Module 15 Research Content for Social Advocacy in Developing an ICT Project PDF

**Module 15: Research Content for Social Advocacy in Developing an ICT Project** **Social Advocacy** ***Advocacy*** as defined by *Merriam-Webster* is the act of supporting a cause or proposal: the act or process of advocating. Today, the adaptation and improvement of the technologies can now serv...

**Module 15: Research Content for Social Advocacy in Developing an ICT Project** **Social Advocacy** ***Advocacy*** as defined by *Merriam-Webster* is the act of supporting a cause or proposal: the act or process of advocating. Today, the adaptation and improvement of the technologies can now serve as a platform for solving local and global issues through an advocacy. These includes solving of gender equality, economical, agricultural and industrial problems, government accountability and transparency, educational dilemmas, crimes, religious conflicts, climate change and more. In terms of ICT usage, one of the most used by the people today is the Social Networking sites or simply Social Media. It is the collective online communication channels dedicated to community input, interaction, content-sharing and collaboration. Since it caters a wide range of possible user interaction, the social media is broadly used to connect and communicate with the global community. For that reason, the social media can also be used to address an advocacy online. ICT Projects range from community improvement to larger economic development. Around the world, there are a wide variety of projects that incorporates the used of ICT for improvement. Projects for the communities are products of research before implemented. These undergo with the process of inquiry, investigation and deep analyzation for the needs of assessment. The following are the steps on how to make your own ICT Project through Social Advocacy: **Research for Content** Research is essential whether you love it or hate for there is a real urge for it. Every day, we undergone with different problems and dilemmas in life and finding their solution. Sometime it is hard and takes time when research is needed. According to *Western Sydney University, "**Research*** is defined as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it leads to new and creative outcomes." On the other hand, Research skills are our ability to find an answer to a question or a solution to a problem. Research skills also include the ability to gather information about the topic. We have to review that information, analyze and interpret the information in a manner that brings us to a solution. Research makes you wiser on the decisions you make in life and gain more experiences, and set of knowledge as you go through different findings and conclusions during the process of research. To be exact, the more research you conducted the more things you can do in life. That is why research is a must in delivering innovation, integration, promotion and to build change to a society or community. With this, learning the basic of research skills are essential for the 21^st^ century in making life more convenient and smarter. Theses consists of identifying the current trends, demands, working formats, as well as the popular authors and topics. All the relevant information may help you in your research study. As part of the research for content in Social Advocacy, it requires several aspects to be taken into account. One of this is the proper background research of your proposed ICT project by translating your own made concept paper into an infographic. In creating your ICT project, it is also important to take consideration about your targeted audience that is why audience profiling must be done. **Audience Profiling** Audience profiling is the process of defining exactly who your target audience is by unifying and analyzing their behaviors across multiple platforms and touchpoints. *(Steve Klin, 2018*). In this project, you need to consider the demographics and psychographics of your intended audience. 1\. **Demographics** - is one of the methods in audience profiling that defines not only the population of your audience but also the work that they do. It also tells where they live, their gender, age, income level, religion, ethnicity, education level, and knowledge level. 2\. **Psychographics** is the classification of people according to their personal characteristics, lifestyle, attitudes, social class, aspirations, values, tastes, activities and interests and other psychological criteria. You can only effectively reach your target audience when you really comprehend both of their demographics and psychographics. The amalgamation of information you get from their will be your steppingstone for making them involve and to get their interest about your proposed ICT project. **Infographics** According to the *Oxford English Dictionary*, an ***infographic*** (or information graphic) is "a visual representation of information or data". But the sense of an infographic is something to be more specific and gradually represented. An infographic is composed of set of collection of various imagery, charts, and text that gives an easy-to-read and easy-to-understand synopsis of a certain topic or issue. Infographics has a wheel to present a multifaceted data into a short and concise idea, making information easy to digest, educational, informative and engaging. Infographics has also been broadened along different industries and institutes around the world. It becomes a strong means of communication tool for businesses, governments, health and wellness, educational institutions and many more. **Steps in Making your Infographics** 1\. **Outline The Goals Of Your Infographic** *(Why are you making this Infographic?) --* This is the hardest part which talks about on what should your infographic be about? What is the core message you want to deliver and how you will deliver it? You should remember to recognize that you're creating an essential infographic, so that your audience can gain something very specific from reading it. From there, use a *question pyramid* to take that burning problem and turn it into 3-5 actionable questions to tackle in your infographic. 