Information Communication Technology Implementation Research Articles

ICT IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES FOR ODL INSTITUTIONS: The ZOU's National Centre Academic Staff Experiences

This study highlighted some of the major challenges that Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) academic staff experiences in connection with Information Communication Technology (ICT) implementation. It employed a qualitative paradigm rooted in a case study research design focusing on ZOU Academic Staff at the selected Faculties. It purposively sampled 20 ZOU Academic Staff members comprising two Deans, six Chairpersons and 12 Programme Leaders. Seventeen managed to participate willingly by filling in the in-depth questionnaire. The study cited lack of literature as one of its limitations. Data were gathered and analyzed thematically. The study found out lack of training and expertise in ICT by ZOU Academic staff of the studied Faculties topping among ICT implementation challenges. The study concluded that training and development of personnel is a fundamental concept that keeps staff abreast with evolving technological changes. The study recommended the need for ZOU to mount regular academic staff focused training workshops that equip them with functional knowledge on computers and computer software applications. It also recommended the need for ZOU to carry out Faculty wide research in the same area using either quantitative or triangulation methodologies.

How leadership for an ICT reform is distributed within a school

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the process of information communication technology (ICT) reform in a government school in Singapore. The focus is on the distributed leadership actions performed by various individuals, and how the multiple leaders and their leadership practices interacted with one another.Design/methodology/approachA naturalistic inquiry approach was adopted, involving the case study of a school in the process of implementing an instructional reform involving the use of ICT.FindingsIt was found that distributed leadership for ICT implementation requires a combination of transformational leadership and instructional leadership to develop teachers’ capacity to enhance their instruction with ICT, emotional leadership to support teachers’ effort to change, and strategic management of resources to sustain teachers’ change efforts. Transformational leadership is performed mainly by senior management (SM). Instructional leadership is performed mainly by middle management (MM). Both senior and middle management provided emotional leadership and strategic resource management. In addition, SM provided second‐order changes leadership, while MM provided first‐order changes leadership.Originality/valueThe paper rectifies the current disproportionate focus on the role of the Principal by uncovering the leadership actions performed by other school members, and how these leadership actions are interrelated. In particular, the paper provides insight into how leadership was distributed in a school reform involving the use of ICT for instruction.

Towards an understanding of the information dynamics of the handover process in aged care settings—A prerequisite for the safe and effective use of ICT

BackgroundPoor clinical handover has been associated with inaccurate clinical assessment and diagnosis, delays in diagnosis and test ordering, medication errors and decreased patient satisfaction in the acute care setting. Research on the handover process in the residential aged care sector is very limited. PurposeThe aims of this study were to: (i) Develop an in-depth understanding of the handover process in aged care by mapping all the key activities and their information dynamics, (ii) Identify gaps in information exchange in the handover process and analyze implications for resident safety, (iii) Develop practical recommendations on how information communication technology (ICT) can improve the process and resident safety. MethodsThe study was undertaken at a large metropolitan facility in NSW with more than 300 residents and a staff including 55 registered nurses (RNs) and 146 assistants in nursing (AINs). A total of 3 focus groups, 12 interviews and 3 observation sessions were conducted over a period from July to October 2010. Process mapping was undertaken by translating the qualitative data via a five-category code book that was developed prior to the analysis. ResultsThree major sub-processes were identified and mapped. The three major stages are Handover process (HOP) I “Information gathering by RN”, HOP II “Preparation of preliminary handover sheet” and HOP III “Execution of handover meeting”. Inefficient processes were identified in relation to the handover including duplication of information, utilization of multiple communication modes and information sources, and lack of standardization. ConclusionBy providing a robust process model of handover this study has made two critical contributions to research in aged care: (i) a means to identify important, possibly suboptimal practices; and (ii) valuable evidence to plan and improve ICT implementation in residential aged care. The mapping of this process enabled analysis of gaps in information flow and potential impacts on resident safety. In addition it offers the basis for further studies into a process that, despite its importance for securing resident safety and continuity of care, lacks research.

An evaluation of the implementation of the National ICT Policy for Education in Namibian rural science classrooms

Information Communication Technology (ICT) implementation in Namibian schools is still in its infancy in rural science classrooms at junior secondary school level. The research reported in this paper adapted the Four-in-Balance model that reflects the pillars of the use of ICT in classrooms. In order to explore the extent of the implementation in rural science classrooms of the government ICT Policy for Education, a survey was used to collect science Teachers' level data. Three levels of ICT implementation, viz low, medium and high, were identified. The results show that for management aspects of the ICT Policy the implementation level is high to medium, which contrasts with the low levels of implementation of subject specific ICT resources for pedagogical use, and also with Teachers' negative attitude to the use of ICT. The results might influence policies on ICT use and how ICT is to be used in the future at classrooms level.

