Building digital capacities in remote communities within developing countries: practical applications, ethical issues, and educational implications

Abstract

This article examines three case studies that illustrate different approaches to the adoption of information communication technology (ICT) resources and training by communities in remote areas. These cases vary from communities in Laos that have no access to mains electricity to communities with relatively sophisticated communications infrastructure in the Torres Strait Islands, near Australia. This article will outline the technical and human features of the projects along with a discussion of broader and diverse issues associated with bringing new technologies to people living in isolated and poverty affected areas such as Laos. These include ethical issues around perceived cultural imperialism, prioritised allocation of resources, unequal access and effects of globalisation. Issues of a more practical nature also arise with respect to sustainability, advantages and disadvantages, and future directions. Tensions arise between providing access and economic advantages on one hand and preserving and maintaining traditional cultures on the other.