Internet Counts Measuring the Impacts of the Internet (1998) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
3. IMPACT INDICATORS
3. IMPACT INDICATORS
Pages 12-19
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 12... ...
For the subject at hand, the committee found that the most useful method of looking at impacts of the Internet is to begin with the most direct and move to the more indirect. Finally, the chapter notes the importance of using qualitative measurements in addition to quantitative indicators to develop enough understanding of the processes under way to guide the development of appropriate indicators.
|
From page 13... ...
These can be either positive or negative and depend on the perspective of the analysis. For example, decreased international communications costs, and hence decreased costs of sending data to another country, may be the positive impact an NGO desires upon acquiring Internet access; but when that NGO outsources analytical work that was previously done inhouse and incountry to analysts in another country, it is an unintended and negative impact from the perspective of a development agency striving to increase local employment and Internet experience.
|
From page 14... ...
personal impacts, in terms of greater access to information and people, the cost of acquiring information, time budgets, and so forth. But the cumulative impact on an organization is probably greater than the sum of the impacts on individual users.
|
From page 15... ...
The following discussion includes quantitative indicators, such as the number of Internet services provided, and qualitative indicators, such as the quality of the services, as well as quantitative indicators on the amount of content available on the Internet and qualitative indicators of the quality of that content. While quantitative indicators are not necessarily more objective, their numerical value tends to lead to more agreement on interpretation of results data, and they are often preferred by program managers.
|
From page 16... ...
The indicators are intended as guidance for people who will choose areas and indicators to meet their own needs: a development agency evaluating its Internet project in an urban setting will use different indicators than will a local education minister evaluating the costs and benefits of investing in computers for Internet access in a rural school. Appropriate subsets of the indicators could also be used for large cross-national studies that allow comparison oftwo or more countries, provided adequate explanation is given as to differences between the countries in all factors related to the Internet.
|
From page 17... ...
9Inasmuch as the value of indicators stems from the analytical purposes for which they are used, their appropriate use and analysis are as important as the indicators themselves in telling the story of the impacts ofthe Internet. However, a detailed discussion of which indicators are appropriate when, how to gather information regularly and monitor changes, and how to analyze the information generated by the indicators is beyond the scope of this report.
|
From page 18... ...
It is important that, in planning for the development of impact indicators and in analyzing the impacts of the Internet, the impacts of nonuse at all levels be considered as well. Qualitative Studies Although the framework ofthis report and most of the indicators proposed below suggest emphasis on quantitative approaches to analysis of numerical data, the committee strongly endorses the need for use of ethnographic techniques and the analysis of qualitative information to understand more fully the impacts of greatest interest.
|
From page 19... ...
region, or institution. The limitations do not, however, invalidate the value of a framework for analysis.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.