Learning & Curriculum

Our global learning team develops the training component of our programs, facilitates the localization of content and delivers train the trainer programs in the countries we work.  Learning programs are developed for our country program teams, Interns, beneficiaries and DOT global staff.

Our facilitated learning approach is a blend of techniques to open adults to the learning experience, inviting the learner to be an active participant in the learning event, engaging and respecting prior knowledge, collecting individual knowledge into a shared pool of information, testing knowledge and assumptions as well as making the learning event stimulating. Learning is a cognitive, affective and kinesthetic experience and can be personally transformative as well as immediately practical.

Knowledge Sharing and Collaboration

When people come together for a common purpose, social and economic well-being increase. Delivering the tools and, more importantly, providing the support to take advantage of the new possibilities which emerge is integral to DOT's mission.

Effective knowledge sharing and collaboration enables all the members of the DOT community to work together effectively, to explore ideas, and to share our experiences, both with each other and the global community. Our site provides a "window" into DOT's mission and activities and, as we expand our collaborative capabilities, we plan to open the communities that we are developing to greater participation from more and more people around the world.

In keeping with our commitment to give people the means to take control of their lives, DOT uses and promotes open standards and open source technologies wherever appropriate, and is committed to giving back to the open source community.

Monitoring & Evaluation - Cause. Measure. Share.

Cause.  

Digital Opportunity Trust sees its mission to connect people with technology; to build human capacity and provide the tools to promote community-led economic and social development.  One of the major challenges is how to assess the impact of capacity building on individuals’ lives, and then use and disseminate the findings in a timely, user-friendly and meaningful way.

Everything DOT does is linked to a results-based management (RBM) approach.  This means our work starts with the end in mind, and provides every member of the team with an understanding of how his part fits into the bigger picture.

DOT considers impact at two levels: in-country and globally. Country-level reporting measures local program performance, including evaluating downstream impacts.  We determine how the beneficiaries of our training have applied their new skills, and the extent to which DOT's training approach has transformed knowledge, attitudes and behavior in the use of technology for development.  Global-level reporting examines impact and performance across all participating countries in which DOT has a presence. This includes assessing our success in providing low-cost, high-impact access to the expertise, technology and resources needed for countries to improve local socioeconomic opportunities through the use of information and communications technology.

Measure.

Measuring the success of a program can take many forms. Traditionally, impact has been calculated on the basis of intake numbers and outputs—all which help to tell a story. But measuring capacity requires that additional dimensions be considered—often using a quantitative approach as a baseline and ap praising the cascading effect of an intervention over time.  For DOT, this translates into measuring "multipliers". This means evaluating program impacts in the context of those individuals who began as the intake numbers but who are now themselves instruments of change. Herein lies the difference between simply counting throughput and measuring real impact.

Share.

Our partners count on our data-driven approach because they look to us for clear and straightforward reporting—on qualitative and quantitative indicators—that contributes to our shared success.

DOT knows that all of this adds up to being a model of good governance, the foundation of sustained development.

Financial Management and Oversight

DOT works closely with our country teams in order to ensure operational quality and standards. We provide strategic guidance and support to operations, financial management and communications. DOT is responsible for strict financial oversight and ensures that all operations are accounted for and transparent.