Computers in Homes

It is important that Computers in Homes (CiH) is evaluated so that we can identify how to deliver our programme better. We contact families and schools a year after training to see how everyone is going. Formal surveys and case studies are undertaken to gather data on outcomes, and the research results published under Outcomes, where you will find our yearly and half-yearly reports.

Papers have been written for local and international conferences to inform interested parties about CiH and how it works in reality. Other analysis has been done on research methods and how to best measure the social outcomes of community ICT programmes.

2016 ICT and social inclusion

• Information and Communication Technology and the Social Inclusion of Refugees, Antonio Díaz Andrade and Bill Doolin, Auckland University of Technology (2016). 20/20 review, abstract and link.  The authors interviewed over 50 participants in the Computers in Homes refugee programme, and identified 5 ways that ICT enabled capabilities contribute to social inclusion. They conclude that all social inclusion policies and programmes need to include ICT to build these capabilities.

2015 World Internet Project New Zealand survey (AUT University)

The fifth World Internet Project NZ survey was conducted and completed in 2015 by the Institute of Culture, Discourse & Communication, AUT University.

• Internet Trends in New Zealand 2007 – 2015  This report tracks how New Zealanders Internet usage has changed over nine years, published online by AUT
• 2015 WIPNZ survey report on Internet usage and attitudes of New Zealanders is published online by AUT

2013 & 2014 Refugee computer mediated information

Academic research supports the effectiveness of the MOE CiH for Refugees approach: “ICT becomes a means that allow individuals to live the lives that they value”.

• The Rear-view Mirror and the Periscope: the Meaning of Computer Mediated Information for Refugees, Antonio Díaz Andrade, Auckland University of Technology, 2013, (299 KB pdf)
• Computer-mediated information and communication practices of resettled refugees in New Zealand, Antonio Díaz Andrade and Bill Doolin, Auckland University of Technology, 2014, (455 KB pdf)

2013 Census results for households with school-aged children

The 20/20 Trust commissioned Statistics New Zealand to undertake further analysis of the 2013 Census data to get an accurate count of the number and regional distribution of households with school-aged children who do not have access to the internet.  This shows a total of 62,199 New Zealand households with school-aged children who do not have access to the internet. Of these 20,430 (33%) are in Auckland.

You can download the spreadsheet files for your own analysis – most have multiple data sheets:

• Households with school-aged children without internet access (.xls)
• Digital Disconnect for Auckland Local Boards for households with school-aged children (.xls)
• Ethnicity of households with school-aged children (.xls)

2011 Research informing practice: toward effective engagement in community ICT in New Zealand

This paper by Barbara Craig (Victoria University & 20/20 Trustee) and Jocelyn Williams (Unitec) traces the inter-relationship over a decade between research findings and the evolution of CiH practice.

• Research informing practice: toward effective engagement in community ICT in New Zealand is published online in the Journal of Community Informatics.

2009 First Nations ICT Summit Conference

• Presentation by Barbara Craig – February 2009 (1160 KB pdf)

2007 Rejuvenation Survey

• CiH Rejuvenation Survey Report August 2007 (200 KB pdf)
• WestREAP WestREAP Analysis – February 2007 (42 KB pdf)
  How has Computers in Homes made a difference in the lives of participants in a typical CIH project? This WestREAP Analysis is related to the Hokitika Primary School project undertaken in 2005.

2007 Evaluation of the Flaxmere Project

• When Families learn the language of school – August 2007
  The Flaxmere Project comprised a series of innovations relating to improving home–school relations within and between the five Flaxmere schools. Although each school implemented the project differently, they shared the goal of engaging with their communities and parents to improve short- and long-term education outcomes for the children – refer specifically to page 18 of the report for mention of Computers in Homes.

2006 CIH Literature Review

• Contextualising the Computers in Homes Project – October 2006 (114 KB pdf)
  This paper seeks to contextualise the Computers in Homes project by identifying key research findings relating to community-based ICT initiatives that attempt to bridge the so-called ‘digital divide’.

Other Research

• Di Daniels (formerly Das) Research paper in Education – October 2005 (180 KB pdf) 
  How do we measure if closing the Digital Divide addresses barriers to social inclusion? What are the implications for the Computers In Homes Programme in New Zealand?
• Computers In Homes: The Tuhoe Education Authorities Schools Project – Report on the first 6 – 12 Months of connectivity, Clusters 1 & 2.
  (Barbara Craig, School of Education, Victoria University)
• Report on Cannons Creek CIH Project – April 2004 (41 KB pdf)
• Computers In Homes in New Zealand: Addressing gender and Cultural issues through ICT – 2003 (53 KB pdf)
• Report on Newtown CIH Project – February 2002 (396 KB pdf)
• Computers In Homes Report #1 – November 2000 (361 KB pdf)
• The Digital Divide Concept: Background and Explanation