Applying Information Technology to Improve Teaching and Learning in an African University

Abstract

This paper describes collaboration between the University of Cape Coast in Ghana and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to apply innovations in education and educational technology to the challenges facing Cape Coast as they attempt to meet the demands of the 21st century. Ghanaian Universities face increasing population growth and enrollment, inadequate infrastructure, poor connectivity, inadequate funding, inadequate educational resources and staffing, and a persistent "brain drain" of qualified instructors. With a multitude of students waiting for higher education, external factors such as globalization, information technology growth, and international markets have left almost all African Universities stranded. Despite these problems, a critical mass of highly qualified professionals and teachers are needed to accelerate economic and academic development on the continent as a whole. The adoption of innovative teaching and learning methods to enhance teaching and learning is essential.

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“…In developing countries the number of qualified students seeking higher education is growing exponentially without enough qualified faculty to teach them. Universities in Ghana are faced with 58:1 student teacher ratios [1]. Lecture halls are not large enough to seat all interested students, and many are forced to watch lecturers through the windows.…”

Economic Upliftment and Social Development through the Development of Digital Astuteness in Rural Areas

“…The problem of access to the Internet seems to impact on educators' readiness for preparing graduates who are able to conceptualise the links between ICT and development challenges. Obuobi, Richards, and Adrion (2006) observes that although there are 12 private universities and six public ones in Ghana, there is a critical shortage of highly qualified professionals and teachers in IT to accelerate economic and academic development. In an earlier study, Unwin (2005) reports that approximately 30,000 untrained teachers worked in various schools in Ghana in 2003.…”

A Classification of Information Communication Technologies (Icts) Used for Learning in Higher Education

“…Some studies (e.g. [5], [1], [6]) have identified some ICTs applied in HEIs, but these studies were not conducted to identify the extent of application of these ICTs as a basis of revealing basic ICTs needed by developing country HEIs which are at their early stages of ICTs deployment. Moreover, there is no identifiable study that used a robust statistical tool such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to classify ICTs in terms of their extent of use in developing country HEIs.…”

“…It is admitted in practice and research that technologies have the basic role of maximising the efficiency of human skills and competencies [5], [6]. In terms of education, technology infusion is aimed at facilitating teaching, learning and the accomplishment of administrative activities [5], [6], [7]. This means that technologies are deployed in an academic institution at three levels:…”

“…This argument would better be understood when the role and advantage of technologies in teaching and learning are acknowledged. It is admitted in practice and research that technologies have the basic role of maximising the efficiency of human skills and competencies [5], [6]. In terms of education, technology infusion is aimed at facilitating teaching, learning and the accomplishment of administrative activities [5], [6], [7].…”