| Type of Document |
Dissertation |
| Author |
Prado, Paola
|
| Author's Email Address |
paola@pradomedia.com |
| URN |
etd-08062009-171527 |
| Title |
Bridging Digital Poverty: Adoption of Information and Communication Technologies at Community Technology Centers in the Dominican Republic |
| Degree |
PhD |
| Department |
Communication (Communication) |
| Advisory Committee |
| Advisor Name |
Title |
| Leonardo Cesar Ferreira |
Committee Chair |
| Jyotika Ramaprasad |
Committee Member |
| Sanjeev Chatterjee |
Committee Member |
| Terrence D. Hill |
Outside Committee Member |
|
| Keywords |
- telecenters
- digital divide
- information and communication technologies
- digital inclusion
- Community Technology Centers
- Dominican Republic
- ICT4D
|
| Date of Defense |
2009-07-15 |
| Availability |
unrestricted |
Abstract
Globalization and the rise of the Information Society pose many challenges to developing nations. In adherence to the Millennium Development Goal of digital inclusion, the government of the Dominican Republic established a national program of community technology centers, or telecenters, that aim to promote digital literacy among the poor. This study examined how these telecenters promote the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and tested whether perceived structural factors, individual motivation or demographics predict adoption. Results from a survey conducted in the rural villages of El Seybo, Navarrete, and Oviedo confirm that telecenter users learn how to use information and communication technologies as a resource for information about civic life, entertainment, and professional development. The study concludes that telecenters can succeed in decreasing digital poverty, provided issues of sustainability are addressed with consistent and continued government funding and support. The field of information and communication technologies for development (ICT4D) is in its infancy and has yet to develop strong methodological or theoretical standards. This study of ICT adoption and telecenter use in rural areas of the Caribbean contributes empirical evidence to the literature of this emerging discipline.
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| Files |
| Filename |
Size |
Approximate Download Time
(Hours:Minutes:Seconds)
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| 28.8 Modem |
56K Modem |
ISDN (64 Kb) |
ISDN (128 Kb) |
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ppradoS209.pdf |
1.25 Mb |
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