Engaging Academics in Training in Information Communication Technology (ICT): An African Experience with special focus on Uganda

Abdullahi Hussein

doi:10.20355/c5v01f

Abstract

Training academics in ICT utilisation has been widely regarded as a key to successful staff development practice in higher education and, hence, considerable efforts and resources have been invested into ICT training programmes. However, little is known about the extent to which higher education policymakers in Africa give attention to the issue of preparing academics for ICT usage. This paper reports the findings of a research study exploring the utilisation of ICT in Uganda, Africa. Qualitative research methods were employed and data were collected through interviews, observations and open-ended questionnaires. The findings indicate that the university has put resources into the development of ICT policies, including policies related to training academics. Subsequently, academic staff were trained in ICT utilisation. However, little attention appears to have been given to the issue of engaging academics in ICT training. The paper also highlights the importance of engaging academics in ICT training for successful ICT staff-development outcomes.

Highlights

It has been suggested that the rapid development of information communication technology (ICT) has initiated unparalleled transformation in universities (Tagoe, 2012)
The university‟s gradual process of implementing ICT was one of the interesting things that this participant suggested. This process started with setting up an ICT infrastructure and ended with training people on how to use technology for pedagogical purposes. This clearly suggests that issues such as training academics to use ICT for pedagogical purposes came at a later stage
This case study revealed that African higher education institutions have given due consideration to its ICT staff development; this has been largely missing from the available literature in the field

Summary

Introduction

It has been suggested that the rapid development of information communication technology (ICT) has initiated unparalleled transformation in universities (Tagoe, 2012). This affects almost every country in the world. Udo and Edoho (2000) have long argued that the potential benefits of ICT “cut across all sectors of economy and all fields of human activities” A great deal of ever growing literature continues to highlight the potential social and economic benefits that are associated with ICT (Akinsola, Herselman, & Jacobs, 2005; Lelliott, Pendlebury, & Enslin 2000; Stoica & Vâlceanu, 2013; Williams, Pitchforth, & O‟Callaghan, 2010)

Methods

Results

Conclusion