Meoli KashordaEmerging trends in ICT education1
Emerging trends in ICT education
Meoli Kashorda, Ph.D., MIEEE, MIET
Professor, Faculty of Information Technology
Strathmore University
Meoli KashordaEmerging trends in ICT education2
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
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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!
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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
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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)
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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?
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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?
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Source: World Bank Institute
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Knowledge Economy Index
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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?
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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
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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
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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?
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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.
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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?
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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
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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.
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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?
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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
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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?
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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!
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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!
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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
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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!
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Thank You!Thank You!