a society in which a strong familiarity with
technology is a necessity, not a luxury.
As Figure12 shows, primary school is the first link in the
progression from education to employment. It is one of the most
critical steps in the process as it is where children build the
foundational skills required for success throughout their academic
and professional careers. It is in these institutions — primary
schools — where children must begin to form 21 s t -century skills
Primary Secondary
education: education:
Foundational Enhanced
skills skills
Figure 12: Education–Employment Progression
Conclusion
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
such as collaboration, critical thinking and creative expression,
along with more traditional skills such as basic literacy and
numeracy. The transition from primary to secondary school is
taxing on students. Students will go to larger schools — sometimes
far from home. They will generally change classrooms and teachers
for each subject. The transition will be even more stressful if they
also receive their first exposure to computers and student -centric
learning models. Some may not succeed in the transition. To
increase the likelihood of success and a smoother transition for th e
children, primary schools should be the starting point for
technology integration and the foundations of 21 s t -century skills.
Although deploying technology in primary schools is a complicated
endeavor, the steps and examples outlined in this Guide show t hat
deployments can be managed to everyone’s benefit. Success in
technology in primary school programs requires a holistic approach
that takes into account the needs and interests of all stakeholders
and that never loses sight of the educational goals the technology
is intended to address.
Higher
education:
Job Market
Specialized
skills
46

Glossary
3G licensing fees
Fees typically paid to a national government by mobile
telecommunications operators for the rights to new
spectrum frequencies over which third-generation voice
and data services can be transmitted
1:1 eLearning
A learning environment in which each student has a
dedicated personal computer, which, in some instances,
he or she can take home so that learning continues after
school hours
21 st -century skills
A set of skills to help students succeed in today’s global
economy. UNESCO defines these skills as including
problem solving, communication, collaboration,
experimentation, critical thinking and creative expression
(http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001562/15620
7e.pdf)
Change management
A set of tools used to enable an organization or
individuals to thrive in a new environment
Classmate PC
Intel-powered classmate PCs are purpose-built netbooks
designed specifically to meet the educational needs of
young students and create new possibilities. They are
based on reliable Intel® architecture and Intel® mobile
processors, and feature enough memory and storage to
run real-world applications. For more information see
http://www.classmatepc.com/resource-center/
Competitiveness index
A set of indicators used to rank countries or regions
according to their economic competitiveness overall or in
specific industry sectors
Cost-per-seat
Cost incurred in carrying out ICT activities, including
procurement, installation, operation and maintenance, on
a per-unit basis
Differentiated learning: Adjustments made by teachers to cater
to individual learning needs within a group of students
Education ecosystem
A collection of subsystems comprised of educational
institutions and their staffs, teachers, learners who
Glossary
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
acquire and use knowledge and employers who sponsor
professional development programs
End-of-life costs
Costs associated with disposition of the asset including
sale of asset, removal, preparation for re -use, recycling,
etc.
Global competitiveness index
An index that measures the ability of a country or region
to sustain its current- and medium-term growth. This
ability in turn depends on the robustness of the
country’s public and private institutions, infrastructure,
macroeconomic framework and education and health
systems
Information and communication technology (ICT)
ICT is the overarching term used to describe all
information technologies (e.g., computers, software,
storage devices) and communications technologies (e.g.,
mobile phones and networks, satellites, radios, fax
machines)
Intel Learning Series (ILS)
ILS is a collection of hardware, software and services
designed specifically for education. Intel created the Intel
Learning Series to address ongoing education technology
needs around the world. For more information on ILS, see
http://www.intel.com/intel/learningseries.htm
Insourcing
Assuming functional responsibilities as an organization
rather than contracting that function or job with an
outside agency
Knowledge economy index
An index that represents the effectiveness with which a
country or region uses and/or shares knowledge
LOEMs
Local OEMs (see OEM definition in this glossary)
Millennium Development Goals
A set of eight goals to overcome global developmental
challenges defined by the United Nations Development
Program. Goals are set to be achieved by 2015
48
47

OEMs
Original equipment manufacturers that manufacture and
sell components to other companies, which then retail
the products under their own brand name
ODMs
Original design manufacturers that design and
manufacture components and sell them to other
companies, which then retail them under their own brand
name
Outsourcing
The transfer of job functions to a contractor, so that the
entity can focus on core business and leverage the
special skills of the external group
Primary education
The initial six or seven years of a child’s formal education
typically lasting from age 5 to 12
Glossary
Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools
Pre-service training
Training given to individuals before they receive their
teaching certification and are full -fledged teachers
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
TCO includes costs associated with an asset from
purchase, through operation, maintenance and final
disposition of the asset
Third-party financing
A process in which an intermediary (e.g., a lending
institution) qualifies the buyer and provides the vendor
with payment for products or services sold. In turn, the
intermediary receives payment from the buyer over a
predetermined period of time
Universal service funds
Telecom carriers contribute to this fund, which is used to
ensure that low-income and hard-to-reach regions, and
especially low-income and hard-to-reach schools and
medical service providers, benefit from
telecommunications infrastructure
48
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Resources
African Development Bank List of Field Office Contacts:
http://www.afdb.org/en/contact-us/field-offices-contacts/

