Assessment and evaluation of current and city/community practices

Assessment and evaluation

• Under Communication for Development in UNICEF, it clarified that it is importance to both give access to ICT and consider how to control it. If we use it appropriately with proper planning, monitoring and evaluation, there are some benefits. For example, enhance engagement, increase impact, improve information management, lower costs and expand reach (UNICEF, 2013).

•  UNICEF also set up services for using mobile technologies to protect children (Mattila, 2011).

•  The child friendly cities project includes ICT for Social Welfare for children. It reports a strong focus on the importance of professionals and policy-makers engaging with children in social welfare through ICT. ICT can be powerful and a ‘virtual’ child-friendly mechanism to complement ‘actual’ spatial planning and to promote child-friendly cities and communities (Lever, McGimpsey & Geoghegan, 2004).

• The New Zealand council for Education Research suggests that there should be a coordination between city services and early childhood services to support children using ICT (Bolstad, 2004).

• One action under Auckland city council ---in Auckland libraries, there are some kids’ space. In this area, they provide ICT for young children to assess. They also set up laptop and ipad classes for beginners to participate. They have staff members who help children to use ICT devices(Auckland Council, 2013).

references:

 Auckland Council. (2013). Kids’ space. Retrieved from http://www.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz/EN/kids/Pages/default.aspx

Bolstad, R. (2004). The role and potential of ICT in early childhood education:A review of New Zealand and international literature. Retrieved from http://www.nzcer.org.nz/system/files/ictinecefinal.pdf

Lever, J. McGimpsey, I & Geoghegan,L. (2004). ICT for Social Welfare: A toolkit for managers. Retrieved from http://childfriendlycities.org/to-learn-more/cfc-tools-and-materials/ict-for-social-welfare-a-toolkit-for-managers/

Mattila, M. (2011). Mobile technologies for child protection. Retrieved from http://www.unicef.org/cbsc/files/mobile_technologies_for_child_protection.pdf

UNICEF ( 2013). C4D and ICTs. Retrieved from October 7, 2013,                    http://www.unicef.org/cbsc/index_66449.html