WARSP // LEARN Component : Water & river governance, digital literacy

OVERVIEW

The Learn portion of the platform would allow for registered users to be able to access knowledge in local Mekong languages to understand concepts related to water governance and also to shape the landscape around digital literacy and privacy. The materials provided would be content that has been carefully curated in partnership with community NGOs. The ‘learn’ element will link to webinars, webinar recordings, and have an interactive component to keep engagement high. The ‘learn’ portal will apply best practices in mobile learning design to keep beneficiaries engaged. 

The ‘learn’ component is secondary to the above-described ‘share’ component, and will build off of input received through the initial roll-out of the ‘share’ component to best meet needs identified from the three audience segments. 

Figure 5: E-learning Interactive Prototype

Source: https://www.shiftelearning.com/blog/a-comprehensive-guide-to-mobile-learning-design

This platform, over the long term, will provide the opportunity to broaden the literacy experience and to implement and inform best practices around digital literacy. The governing structure will need to consider how to best leverage the existing work of NGOs around digital literacy to support the scalability and uptake of this knowledge to support a broader culture of understanding and engagement around digital literature.

BENEFICIARIES AND PROVIDERS

The ‘learn’ element will have depth and can provide resources for women looking to gain knowledge in any number of areas. The primary target audience, however, will be local women, initially in Cambodia and Thailand, who are looking to build their understanding of river/water governance, develop leadership skills and engage in decision-making, and who want to build their digital literacy in a fun and engaging manner. 

ALIGNMENT WITH CORE REQUIREMENTS

Objectives, aligned with underlying principles:

Principle	Alignment	Consideration
Inclusivity	‘Learn’ will target women and aim to be accessible for an audience that has been largely excluded	In order to do this effectively, the development of the tool will need to be done as an iterative process, starting small and scaling in size strategically. Determining what the entry points are for ‘learn’ from the project partners will need to be determined collaboratively.
Legitimacy	The underpinning assumption is that building knowledge will support legitimacy.	The organisations providing the learning modules will bring legitimacy to ‘learn’.
Access	The platform will use simple, intuitive symbols instead of complicated text explanations to support navigation by women who have limited language skills. The local language functionality must be incorporated at the earliest stages of development (5 Mekong languages + English).	Prototypes and pilot projects will need to test symbols. Language capabilities will need to be built in and tested through secure AI translation systems.
Innovation	As with ‘share’, many of the women who will be engaged in using this platform will have limited experience with digital technology, and this mechanism for sharing learning is being designed specifically to include and support them.
Transparency / Integrity	Knowledge needs will be identified by partner organisations, and project beneficiaries will be able to request additional trainings based on their needs.	Knowledge and training will be curated by lead partner organisations.
Fun & Engagement	The images and stories collected would be linked with campaigns that are of relevance and interest for women – and themes will need to be developed by the implementing team to reflect these interests.	The ‘colloquilaisation’ of knowledge, and the use of metaphors and myths will support the development of fun and engaging themes.

PILOT PROJECTS AND POTENTIAL PARTNERS

Three pilot project audiences have been identified:

1 & 2) Area-based pilot projects in the 3S River Basin and in NE Thailand

Both of these pilot projects rely upon community partners that work directly with women community leaders. In particular, there is a possibility to incorporate new and existing elements of ‘Mekong curriculum’ that are and have been developed. 

3) A Mekong-wide regional pilot project would be open to others not targeted by the above two pilots to be able to register for the platform and be able to share and view content. 

Community Partners:

Pilot Project	Partner Contact & Organisation	Comments
NE Thailand	International Rivers
NE Thailand	Ubon Ratchathani University	In early stages of co-development of Mekong curriculum that may be able to be digitised
3S Cambodia	Wonders of the Mekong	Have developed games and interactive learning, have an active facebook community that could be engaged (https://www.facebook.com/MekongWonders)
3S Cambodia	Oxfam	Partnering with Women’s Rights groups across Cambodia and the region
3S Cambodia
Mekong Region	International Rivers	Conveners of the Women and Rivers Congress and the Women and Rivers Fellowship (with Women’s Earth Alliance)
Mekong Region	AIPP	Digital Rights Framework for Environmental Defenders
Mekong Region	Oxfam	Gender toolkit (with IR)
Mekong Region	Open Development Initiative	Women’s empowerment activities underway in Cambodia and Vietnam with an emphasis on digital democracy

NEXT STEPS

In order to move forward with the development of a pilot project for this element of the platform, the following steps will need to be taken:

1. Identification of ‘learn’ steering committee and work with identified partners to catalogue key knowledge products and identify community needs;
2. The development of a prototype, technology selection and development of the ‘learn’ element;
3. Development of communications strategy around learning modules linked with ‘share’ campaigns;
4. The development of a budget and securing funds;
5. Monitoring, evaluation, and identification of scaling possibilities. 

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