Course Description

The "Technology Evaluation for Global Development" course, offered by MITx, is an intermediate-level program designed to equip students with the essential skills and knowledge required for evaluating technologies in the context of global development. This comprehensive course, developed by MIT's Comprehensive Initiative on Technology Evaluation (CITE), delves deep into the fundamentals of technology assessment and introduces students to CITE's innovative 3S methodology.

What Students Will Learn

• The history and evolution of appropriate technology in global development
• Various evaluation styles and their applications in modern contexts
• Conducting desk- and field-based scoping studies
• CITE's 3S methodology: Suitability, Scalability, and Sustainability
• Research design and methodologies for product evaluation
• Techniques for summarizing and presenting evaluation results
• Generalizing results and exploring alternative evaluation approaches

Prerequisites

There are no specific prerequisites for this course. However, a basic understanding of global development issues and an interest in technology evaluation would be beneficial.

Course Coverage

• Week 1: History of appropriate technology and its role in global development
• Week 2: Evolution of evaluation methods and conducting scoping studies
• Week 3: Methodology and research design for product suitability
• Week 4: Methodology and research design for product scalability
• Week 5: Methodology and research design for product sustainability
• Week 6: Completing evaluations, presenting results, and exploring alternative approaches

Who This Course Is For

This course is ideal for academics, global development practitioners, researchers, and professionals interested in conducting technology evaluations to promote data-driven decisions in research or development practice. It is particularly suited for those working with development agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and individuals passionate about improving the effectiveness of technology in global development initiatives.

Real-World Applications

The skills acquired in this course have numerous practical applications in the real world. Graduates will be able to:

• Conduct comprehensive technology evaluations for development projects
• Make informed decisions on product selection for global development initiatives
• Improve the effectiveness of technology implementations in resource-constrained environments
• Enhance supply chain efficiency for development products
• Contribute to sustainable technology solutions for communities in need
• Present evaluation results to diverse stakeholders, including funders and policymakers
• Apply data-driven decision-making processes in development work
• Collaborate with NGOs and development agencies to improve technology assessment practices

Syllabus

1. Week 1: History of appropriate technology and its role in global development
   • The rise of technology use in global development
   • Evolution of appropriate technology concepts
2. Week 2: Evaluation methods and scoping studies
   • History of evaluation
   • Modern evaluation styles
   • Conducting desk- and field-based scoping studies
   • Interpreting scoping study results
3. Week 3: Product Suitability
   • Methodology for assessing product suitability
   • Research design for suitability evaluations
   • Practical applications and case studies
4. Week 4: Product Scalability
   • Methodology for evaluating product scalability
   • Research design for scalability assessments
   • Supply chain analysis and optimization
5. Week 5: Product Sustainability
   • Methodology for determining product sustainability
   • Research design for sustainability evaluations
   • Long-term impact assessment techniques
6. Week 6: Evaluation Completion and Result Presentation
   • Summarizing evaluation results
   • Presenting findings to various audiences
   • Generalizing results for broader application
   • Exploring alternative evaluation approaches

By enrolling in this MITx course, students will gain invaluable insights into technology evaluation for global development, enhancing their ability to make data-driven decisions and contribute meaningfully to the field of international development.