94-812 Technology for International Development

T4ID looks at meaningful ways that information and communication technologies, especially the Internet and mobile phones, are being used to support development in the world’s poorest communities. How can technology be used to address the challenges of healthcare, education, good governance, environmental sustainability, disaster management, and economic development? And how is technology misapplied? Technology for development has received increased interest in academia, industry (emerging markets), government (a shortcut to development), social enterprise (enabler of micro-credit, micro-finance, micro-insurance), and beyond. This has created a rich literature and interesting debates that draw on insights from a large number of fields. This course brings together technology and policy students to investigate jointly how technology can play a positive role in international development.