Towards a Scalable Digital Skills Training Architecture for Resource-Constrained Environments: The Case of Ayitic Goes Global in Haiti

Abstract

In developing countries such as Haiti, which are marked by high unemployment and gender inequality, online education has the potential to change lives. Returns on education are particularly high in Information Communications Technology (ICT)-intensive jobs and IT outsourcing offers opportunities for remote employment, providing alternatives for economic diversification and job creation that are particularly relevant for youth and women. However, the problem faced by many developing countries, is that traditional models, frameworks, architectures, and platforms for online learning do not lend themselves well to their context and, therefore, it is important to develop context-specific platforms. This need for suitable platforms has motivated the research question that this paper seeks to address, that is: What is the appropriate architecture that supports learning strategies for delivering scalable digital skills training in a resource-constrained environment? We propose an architecture that was developed specifically for blended learning in resource-constrained environments and describe how a prototype for this was designed, built, and deployed in Haiti. The initial responses to the application of the architecture, including the testimonials of the participants and the interest expressed by other countries of the region in adopting the proposed architecture, have been extremely positive.