Module 13. DevCom Myths
OBJECTIVE
After studying this chapter, you should be able to enumerate and discuss the prevailing myths on development communication and ICT.
ACTIVITY 13
Read the final chapter of your text.
Find the statement,” the development process is a communication process” in this chapter.
Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Prepare to defend your answer during the Authentic Assessment examination.
Note down your answers in your DEVC 202 Journal lest it may come in handy.
ANSWER:
I agree with the statement that the development process is, to a significant extent, a communication process. The statement emphasizes that in projects focusing on long-term behavior change, communication takes center stage as the primary intervention. This highlights the transformative impact of communication on people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors, which are integral aspects of any development process.
My example would be our organization’s “ENOUGH” campaign which was launched globally last September 2023 which aims to unite governments, peer organizations, and the public in the collective effort to end child hunger, addressing the concerning issue of malnourished children worldwide.
This serves as a tangible example of how communication is indeed a development process. It showcases how communication, through transformative initiatives and diverse engagement strategies, can drive collective action, generate knowledge, and foster consensus in the pursuit of addressing critical global challenges like child hunger.
Firstly, the campaign aligns with the point emphasizing the transformative power of communication in influencing behavior. By encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to unite against child hunger, the ‘ENOUGH’ campaign aims to alter societal attitudes and behaviors towards this pressing issue. Through the campaign’s four avenues for participation—sharing on social media, signing a petition, sponsoring a child, and offering prayers of support—communication becomes the catalyst for mobilizing collective action.
Secondly, the ‘ENOUGH’ campaign embodies the idea that communication goes beyond information transmission. It serves as a platform for generating new knowledge about child hunger and building consensus among individuals, governments, and organizations globally. By providing various ways for people to engage, the campaign fosters a shared understanding of the issue and encourages a unified approach to combating child malnutrition.
Thirdly, as devcom practitioners, we use communication as the vehicle driving development forward is evident in the ‘ENOUGH’ campaign. By leveraging social media, petitions, child sponsorship, and prayers, the campaign utilizes diverse communication channels to reach a wide audience. This approach recognizes the importance of versatile communication methods in addressing the complex challenge of child hunger on a global scale.
More so, devcom is also an “art and science of human communication” that acknowledges the comprehensive nature of communication, involving both a well-researched, scientific approach and a creative, artistic design.
Therefore, I support the idea that development and communication are connected, with communication serving as a catalyst for transformation in the development journey.
MODULE 13 NOTES:
Chapter 13: Myths
In late 1997, I co-authored an article published in the Tambuli Journal of the USAID Coastal Resource Management Project titled “Transformational Communication.” The article featured a boxed sub-article with the heading “Five Myths on IEC.” It began with a statement acknowledging that most planners consider communication an indispensable adjunct to any development project, program, or organization. However, development communication means different things to different people, and opinions on how it should be carried out vary widely. Despite being a pervasive phenomenon in our daily lives, communication is often misunderstood, leading to the propagation of myths.
Objective:
At the end of this chapter, you should be able to enumerate and discuss the prevailing myths on development communication and ICT.
Dev Com Myths
Myth 1: Dev Com is merely supportive to other project components or project interventions.
This myth originates from early forms of development communication, where practitioners were assigned the task of designing communication materials to support agricultural production. Communication experts have vehemently refuted this idea, asserting that communication is a legitimate intervention in itself. In projects aiming for long-term behavior change, communication becomes the primary intervention, challenging the perception of its merely supportive role.
Myth 2: Dev com means communication media or materials.
Communication is a process, not limited to media or materials. Focusing solely on concrete deliverables like posters or TV spots neglects the essence of having an IEC component—to tap into the spontaneous and dynamic societal process that brings about social change. Material outputs are only facilitators of this process.
Myth 3: The development project, program, or organization is the source of information.
Considering communication a dialogue between the project and beneficiaries challenges the common belief that the development entity is the sole source of information. Needs assessments, rapid rural appraisals, and Knowledge-Attitude-Practice studies reveal that beneficiaries often contribute significantly to the information pool.
Myth 4: Communication is not difficult. It’s a relatively minor job.
In resource-constrained development settings, communication may be perceived as a one-person job, requiring diverse skills. However, the complexity lies not in the creative production but in managing varied opinions—from superiors to end-users—making it a time-consuming and challenging aspect of communication work.
Myth 5: If the project fails, communication is to blame.
Attributing project failure to communication oversimplifies complex issues. While communication is crucial, it cannot single-handedly ensure success. Unrealistic expectations that communication can resolve all development project problems persist, indicating the need to manage such perceptions.
ICT Myths
ICT Myth 1: Technology as the Panacea Myth or “Install a computer in the boondocks and you have instant development.”
Believing technology alone can solve development challenges oversimplifies the complex factors contributing to poverty. The ICT revolution in the developed world occurred under different social, cultural, and economic conditions, making it essential to address broader issues before expecting similar outcomes in the South.
ICT Myth 2: The Direct User Myth or “Farmers, fishers, indigenous peoples, rural women, and out-of-school youth should be the users of ICT.”
Directly targeting the poor with ICT interventions may ignore appropriate technology considerations. While the myth emphasizes providing ICT to marginalized groups, the focus should be on building the capacities of support agencies for the poor, aligning with the multi-step flow of communication principle.
ICT Myth 3: The Myth of Programmer Supremacy or “ICT is just another name for IT.”
Narrowly associating ICT with computer science marginalizes other essential technologies and disciplines, including telecommunications, multimedia, communication, cybernetics, systems theory, and network science. Recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of ICT is crucial for its effective implementation.
ICT Myth 4: The Myth of Infrastructure Determinism or “Build the infra then everything else will fall in place.”
Investing in infrastructure without considering content risks creating underutilized networks. While infrastructure is vital, content development is equally important for the success of ICT initiatives. The Internet’s flourishing, for example, depended on more than just infrastructure—it required compelling content.
ICT Myth 5: The Myth of a Free Market Prevailing or “As long as there is content in whatever form, then it will be accessed and used.”
Assuming that content will automatically be accessed and used in a free market oversimplifies the complexities of information dissemination. Effective communication, referencing, packaging, presenting, maintaining, and managing content require careful consideration, challenging the notion that a free marketplace ensures accessibility.
