TechChange partnered with DAI and USAID to create a comprehensive, flexible blended learning package on the Gender Digital Divide including a series of video-based microlearning tools and online training materials.
The United States Agency for International Development is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. Their Digital Strategy is the Agency-wide vision for development and humanitarian assistance in the world’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI) helps USAID to implement its Digital Strategy via the Digital Frontiers funding mechanism. TechChange partnered with USAID and DAI to write, produce, and create the Gender Digital Divide blended learning package.
Ending the gender digital divide– where women and girls lack internet or mobile phone access– is critical to economic and social development. USAID is committed to ensuring that their digital development programs address these digital inequalities and further, mitigate potential risks or harms for women and girls entering online space. As a part of this commitment, the Agency, and implementing partner DAI, sought to upskill USAID staff and partners on this critical topic using a blended training approach, which includes six short videos together with a complete set of materials for delivering a facilitated online training. TechChange set out to develop this comprehensive and flexible training package so USAID can implement it at scale.
TechChange’s Role: Training and Video Production
Digital technologies can unlock important opportunities for education, civic participation, employment, entrepreneurship, health services, and more, but in many places women and girls are limited in their ability to access and meaningfully use technology. It’s critical that development practitioners understand the divide and how their work can mitigate this gender-based divide. Micro-learning tools and blended learning opportunities optimize learner time and attention, providing crucial information in digestible bites. TechChange specializes in training production on complex and high-stakes topics, right-sized and customized for diverse audiences.
To begin, TechChange held an Ideation Session with USAID Digital Strategy leads, Digital Frontiers, and other stakeholders to understand the objectives and vision for the training package, including scope, content, audience, length, and approach. Our team developed comprehensive outlines, creative scripts, and multiple drafts of all deliverables that were provided to stakeholders for review and refinement throughout the process. Our top-notch video production team filmed multiple interviews in our full-service Washington D.C. studio as well as on-site at USAID. This interview footage was interwoven with b-roll footage, custom graphics, and dozens of TechChange’s signature animations to create the training package.
TechChange produced a full blended learning training package with six, high-quality video-based training modules, including:
Module 1: Introduction to the Gender Digital Divide defines the Gender Digital Divide and the benefits of closing it.
Module 2: Best Practices to Reduce the Gender Digital Divide presents five best practices identified by USAID to reduce the Gender Digital Divide.
Module 3: How to Apply GDD Best Practices in USAID Programming shares proven strategies from the Microsoft Airband Digital Inclusion Initiative and the Equal Access International’s Tech4Families project where proven strategies were successfully implemented.
Module 4: Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence and Other Potential Gendered Harms. This video covers the important questions to consider when integrating Digital Literacy work into USAID programming and resources for activity design and implementation.
Module 5: Risk Mitigation Approaches to Online Gendered Harms shares risk mitigation approaches to online gendered harms and how to apply them to USAID programming.
Module 6: Digital Development Considerations for Gender Analysis in USAID Activities shows how to integrate key digital development considerations when conducting gender analysis for USAID activities and monitoring and evaluation efforts.
TechChange produced all materials for a live facilitated online training on the Gender Digital Divide, including a Facilitator Guide, Presentation slide deck, Participant Handbook, Evaluation Survey, and more. TechChange piloted the full package with USAID and Mission staff, and then refined all components based on user feedback.
While still early in its implementation, the Gender Digital Divide blended learning program has enshrined Agency best practices and strategies for this critical area of USAID’s Digital Strategy. Furthermore, this flexible training package sets USAID up for success in thue rapid onboarding and upskilling of both Mission and HQ staff on this topic, so that these development practitioners are equipped to help close the divide and empower women and girls globally.
