Curriculum Development of an ICT4D Module in the South African Context

[The final form of this paper was published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology.] The significance of ICTs in supporting socio-economic development in developing countries is inevitable. As academics of information systems in developing countries, we cannot ignore the need for teaching and building the capacity of our students to become knowledgeable and skilled in Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) practice and discourse. Furthermore, it is vital to equip our students with the ability to apply their discipline knowledge in addressing some of the ICT discrepancies in current ICT4D practice in their own context. I introduced and teach the ICT4D module to the Honours level course at my university in South Africa. This paper explores the influencing aspects that shaped the development of the ICT4D module curriculum in the South African context I teach in. This provides a practice lens to motivate for and support the introduction of an ICT4D module in tertiary curricula in developing countries.