The Global Impact Study

Chris Coward

Chris Coward is the founder, Principal Research Scientist, and Director of the Technology & Social Change Group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington Information School. Chris divides his time between thinking about bigger-picture information and communication technology and development (ICTD) issues, conducting research, and overseeing TASCHA projects, which include activities in over 40 countries. Chris's own work focuses on examining the social and economic impacts of ICTs — with a special focus on community centers and libraries. Chris holds a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Arts in International Studies, both from the University of Washington.

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Global Impact Study presented for the first time at the 2008 World Library & Information Congress

August 21, 2008

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The Global Impact Study was presented — for the first time! — at the IFLA 2008 World Library & Information Congress, held from August 10–14 in Quebec City, Canada. This year's topic: Libraries without borders: Navigating towards global understanding.

Exploring information ecologies in public access settings

July 23, 2008

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The information ecology methodology allows a group to illustrate the networks of trust that exist in a geographic community. The tool works like a photograph of people's personal networking experience. After developing several linkage maps, researchers can detect patterns in terms of trusted sources of information, or the information ecology around a focal point (a public access site in the context of the Global Impact Study project).

The ethnographic case study approach

July 23, 2008

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Ethnography literally means to "write (or represent) a culture." Ethnographers look for patterns, describe local relationships (formal and informal), understandings and meanings (tacit and explicit), and try to make sense of a place and a case in relation to the entire social setting and all social relationships. They also contextualize these in wider contexts (e.g., the wider economy, government policies, etc.).

Phase one fieldwork: Generating research designs

July 1, 2008

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The Country Research Teams have focused their summer 2008 research activities that will inform the development of research designs for the next phase of the Global Impact Study project. The primary methodology employed for this purpose is information ecology mapping (also known as linkage or social mapping).

First International Advisory Committee Meeting, June 2008

June 10, 2008

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The first International Advisory Committee Meeting for the Global Impact Stud project was held on June 2nd and 3rd, 2008, in New Delhi. Here's an overview of what we discussed and the recommendations that emerged.

Chris Coward

Global Impact Study presented for the first time at the 2008 World Library & Information Congress

Exploring information ecologies in public access settings

The ethnographic case study approach

Phase one fieldwork: Generating research designs

First International Advisory Committee Meeting, June 2008

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