An assessment of educational components in foreign aid development projects in Jordan

Abstract

This study assessed educational components and related educational strategies incorporated into Foreign Aid Development Projects (FADP's). This study used case study, document analysis, and survey techniques. The primary data treatment used qualitative techniques consistent with naturalistic inquiry.

The case study evolved from a funded internship in the middle east under the auspices of the Near East Foundation. The internship facilitated the field testing of educational strategies during the implementation of a rural development project. The case study, supplemented with the review of literature, produced a pool of potential educational strategies.

The document analysis examined abstracts of Jordan projects funded by the Agency for International Development (A.I.D.). The analysis disclosed the magnitude and diversity of educational components in Jordan FADP's during the last eight years. The document analysis showed the low cost of implementing educational components. Also, the scope of the educational components was low and followed no pattern. A tendency toward larger educational components in recent years was unstructured.

The survey assessed perceptions of action officers involved with the A.I.D. projects. The process produced information that project action officers are difficult to trace and have varied backgrounds.

The study produced a list of recommendations regarding the use of educational components and strategies in FADP's. A basic structure for the planning and implementation of educational components evolved. It was presented in the form of both a planning model and a training model for future use in foreign aid development projects.