2\. **Collect Data For Your Infographic** *(What should you present?) --* After knowing what your Infographic is all about, now you have to gather data of your chosen topic. These are the two different styles and approaches you can use on gathering and collecting your data: a. ***Self-made data***-- this approach requires more time for you need to ask around, send some emails, do research online, create your own made survey and process your own conclusion. b. ***Data sources* --** this is the easiest way to gather information to get ready-made information that you can find on the books, magazines, newspaper and internet. There are plenty of public and private data sources that you can use in your infographics. 3\. **Visualize The Data In Your Infographic** *(Decide how to present data visually.) **-*** Visualizing your data is about choosing the type of infographic you want to use. There are different types of infographics as shown below: a\. *Statistical Infographics* -- shows a summary or overview of data with one or more graphs, tables or lists. b\. *Timeline Infographics (time-oriented)* -- shows progress of information over a chronological time period. c\. *Process Infographics --* demonstrates a linear or branching process as how to teach the workings of an object or flow chart showing choices in a decision process. d\. *Informational Infographics --* are most likely a poster that summarizes topic with some extra bits of information. e\. *Geographic Infographics --* displays data with a location map. f\. *Compare/Contrast Infographics --* illustrates notable similarities or differences as a "this versus that" infographic or as a table or simple list. g\. *Hierarchical Infographics --* demonstrates a chart with levels. h\. *Research-based Infographics --* is similar to the statistical infographic, but based on research. It can be used to compare unlike items with popular sets of data i\. *Interactive Infographics --* gives viewers the control to modify the infographic and is web-based. **4. Layout The Elements Of Your Infographic Design** *(All that's left is layout and design) -* This step is all about placing them all together into an attractive looking infographic design.You can create a natural form of information flow using the question pyramid you developed in the first step. This is to guide your layout and information flow. Then use the suggested grid layout to add structure and to balance your infographic. **Add Style To Your Infographic Design** *(Value added content.)* -- This is about putting your own style and personal touch, just be creative in combining text, shapes and images in your most creative way. Your added value of style can also showcase your uniqueness making your created infographics attractive to the viewer's attention**.** And lastly, make it simple. Adding too many pictures and clustered text and colors can make your infographics hard to digest and distractive to the eyes of the possible viewers. So, simplicity of the infographics makes the viewers or audiences easily grasp the ideas and important messages of your own made infographics Here are some suggested third party online site (*but not limited to*) that you can work on in creating your infographics: 1\. **Canva** *(https://www.canva.com/create/infographics/) --* a simple design platform that allows user to produce amazing and professional looking graphic designs. Canva offers various features to the users including a simple drag and- drop functions and bunch of collection of images, graphics, and fonts that you can choose from the different templates on site. 2\. **Easelly** *(https://www.easel.ly/)* - an online web-based infographic maker platform used by student, educators and businesses. Easel.ly is a web tool that assists users on creation and designs of infographics online giving users an ease to create their graphics in simple and intuitive experience. 3\. **PicktoChart** *(https://piktochart.com/formats/infographics/)* - a cloud-based application that allows users to easily create infographics. Users can create different interactive infographics, maps, charts, videos and hyperlinks. Piktochart delivers various icons, images, fonts, and other design tools. 4\. **Venngage** *(https://venngage.com/)* - a consistent online infographic design application that empowers users to easily create infographics, graphs, and charts. Venngage also offers vast array of graphic options such as clipart, icon, and customizable templates and themes. **\ ** **Certainly! Here is the set of multiple-choice questions with the answers included for each question:** **Multiple-Choice Test** **1. What is the primary goal of social advocacy?** **a. to entertain people\ b. to support a cause or proposal\ c. to create new technologies\ d. to sell products** **Answer: b. to support a cause or proposal** **2. Which of the following is a key aspect of ICT projects?** **a. community improvement\ b. personal entertainment\ c. fashion design\ d. cooking recipes** **Answer: a. community improvement** **3. What is essential for delivering innovation in ICT projects?** **a. extensive marketing\ b. detailed research\ c. random guessing\ d. copying others\' work** **Answer: b. detailed research** **4. What method is used to understand the demographics of the target audience?** **a. audience profiling\ b. data mining\ c. trend analysis\ d. content creation** **Answer: a. audience profiling** **5. Which characteristic is NOT part of demographics?** **a. age\ b. income level\ c. personal values\ d. education level** **Answer: c. personal values** **6. What does psychographics focus on?** **a. physical characteristics\ b. geographic location\ c. personal characteristics and lifestyle\ d. employment status** **Answer: c. personal characteristics and lifestyle** **7. What type of infographic is used to compare and contrast information?** **a. process infographic\ b. geographic infographic\ c. compare/contrast infographic\ d. statistical infographic** **Answer: c. compare/contrast infographic** **8. Which online tool can help in creating infographics with a simple drag-and-drop feature?** **a. venngage\ b. canva\ c. easelly\ d. piktochart** **Answer: b. canva** **9. What is the first step in making an infographic?** **a. adding style and colors\ b. outlining the goals\ c. publishing online\ d. printing the infographic** **Answer: b. outlining the goals** **10. Which of the following best describes a statistical infographic?