Neil Butcher

THE PARTNERSHIP FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN AFRICA EDUCATIONAL

TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE

The purpose of the project has been to support interventions in universities supported by the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA) to make increasingly effective use of educational technology to address some of the underlying educational challenges facing the higher educational sector in Africa. This has required a focus on capacity development to initiate and sustain effective educational technology projects which impact on the nature and quality of the student learning experience and outcomes, as well as a focus on knowledge creation and dissemination across and between partner universities on the use of educational technology.

PROJECT GOAL

1. Makerere University in Uganda2. University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) in Tanzania3. University of Jos in Nigeria, 4. University of Ibadan in Nigeria, 5. Kenyatta University (KU) in Kenya6. Universidade Católica de Moçambique (UCM) in Mozambique7. University of Education, Winneba in Ghana

THE UNIVERSITIES

A model for engaging institutions in the development of effective, integrated Educational Technology Plans.

Seven comprehensive Educational Technology Plans.

A network of researchers established across participating institutions.

A coordinated research programme, which comprises local-level research activities conceptualized and developed under the auspices of an overarching set of questions.

A TWO-PART PROCESS: PART A

• Institutional commitments to ICT growing – has led to policies at some institutions

• Strong focus on deployment of ICT to tackle teaching and learning challenges:• All institutions using Moodle• Some deployment of other technologies (mobile, radio, e-portfolios)• Extensive growth in number of online courses produced over the life

of the project• Growing use of online courses on campuses

• Research agenda developed and implemented, but quite late in project (once activity was well underway):• Case studies• Baseline surveys• PhD• External evaluation

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

Unpredictable events are the norm, so this reality should be factored into project design and timing Keep expectations of what will be delivered realistic and modest,

rather than overloading the project designs with highly ambitious objectives

Ensure that timeframes to achieve objectives are kept tight, but leave space towards the end of these timeframes to absorb

unexpected delays Working through rigid hierarchies creates

problems in communication and implementation

EMERGING LESSONS (1)

Often, educational technology units are marginalized within institutions

Capacity development is a key need, including ability to design projects that: (a) have clearly identifiable, specific, and realistic deliverables; (b) respond to already identified institutional priorities; and (c) are properly budgeted, with full analysis of all resource inputs required for implementation

Paucity of ICT infrastructure remains a major barrier to deployment of technology for educational purposes.

Simplicity is key to success and success is key to future success

EMERGING LESSONS (2)

THE OPPORTUNITIES…

Telecommunications capacity is growing rapidly

Growth in range of devices at reducing cost

Lower power use and growth in solar power

And there is an explosion of freely available, high quality content online that educators and students can link to…

So, what are the implications?

Secure ubiquitous broadband connectivity

Harness what already exists – and teach students how to do the same

Re-orient human resources more explicitly around interplay between research and education, to release all available productivity

Purge and reverse the growth of administrative bureaucracy

See the results on: www.oerafrica.org (follow links to the PHEA Educational Technology Initiative)

PUBLISHING RESULTS