Title: ICT for higher education: an overview of case studies from the Asia and Pacific region
Pages: 171 pp.
ISBN: 978-92-9223-384-6
e-ISBN: 978-92-9223-385-3
Publisher: UNESCO Bangkok, Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education
Date (published): 30/11/2011
Date (accessed): 12/12/2011
Type of information: report
Language: English
On-line access: yes (pdf)
Abstract:
„UNESCO Bangkok coordinated a research study to document the use of ICT for higher education in the Asia and Pacific region in 2009 with the support of the Japanese Funds-in-Trust. Targeted at Ministry of Education officials and specialists responsible for higher education, administrators and faculty members of HEIs, and higher education and ICT providers, the objective of the study was to increase understanding of how ICT can be used to:
* design and develop curricular contents;
* deliver higher education programmes and courses;
* enhance the learning process; and
* increase the efficiency of the administration and management of educational systems.
Seven case studies from Australia, Hong Kong-Special Administrative Region of China, India, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea and Singapore were commissioned to focus on three main areas: open and distance learning; blended learning; and administration and management.
…
In all the cases discussed in this publication, ICT is used not only for the delivery of lectures and materials, but also for administration and management purposes. It is clear that administrative functions such as student registration, grades, course schedules and even staffing evaluation, have benefitted from the use of ICT. The chapters on the Hong Kong University and the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, focused specifically on administration and management issues, albeit under highly different conditions and perspectives. They provide an interesting contrast but also reveal several areas of similarity regardless of their starting points or resources available.

By all accounts, the outcomes of utilizing technology for higher education have been very encouraging. The collective wisdom of countless professors and experts collaborating online, not bound by time and space, has contributed to the production of high quality teaching and learning resources. Innovative tools and technology, coupled with animated, interactive contents and activities have increased students’ attention and interests.

Notwithstanding the positive feedback, some issues and challenges have emerged that should be considered by other institutions when designing and implementing their own ICT for higher education plans, such as:
* Lack of support from management;
* Unclear division of function and power;
* Uncoordinated planning and implementation;
* Question of ownership;
* Shortage of trained staff to cope with the diversity of responsibilities and tasks;
* Resistance from staff and reluctance to be re-trained; and
* Insufficient funds for developing, purchasing and implementing ICT.
...
Contents:
Use of ICT for higher education: An overview of case studies from the Asia and Pacific region ………..1
ICT for distance learning: Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning, India………………………………… 7
Distance education in Shanghai Television University, People’s Republic of China………………………26
ICT for open and distance learning: Korea National Open University, Republic of Korea……………… 51
ICT for blended learning: Queensland University of Technology, Australia……………………………… 78
Highly Engaging Learning Pedagogy (HELP) blended learning model of
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore………………………………………………………………...103
The use of ICT for administration and management at the University of Hong Kong……………………122
The adoption and use of ICT in management and technical education in Indian
Institute of Management, Calcutta, India……………………………………………………………………… 142”

See also: ICT for higher education: an overview of case studies from the Asia and Pacific region

Title: Increasing education access through open and distance learning in Tanzania: A critical review of approaches and practices
Author: Willy L.M. Komba
ISBN: 1814-0556
Source: International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, Vol. 5, No. 5 (2009)
Publisher: International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology
Date (published): 24/10/2009
Date (accessed): 12/12/2009
Type of information: peer-reviewed article
Language: English
On-line access: yes (HTML)
Abstract:
With an area of 943,000 square kilometers, Tanzania has a population of about 34 million comprising more than 120 ethnic groups with diverse cultures and notable income differentials. Over 35 per cent of the people live below the poverty line which makes it difficult for an increasing number of people to access education at secondary, tertiary and higher education levels. The universalization of education and its worldwide acceptance as a continuous or lifelong undertaking, coupled with concerns about educational access and equity, as well as the prevailing level of poverty necessitates the use of various education delivery approaches to enable all citizens to benefit from this public good. The major objective of this paper is to document an discuss the initiatives that Tanzania has taken to expand educational opportunities at various levels using open and distance learning (ODL) approaches. The paper begins by explaining the socio-political context for ODL in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar and proceeds to recount the distance education initiatives that have been established over time using both the longstanding traditional technologies and new media and technology. It then analyzes the opportunities and challenges in these initiatives. It ends with the proposal of how to improve both access and the quality of education using emerging educational technologies.