Conducting Field Research in Under-resourced Environments: Lessons from Experiences in GhanaG. Ayorkor Mills-Tettey

iSTEP Mini-course Lecture

30th March 2009

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About Me

Ph.D. student in Robotics Resource constrained path planning Constrained task allocation for teams

Grew up in Nigeria & Ghana ICTD research interest: education Field work with TechBridgeWorld:

Project Kané Ashesi Robotics Course

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Project Kané: Goal

To investigate the role of technology in improving child literacy in Africa

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Project Kané: Ghana Study

Tested feasibility and effectiveness of an automated reading tutor

Pilot study (3 weeks): Qualitative observations of feasibility 18 children from under-resourced schools

Controlled study (4 months): Quantitative measurements of effectiveness 89 children from 3 socio-economic backgrounds

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Project Kané: Ghana Study Timeline

Formulated study design

Traveled to Ghana to implement pilot study

Investigated options for funding and implementation of controlled study

Collaborated remotely with partners in Ghana to implement controlled study

Fall 2004 – Spring 2005

Summer 2005

Fall 2005 – Fall 2006

Spring – Summer 2007

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Lessons about FieldworkUsing examples from Project Kané Ghana Study Preparation Understanding local constraints Communication Timing Trouble-shooting Sustainability

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Preparation

Test as much of your project as possible in advance of the actual implementation E.g., for Project Kane, we tested the tests

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Understanding Local Constraints Understand local constraints such as

Transportation costs Availability of human and other resources Required permissions “Politics”

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Communication

Listen carefully to partners / collaborators / project participants Remember it’s a partnership Try to understand where they are coming from

Do not judge too quickly! Are they telling you what they really think, or what

they think you want to hear? Particularly tricky when interviewing children For collaborators, make an effort to ask questions in a

non-judgmental way

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Timing

Try your best to stick to your schedule because time flies!

When working with partners, things might take longer than you think, and priorities might be different Regular follow-up is important Plan for contingencies

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Trouble-shooting

As data comes in, perform some basic analysis to catch problems early E.g. Project Kane data challenges

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A B A B A B

School 1 School 1 School 2 School 2 School 3 School 3

Tes

t sc

ore

Fluency

Test of Written Spelling

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Sustainability

Open question: how to ensure sustainability? Define desired outcomes for each partner Define your goals

Is it to do a one-time evaluation/development of something? Doing it yourself might work

Is it to train someone to carry on the project long-term? Constantly assist/accompany that person to build capacity

gradually. Patience and encouragement are key!

Questions?