This document summarizes Mohammad Hadi Hedayati's PhD research statement on developing a framework for modeling vocational ICT curricula in developing countries like Afghanistan. The research involves 3 phases: 1) identifying local needs through interviews, 2) modeling curricula based on international standards and local context, and 3) validating the reference model. Personas, scenarios, and ontology modeling are used. So far, the needs analysis and initial curricula model have been completed. Future work includes validating the framework and sharing it to improve vocational education quality assurance.

1. Framework for Ontology-Based Modeling of
Vocational ICT Curricula in Developing Countries
Mohammad Hadi Hedayati, 3rd Year PhD Student
Supervisor: Mart Laanpere 10th February 2106

2. My research statement
o Background
o Research Problem
o Research Objectives
o Research Questions
o Research Design
o Research Mythology
o Publications
o Conclusion

3. Background: TVET in Developing Countries
(Afghanistan)
Four hundred thousand graduates from high school
(UNESCO and NESP, 2015)
 High unemployment among youth
 Universities are capable to enroll 20-25 %
 No standard curriculum in TVET
 Mismatch between TVET curricula and job market needs
 Some curriculum copied from two year program
University
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0023/002327/232702e.pdf

4. International standards for ICT education
EUCIP and e-CF models,
 Most of the specific areas and competences can be considered between
these two models.
 The e-CF is mostly used as a reference framework for designing IT
practitioner competence models.
 The EUCIP is used in many EU countries in certification process and
developing training services.
http://www.eqavet.eu/gns/policy-context/european-vet-initiatives/european-qualifications-
framework.aspx

5. Research Problem
How can semantic tools help us to set up a modern
and scalable national curriculum framework for
vocational ICT education in developing countries
while maintaining balance between international
standards and unique local needs?!

6. Research Objectives
 To identify the requirements based on analysis of
local context and needs
 To create a reference model of vocational ICT
curriculum and its development process, based on
integration of international standards and
requirements for developing countries
 To develop a reference framework and validate it in
the context of developing countries, including
Afghanistan

7. Research Questions
1. What are the restrictions, expectations and needs of main target
groups of vocational ICT curriculum framework in developing
countries?
2. What are the major conflicts, gaps, overlaps between international
standards and local needs regarding vocational education in ICT
domain in developing countries?
3. How a shared understanding about the reference framework for
curriculum can be built and maintained among vocational ICT
curriculum stakeholders?

8. Research Design
The research design carried out in three phases and each dedicated to one of the
main research objectives:
1. Contextual inquiry cycle, involving content analysis on regulative documents,
focus group interviews using personas and scenarios to identify the local
needs in vocational education on ICT
2. Domain modeling cycle, involving content analysis on international standards
for ICT qualifications (ACM, IEEE, IFIP, EUCIP), identifying gaps and conflicts
between standards and local needs in developing countries, domain modeling
and building a reference model for vocational ICT curriculum development in
developing countries
3. Reference model development cycle, involving participatory design of
reference model and its validation in focus groups and expert panels

9. Research Methodology
Mixed methods research:
 Exploratory, participatory, scenario-based design
 Ontology-driven modeling of vocational ICT curriculum
 development and validation of an instrument

10. Research Methodology…
In the first phase:
 Visits
 One Vocational Institute in Estonia (Saarama)
 Three Vocational institutes in Kabul (ATVI, CTI and AIT)
 data collection (Qualitative method)
 through focus interviews (4 groups of 6 subjects representing
various stakeholder groups as Employers, Teachers, Alumni
and Deans, open coding of interview data using NVivo
 Used software engineering techniques (Personas and
Scenarios) for qualitative data collection

11. Research Methodology…
In the second phase:
 Development Conceptual framework and ontology
 based focus groups result
 describing and studying the field
of vocational ICT curriculum development in countries like
Afghanistan.

12. Research Methodology…
The third phase will be:
 Validation of the Ontology-Based reference Model of
Vocational ICT Curricula in Developing Countries

13. Research Methodology…
Best interaction design technique
 Creating and validating five personas and five scenarios
 creating and validating the conceptual model of ICT vocational
curriculum and competence domain in Afghanistan

14. Design artifacts: personas and scenarios
Scenario
Feedback
Persona
Feedback
ScenarioPersonaNo
++++++++++++
Preparing the course on Java programming (written
and taught curriculum)
Mohammad: a programming
teacher in a vocational institute
1
+++++-+++++-
Studying the course on Database (written
curriculum, which is formally accepted and enforced
by a legal body such as educational institution,
ministry, government, professional body).
Fatima: student in a vocational
institute
2
++++++++++++
Recommending the courses (written and taught
curriculum to perform quality assurance and
administration of resources in TVEI).
Amir: dean in the a vocational
institute
3
++++++++++++
Recommending the courses (learned and assessed
curriculum to expressing best competencies for
recruiting as recent graduates of TVEI).
Hasam: employer, ICT
department head in a bank
4
++++++++++++
Student Ali uses the courses content (taught and
learned curriculum when starting with more
advanced IT career).
Ali Khan, Student of Vocational
training
5
The Nature of curriculum, http://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/44334_1.pdf

15. Research Methodology… Software Engineering process

16. Research Result: Ontology in Concept map

17. Research Result: Ontology in Concept map

18. Research Result: Ontology in Concept map

19. Research Result: Ontology
development using Protégé

20. Research Result: Ontology development using Protégé

21. Publications
1. Identifying Requirements for Vocational Information and Communication
Technology Curricula in Afghanistan, Published
2. Analyzing the Skill Gaps of the Graduates of Vocational ICT Programs in
Afghanistan, Published
3. Scenario-based Design and Conceptual Modeling on Vocational ICT Curricula: a
Case Study in Afghanistan, under work
4. Modeling the Culturally-Sensitive Curriculum Development Process: a Case Study
in the Context of Vocational ICT Education in Afghanistan, accepted
5. Reference model for vocational ICT curriculum in developing countries, next final

22. •Collecting Data and working on Design Research
•Paper III
Persona-based Design of Vocational ICT Curricula in Afghanistan
Conclusion
The first phase of research is done
no standard curriculum, mismatch with job market
The second phase is almost done
Software engineering method, scenario-base design
Ontology-based Model vocational ICT curriculum
development
The third phase will be done in next step
Validation of instrument (Media Wiki or ???)
Sharing the framework for future reusability
quality assurance of institutions

23. Thanks for your attention!
Questions?