Ict Trends Education

Meoli KashordaEmerging trends in ICT education1

Emerging trends in ICT education

Meoli Kashorda, Ph.D., MIEEE, MIET

Professor, Faculty of Information Technology

Strathmore University


Agenda

Terminology IT or ICT? Used interchangeably

What is driving demand for ICT education in Kenya ICT industry performance? Knowledge economy? ICT for Development (ICT4D)?

Analyzing ICT education trends using a layered approach

Some professional accreditation issues


What are Information Technologies?

Big IT vs. Small it terms Big IT accepted by accreditation boards, IT

professional associations, and academic community

Big IT – An Umbrella term Computer science, information systems,

computer engineering and software engineering, and electronic engineering (including telecommunications)

Small it – Emerging IT degree programs No global accreditation standards yet!


ICT degrees in Kenya

Degree Public Private Small or Big

Computer science

Yes (all) Yes (ANU, DU, Kiriri)

Big IT

Computer eng. Yes (Moi, KU, JKUAT)

No Big IT

Electronic eng. Yes (UoN, JKUAT, Moi)

Yes (Daystar) Big IT

Information systems

No Yes (USIU, SU, DU)

Big IT

Software eng. Yes No Big IT

Computer Technology / IT

Yes (KU, JKUAT)

No Small it


Developing IT Workforce or IT professionals?

Both IT workforce and IT professionals required

IT workforceUniversities in Kenya now offer general IT

courses IT professionals

Developed in specialized IT degree programs (IT, EE, CS, IS)


What is driving demand for ICT professional education in Kenya? Demand by the students?

Career Perceptions, Peer pressure, IT is “cool” or real market data?

Demand by local ICT industry? Growth of telecoms sector, Local IT

systems, Global demand for ICT graduates?

How are universities responding? Using market analysis data? Regional or

Global demands? Students perceptions?


Convergence of telecommunications & computing

Convergence of applications and servicesNetworked applications everywhere

Convergence of industriesTelecommunications, broadcasting, and

computing industries Convergence of regulation

See proposed Kenya ICT bill Convergence of degree programs or greater

specialization?


Source: World Bank Institute


Knowledge Economy Index


So What ICT degree program is best? What advice for students?

Bias of faculty? newspaper ads? Quality of programs? JAB

What advice to universities? No market analysis data, no explicit ICT

education policy What degree programs?

What advice to government and industry? What is our ICT capacity? What should it

be?


Use the Open Networking Model

Networked Applications E-mail, fax, telephony, videoconferencing, TV..

E-games, Web browsing, Web casting..

Interactive education, interactive TV, Image server ..

Interoperability (Middleware) Name servers, security, Privacy, Directories …

Intelligent agents, distributed processing environments …

Internetworking – Internet Layer 3 & 4TCP/UDP end-to-end transport, IP/RSVP flows

Operating systems

Digital pipes and hardware (Internet Layer 1 & 2)Telecom services: POTS, ISDN, ATM, Wireless …

TV services: CATV, DSB, VOD, Data pipes (LANS, Leased lines, Modems)

Network and computing hardware


Interconnection layer education Layers 1 & 2 of the OSI or Internet Layered

models Supports classical telecommunication services

(POTS, ISDN, Mobile, ADSL and associated data pipes) + computing hardware

Electronic / computer engineering programs cover Interconnection layer knowledge elements

Very specialized labs and faculty required High demand because of infrastructure

expansion in Kenya Industry-university partnerships and linkages

essential


Internetworking layer Internet technology will dominate all internetworking

at this layer Teaching the TCP/IP protocol suite does not need

advanced equipment Network management and new protocols for voice

and video services (VoD and VoIP) Computer science, computer engineering, and

electronic engineering, IT/IS degree programs necessary Is Cisco certification necessary? Are our University qualifications credible?


Middleware

Interoperability will continue to be very important for different applications

Network Security issues Distributed processing environment (grid

computing) Knowledge acquired in computer science,

software engineering and some IT/IS degree programs. Advanced programming techniques and

environments required.


Networked Applications

Applications layer represents the greatest opportunity for Kenya!

Which graduates will create the applications for developing countries? Computer science, Information systems, IT, and

software engineering, and electronic engineering graduates?

Are our institutions ready?


Mobile and wireless applications

Innovations in mobile applications in high demand in AfricaPre-paid service an African innovationEmerging SMS applications

Mobile Internet applications Mobile e-commerce and e-learning applications Applications in tourism and agriculture?

High level of software development proficiency required Certification of software developers and software

houses! Incubate software development companies


What are additional IT graduate exit requirements?

Communication skills – oral and written This is a challenge globally

Basic business and management skills Economics, accounting and finance Business organizations and planning Team building and Ethical practices

Project design, implementation, and management skills Based on current needs – mobile computing,

networking, new software environments, CAD.


Are our graduates and universities ready?

Do we have world-class specialized ICT labs?

Do we have world class ICT facultyAnecdotal data suggests there is a

severe shortage of doctoral-level ICT faculty

Are our campuses fully networked?What about low Internet speeds?


How will ICT students be learning in future?

Global Internet essential for degree and life-long learning Expect increased use of asynchronous learning

networks and e-learning platforms Increased use of CAD and simulation

environments Increased use of Virtual labs (see See the MIT

iLabs project) More IT students will focus on the upper layers

More jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities


Current IT faculty and Infrastructure challenges

Limited active IT faculty pool in Kenya Lack of sufficient number of PhDs in IT in Kenya IT faculty are “portable” and are in “high demand”

globally High cost of building and maintaining

specialized IT labs to support IT programs Universities in the US are investing millions of

dollars in laboratory facilities!! Adopt the Indian Centers of Excellence Model?


Networked Readiness Index 2004 and 2005 Ranks

USA Kenya South Africa

Mauritius

2004 (out of 102 countries)

4 75 37 47

2005 (out of 115 countries)

1 91 34 45

Source: World Economic Forum ICT Reports

But quality of ICT graduates must be similar For competitiveness!


The E-campus innovation

It is an information systems enabled campus High degree of e-readiness for developing

IT workforce and professionalsInformation systems = Information

Technology + People + Processes Networked Applications for teaching,

learning and educational administrationWorld-class learning environment low NRI

notwithstanding!


Quality and professional accreditation of ICT degrees

International IT educational standardsProfessional bodies accredit IT departments

(e.g., IEEE, IEE, ACM)• Not aware of any EE & CS programs in Kenya

with international accreditation

Professional accreditation necessary for global IT quality assuranceCHE provides institutional accreditation for

private universities only


Opportunities for ICT graduates in Kenya and Africa!

Kenyan and African customized applications do not yet exist? E-government applications need to be

customized for Kenya and other countries Customized applications in agriculture, tourism

and education will be in high demand Development environments will be setup in the

government and in the private sector Demand for IT professionals with application

development skills will increase Local/Global ICT jobs for the well prepared!


ENDEND

Thank You!Thank You!

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Ict Trends Education