A research team consisting of Dr M (based in North America) and 2 PhD students has been working for 2 years investigating mobile technologies to support work with a school district in the North of a West African republic. Extensive participatory design activities have been conducted, and a prototype software system is being developed. Trials for the new system are being planned, and will require some investment of time and money by the school district. Discussions with the director of the school district have been positive, and the project expects the district to agree to provide the necessary resources. However, three months before the trials are to begin, the director, who is the key champion for the project, leaves to take up a new post in the education headquarters of a district capital in the South West. During the interim period, the deputy director appears to be reluctant to progress the project, and the person appointed to the post does not seem particularly interested in supporting ICT initiatives.
- What should Dr M do?
- How might this affect the students’ PhD studies?
- What might the team have done differently to avoid this situation?
- What are the ethics, roles & relationships relevant to this situation?
- What other questions do we need to ask about this scenario?
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ReplyDelete"What should Dr M do?"
ReplyDeleteI think he could try to contact the previous director of the school and ask him/her to talk to the new director into supporting the project. I would imagine that gaining the trust of the new director and making him/her get interested in continuing the plan can only be achieved with local help.
"How might this affect the students’ PhD studies?"
Dealing with an unwilling director might cause unexpected delays in the whole project, so it could be necessary to replan the PhD studies around that.
"What might the team have done differently to avoid this situation?"
Trying to involve a bigger team at the school, and not only one single key person, could have avoided the problem.
"What other questions do we need to ask about this scenario?"
Why is the new director reluctant to progress the project? What made the previous director leave? Is there something behind this lack of interest that goes over mere changes in the priorities of the school?