The Coherence of Teacher’s ICT Competence and Study Programmes

The application of information communication technologies (ICT) becomes more and more relevant at university studies; thus a teacher needs ICT competence. Research literature analyses what is necessary for a teacher to use ICT in educational activity; however, coherences of teacher’s ICT competence and the study programmes have not been disclosed. The article addresses the following research question: how does a study programme create premises for the manifestation of teacher’s ICT competence? This problem is solved in four parts of the article. In the first part the ICT competence of a university teacher is defined; the second part reveals the coherences of teacher’s ICT competences and ICT implementation levels; the third part presents the research methodology. The fourth part reveals the coherences of teacher’s ICT competence and the study programme. The methods of research literature analysis and document analysis were used in the article. The data were processed by the method of qualitative descriptive content analysis.

Information Communication Technology (ICT) Policy of Sri Lanka and its Impacts to Socioeconomic Development: A Review of Sri Lankan Experience

The ICT policy of Sri Lanka has been largely contributed by both local and international institutions with the holistic purpose of enhancing quality of mass and providing sustainable outset for a knowledge society. The methodology followed by the author was secondary data review and the review report discusses the origin of ICT policy and how it integrates with broad set of stakeholders especially with education, government, industry and masses of Sri Lanka. This article provides a review of how successfully Sri Lanka initiates working programmes by the support of institutions accompanied with new policy frameworks. The key insight of this review article educates the importance of strategic implementation of ICT to strengthening country development plans operating as a value adding hub to industries and communities. The contribution of ICT as an enabler to succeed different sectors has been discussed under different segments. Finally, it concludes the way and progress what ICT should have in future to broadening opportunities for third world countries.

Enabling and constraining ICT practice in secondary schools: case studies in South Africa

The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in education is being seen as a way of widening access to education, particularly in developing countries. This paper addresses the issue of ICT implementation in secondary schools and focuses specifically on the practices that enable or constrain the successful implementation of ICT for teaching and learning activities. It reflects upon the lessons learned from a collective case study undertaken in 12 of the 13 secondary schools in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape in South Africa. School principals and designated IT teachers were interviewed and on-site infrastructure audits conducted. This paper identifies a number of key enabling and constraining factors surrounding practical issues, including sufficient hardware, appropriate software and affordable connectivity, sufficient technical support and training, policy-related issues such as the role of national, provincial and school policy, the vital contribution of principal leadership and champion teachers as well as ongoing teacher professional development coupled with a willingness to change.

Innovation diffusion at the implementation stage of a construction project: a case study of information communication technology

Interest in construction industry (CI) innovation, particularly in information communication technology (ICT), has been steadily growing with the advent and widespread use of the Internet. However, despite its potential for delivering competitive advantage, many companies have failed to effectively realize promised benefits from ICT due to misunderstanding the relationship between factors and processes influencing ICT implementation. Results from recent in‐depth qualitative ICT implementation research on three construction contractors provides useful insights and practical experience of lessons learned that can be more broadly disseminated. These research results provide an ICT innovation diffusion organizational level framework with insights about how it may be applied to improve ICT adoption at different implementation stages for the CI. They suggest that strategic ICT implementation planning needs to consider issues of critical management support, technical support, supportive workplace environment and ICT users' individual‐characteristics so that the framework processes offered can be effectively applied.

Priorities and Strategies for the Implementation of Integrated Informatics and Communications Technology to Improve Evidence-Based Practice

The U.S. health care system is one of the world's most advanced systems. Yet, the health care system suffers from unexplained practice variations, major gaps between evidence and practice, and suboptimal quality. Although information processing, communication, and management are key to health care delivery and considerable evidence links information/communication technology (IT) to improvements in patient safety and quality of care, the health care system has a longstanding gap in its investment. In the Crossing the Quality Chasm and Building a Better Delivery System reports, The Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering identified IT integration as critical to improving health care delivery systems. This paper reviews the state of IT use in the U.S. health care system, its role in facilitating evidence-based practices, and identifies key attributes of an ideal IT infrastructure and issues surrounding IT implementation. We also examine structural, financial, policy-related, cultural, and organizational barriers to IT implementation for evidence-based practice and strategies to overcome them.

Priorities and strategies for the implementation of integrated informatics and communications technology to improve evidence-based practice

The U.S. health care system is one of the world’s most advanced systems. Yet, the health care system suffers from unexplained practice variations, major gaps between evidence and practice, and suboptimal quality. Although information processing, communication, and management are key to health care delivery and considerable evidence links information/communication technology (IT) to improvements in patient safety and quality of care, the health care system has a longstanding gap in its investment. In the Crossing the Quality Chasm and Building a Better Delivery System reports, The Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Engineering identified IT integration as critical to improving health care delivery systems. This paper reviews the state of IT use in the U.S. health care system, its role in facilitating evidence-based practices, and identifies key attributes of an ideal IT infrastructure and issues surrounding IT implementation. We also examine structural, financial, policy-related, cultural, and organizational barriers to IT implementation for evidence-based practice and strategies to overcome them.