Helping Universities in Developing Countries Improve learning Technologies: The Experience of University of Jos, Nigeria   Agbenu Esther Ochoga Bowie State University

 

 

 

                                   

 

 

Introduction

Conclusion

Results

 

 

 

 

 

Methodology

Research Questions

Based on the result of this case study, it can be observed that the University of Jos has had a systematic transitions from infrastructures and practice to content, because of its realization in good time that learning technology entails knowledge sharing; therefore, putting wires (infrastructures) into places is only the beginning of the story, since it does not solve the issues of participation (Practice & Content) (African Universities Digitalization Projects, 2000).   The University also realized that content provision which allowed for knowledge sharing will have a more lasting impact in helping developing institutions improve their learning technology because:  First, for knowledge sharing to take place it requires a bivalent or multivalent discourse in which at least two claims relating to an issue interact and compete for dominance. Second, it can be posited that equal content production by all users is a process by which conflict is resolved when validity claims are raised in the public sphere and subsequently resolved through a communicatively rational process.   From this study, therefore, it could be concluded that if more efforts are put into training users in content development it will benefit developing universities and the public at large in numerous ways such as: • Users will be aware of the importance of preserving digital content, that will encourage continued knowledge sharing • It will prepare students and staff to produce original digital content and edit existing content.  • It will lead to increased multimedia content necessary for building web identity that will help African scholars shape their own image in the global media. • It will aid African scholars in their use of the Internet as a social development tool, and above all, guarantee their participation in e-learning activities.

Infrastructure Programs: • The United States’ Leland Initiative, along with similar projects by the European Union and UNESCO, encouraged national policies in Nigeria to support Internet development especially those in higher Institutions of learning. • Hence, cooperation’s like the Carnegie Foundation of New York, World Bank, United Bank of Africa etc. provided funds for the building of computer laboratories, buying of computer hard wares and soft wares, providing high bandwidth and turning University of Jos into a major Internet Service Provider (ISP) among universities in Nigeria.   Measurable Results • Increased numbers of infrastructures    • High speed connectivity (increased bandwidth)   Practice Programs: The University of Iowa and the Nigeria National University Commission collaborated to start a test project on Building Digital Technical Capacity at Nigeria Universities; the aim was to lay the foundations for greater digital Participation and collaboration. The pilot lunch was at the University of Jos. The services of these partnerships were geared towards changing classroom practices and experiences in the areas of using technology.   Measurable Results: • Increased use and knowledge of technology • Increase knowledge of maintenance and connectivity of technology   Content Programs:   • The Faculty of Law houses an Internet-based research law library where students and faculty conduct online legal research using Westlaw and HeinOnline databases.  Students also have access to a wide-range of Internet content at no cost over the eGranary digital library, which is hosted on the University’s Intranet. • A Low Cost Digital Video Production program was organized with the aim of preparing key constituents in the university to prepare content for the University’s digital archives and to produce educational content which could be hosted on the Internet as a means of sharing research content undertaken by Nigerian scholars with the rest of the world.    Measurable Results:   • Increased accessibility to content from various authors with different cultural and academic inclinations, creating room for deliberation on information content.  Increased opportunities for Nigerian scholars to present their views in global academic discuss.  The University hosts a Cisco Regional Academy were students and community members are trained on managing networks and internet connectivity.

Learning Technologies (LT) which has knowledge sharing as its main purpose (Danziger, J.; 1985) represents both a significant challenge and opportunity to the economic and educational systems of the developing world.   Universities are increasingly facing challenges from learning technologies and the knowledge society (Heydenrych, 2002), and there is a widening gap between the developed and developing world (digital divide) in this area (Wolff & MacKinnon,2002).   The goal of the study is to use the experience of the University of Jos, Nigeria, to encourage more effort in the systematic transition from infrastructure to content production in Nigerian institutions of higher learning, and other developing countries as opposed to mere content transfer which promotes hegemony. For communication is not a neutral act of moving content from one person to another, but a complex transaction influenced by numerous factors (National Communication Association, 2002)

•      From the experience of the University of Jos, what mechanism could be implored to help universities in Nigeria or other developing countries improve on their learning technologies?   •      How can this mechanism be supported to include content production in order to provide a competitive edge for knowledge sharing and competency?

A case study of the University of Jos’ Information and Communication Technology.   Case study is an ideal methodology when a holistic, in-depth investigation is needed (Feagin, Orum, & Sjoberg, 1991).   Nigerian Universities have been practically decimated over the past two decades due to economic and political upheaval. In the digital realm in particular, many Nigerian Universities represent a blank slate (African Universities Digitalization Projects, 2000). But the situation is different with the University of Jos.   The University of Jos is a second-generation federal university; it is located in Jos, the capital of Plateau State in Nigeria, West Africa. The university is a multi-faculty institution with various areas of specialization. The most prominent of these areas of expertise is Information and Communication Technology.   The University of Jos has been recognized as the leading higher education institution in Nigeria in terms of its emphasis on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for teaching, administration and research (African Universities Digitalization Projects, 2000).   This case study followed the recommendations of Yin (1994) which entail designing the case study, conducting the case study, analyze the case study evidence, and developing the conclusions, recommendations and implications   Also following Yin’s (1994) recommendations for data collection, the procedures used were documentation, archival records, interviews, direct observation, participant observation, and physical artifacts. The units of analysis were: Infrastructure, practice and content of Information and Communication Technology of the University of Jos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GSA HOME