Anytime Anywhere Learning Foundation :

http://www.aalf.org

Asian Development Bank List of Field Offices:

http://www.adb.org/About/contact.asp

Intel-powered classmate PC case studies:

http://www.classmatepc.com/techno logy-in-the-classroom/

International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) :

http://www.iicd.org

Inter American Development Bank Country Offices and Representatives :

http://www.iadb.org/aboutus/vii/cof.cfm?language=english

United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Mission Website :

http://www.usaid.gov/missions/

United States Embassies:

http://www.state.gov/misc/list/index.htm

49
Resources
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Bibliography
The following sources informed some of the cases and examples used in this Guide:
Bateman, Debra and Oakley, Carol. Research Report: The classmate PC 1:1 eLearning project in Australia. Deakin University. Faculty of Arts &
Education. February 2009
ICT Infrastructure, Connectivity and Accessibility, gesci -UN ICT task force. Available at: http://www.gesci.org/ict-infrastructure-connectivity-and-
accessibility.html
Inter American Development Bank. IDB, One Laptop Per Child to launch pilot project in Haiti. February 14, 20 08. Accessed on July 27, 2009 at
http://www.iadb.org/news/detail.cfm?artid=4413&language=En&id=4413&CFID=2083754&CFTOKEN=20322709
Maclay, Colin M., Robert Hawkins and Geoffrey S. Kirkman and the World Bank Institute (WBI). Global Networked Readiness for Education:
Preliminary findings from a Pilot Project to Evaluate the Impact of Computers and the Internet on Learning in Eleven Developi ng
Countries. January 2005. Available at: http://www-
wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/I B/2005/07/25/000090341_20050725093352/Rendered/PDF/32992
0GNRE0FINAL.pdf
REGULATEL, Telecentre models FINAL Annex 4 v. 1, Retrieved on 20 July, 2009 from
http://www.regulatel.org/miembros/publicaciones/ESTU%20DIOS/SERV%20UNIV/PPIAF/informe%20final/draft%20vf/New%20Annex%
204%20Telecentre%20Models.v.1.pdf
The Fiankoma Project. (2000-2006). Video Educational Trust/Department for International Development. Available from:
http://www.fiankoma.org/pdf/digital_divide_ghanaian_perspective.pdf
UNESCO (2008). ICT Competency Standards for Teachers. Published by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, page 8.
Retrieved on 7 July 2009 from http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001562/156207e.pdf

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Bibliography
 Guide for Developing and Sustaining ICT in Primary Schools

Endnotes

i UNESCO’s 21 s t Century Skills are from: UNESCO (2008). ICT Competency Standards for Teachers. Published by United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization, p. 8. Retrieved on 7/29/2009 from
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001562/156207e.pdf . In the Mexican primary school example, the only instance in which
students with computers did not outperform those without was in telesecundarias, a distance education program. Further resear ch
needs to be conducted to understand why this particular type of i nstitution did not show improved math and language skills. See
Comparativo del promedio general de las escuelas que participan en Red Escolar y la prueba ENLACE. (2008) Sondeos y Estadísti cas –
Red Escolar website.

ii Linden, L., Banerjee, A., and Duflo, E. (2003). Computer-Assisted Learning: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment. Poverty Action Lab Working
Paper.
iii Passey, D., Rogers, C., Machell, J., McHugh, G. (2004). The Motivational Effect of ICT on Pupils. Research Report. Department of Educational
Research, University of Lancaster. Available at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR523new.pdf.
iv iEARN (International Education and Resource Network) is ―the world's largest non-profit global network that enables teachers and youth to
use the Internet and other technologies to collaborate on projects that enhance learning and make a difference in the world.‖ For
information on the Egypt study, please see: Dewidar, and Khalil, D. (2004). iEARN Egypt Evaluation Study. Various documents can be
accessed at http://www.iearnegypt.org/evaluation .php.
v Hawkins, R. (2001). Ten Lessons for ICT and Education in the Developing World. Center for International Development. Global I nformation
Technology Report. Harvard University. Available at http://cyber.l aw.harvard.edu/itg/libpubs/gitrr2002_ch04.pdf.
vi Intel-Powered classmate PC case studies: http://www.classmatepc.com/technology -in-the-classroom/
vii Enlaces, Centro de Educación y Tecnología del Ministerio de Educación. (2005). Encuesta ―Educación en la Soc iedad de la Información.‖
Retrieved on 4 April 2008 from: http://www.comenius.usach.cl/estudiostic/files/File/Material%20de%20referencia/encuesta.pdf .
viii The change management components discussed in this section are largely based on the strategies outlined in:
http://www.tagonline.org/articles.php?id=266
ix http://www.iicd.org/projects/tanzania-betf
x All subsequent monetary amounts will be marked with the $ symbol and refer to US dollars, unless otherwise noted.

xi Jordanian student teachers' use of computers to develop primary stage pupils' literacy skills.‖ Ali Ahmad Al -Barakat and Ruba Fahmi Bataineh,
Yarmouk University, Irbid, Jordan. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT > Vol. 4, No. 4 (2008). Last accessed on
June 18, 2009 at http://ijedict.dec.uwi.edu/vie warticle.php?id=598&layout=html

51
Endnotes