** **css** **Copy code** **a. shows a timeline of events** **b. summarizes data with graphs and tables** **c. illustrates a geographic map** **d. demonstrates a process flow** **\*\*Answer: b. summarizes data with graphs and tables\*\*** **Moderate Multiple-Choice Test Questions** **1. Which of the following is NOT a step in making your own ICT project through social advocacy?** **a. Audience profiling\ b. Creating infographics\ c. Conducting background research\ d. Writing a novel** **Answer: d. Writing a novel** **2. What is the purpose of creating an infographic in the context of social advocacy?** **a. To entertain the audience\ b. To visually represent information or data\ c. To replace text-based reports\ d. To create confusion among viewers** **Answer: b. To visually represent information or data** **3. Which type of infographic is best suited for showing the progression of events over time?** **a. Statistical infographic\ b. Geographic infographic\ c. Timeline infographic\ d. Process infographic** **Answer: c. Timeline infographic** **4. When conducting audience profiling, what should you focus on?** **a. Creating elaborate graphics\ b. Understanding the demographics and psychographics of the audience\ c. Developing a marketing strategy\ d. Writing detailed research papers** **Answer: b. Understanding the demographics and psychographics of the audience** **5. Which of the following is a key benefit of using social media for social advocacy?** **a. Limited audience reach\ b. High cost of engagement\ c. Ability to connect and communicate with a global community\ d. Difficulty in measuring impact** **Answer: c. Ability to connect and communicate with a global community** **Situational Multiple-Choice Test Questions** **1. You are developing an ICT project to promote environmental awareness in your community. What is the first step you should take?** **a. Create an infographic\ b. Conduct audience profiling\ c. Publish your project on social media\ d. Design a website** **Answer: b. Conduct audience profiling** **2. You have collected a significant amount of data for your infographic. What should you do next?** **a. Publish the raw data online\ b. Visualize the data in your infographic\ c. Discard any irrelevant data\ d. Write a lengthy report** **Answer: b. Visualize the data in your infographic** **3. Your target audience for an ICT project includes teenagers and young adults. Which platform would be most effective for reaching them?** **a. LinkedIn\ b. Facebook\ c. Instagram\ d. Print media** **Answer: c. Instagram** **4. You need to compare the effectiveness of two different social advocacy campaigns. Which type of infographic would you use?** **a. Timeline infographic\ b. Geographic infographic\ c. Compare/contrast infographic\ d. Statistical infographic** **Answer: c. Compare/contrast infographic** **5. While creating an ICT project, you realize that your audience has diverse interests and backgrounds. How can you ensure your content is engaging for everyone?** **a. Focus on a single aspect of the project\ b. Use a variety of media (text, images, videos)\ c. Simplify the content to the lowest common denominator\ d. Ignore the differences and focus on the main message** **Answer: b. Use a variety of media (text, images, videos)** **High-Level Thinking Skills Multiple-Choice Test Questions** **1. When designing an ICT project aimed at improving educational outcomes in underprivileged areas, which of the following considerations is most critical for ensuring the project\'s long-term success?** **a. The initial cost of technology\ b. The engagement of local stakeholders in the project\'s development and implementation\ c. The aesthetic appeal of the project\'s website\ d. The use of cutting-edge technology** **Answer: b. The engagement of local stakeholders in the project\'s development and implementation** **2. An ICT project focused on increasing government transparency has collected a vast amount of data from various public records. Which approach would best help in analyzing and presenting this data to the public?** **a. Presenting all data in its raw form for transparency\ b. Utilizing data analytics tools to identify key trends and insights\ c. Focusing on the most sensational data points to attract attention\ d. Ignoring data privacy concerns to provide maximum information** **Answer: b. Utilizing data analytics tools to identify key trends and insights** **3. A social advocacy group is using ICT to address climate change by promoting renewable energy solutions. Which strategy would most effectively increase public awareness and drive action?** **a. Creating an attractive website with detailed information\ b. Partnering with influencers to share personalized stories and actionable steps on social media\ c. Sending mass emails to a broad audience\ d. Publishing lengthy research papers in academic journals** **Answer: b. Partnering with influencers to share personalized stories and actionable steps on social media** **4. You are leading an ICT project to improve agricultural productivity in a developing country. Which method would best ensure that the technological solutions provided are adopted by local farmers?** **a. Implementing technology without prior consultation to avoid delays\ b. Conducting participatory workshops to co-create solutions with the farmers\ c. Providing detailed technical manuals in multiple languages\ d. Distributing free technology to farmers without additional support** **Answer: b. Conducting participatory workshops to co-create solutions with the farmers** **5. An ICT project aims to reduce urban traffic congestion by encouraging the use of public transport. Which of the following approaches would most likely lead to sustained behavioral change among city residents?** **a. Implementing a high-tech advertising campaign highlighting the benefits of public transport\ b. Using data from travel patterns to optimize public transport routes and schedules, making it more convenient for users\ c. Offering temporary financial incentives for using public transport\ d. Conducting periodic surveys to gather feedback from residents** **Answer: b. Using data from travel patterns to optimize public transport routes and schedules, making it more convenient for users**