This talk was delivered by George Matto during Academic Workshop held at the Moshi Co-operative University (MoCU) on the 15th of April, 2016. The talk aimed at exploring the extent to which ICTs are diffused and used for Academic Development at the University. MoCU is a public University in Tanzania.

1. 15.04.2016
ICTs use and Academic Development in
MoCU
By George Matto
Academic Workshop – Paper 12
J. K. Nyerere Hall
Moshi Co-operative University

2. Agenda
 Introduction
 ICTs initiatives in Tanzania
 ICTs in Education
 The ICT Development Index (IDI) framework
 ICT Readiness at MoCU
 ICT Skills
 Conclusion and Recommendations
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3. Introduction
 Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs) are devices, tools, or applications that
are used to create, store, manage and
disseminate information.
 ICT is an umbrella term that encompass a full
range of technologies:
 Traditional tools – radios, TV, telephones, etc.
 More sophisticated tools – satellite systems,
computers, Internet, smartphones, tables etc.
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4. Intro…
 ICTs have impacted almost all spheres of our
life, such as in:
 education,
 businesses,
 productions,
 transportations,
 security and defense,
 health, etc.
 In fact, as days go ICTs are becoming part and
parcel of our daily living.
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5. Intro…
 The importance of ICTs is underscored:
 Globally – e.g. The establishment of ITU;
Broadband commission for Digital Development,
etc.
 Regionally – e.g. Development of SADC ICT
Sector Infrastructure Development Master Plan;
Harmonization of ICTs Policies and Programmes in
Eastern Africa Region, etc.
 Locally –
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6. ICTs initiatives in Tanzania
 The developed National ICTs Policy which
articulates framework for appropriating ICTs for
national development
 The built of a high capacity National ICTs
Broadband Backbone (NICTBB) for high quality
services and abundant bandwidth
 Implementation of the Last Mile Connectivity, and
other similar projects
 Establishment of e-services (eGovernment, eHealth,
eLibraries, etc.)
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7. ICTs in Education
 As in many other areas ICTs can bring impact is
education.
 In HLIs ICTs plays an essential role in enhancing
academic developments through:
 Improving teaching-learning paradigms,
 Building new knowledge,
 Governance of education, and
 Improving collaboration with peers and between
students and lecturers
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8. ICTs in Education (Collaboration Tools)
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Dropbox acts as a cloud-
based file synchronization
service that is ideal for
uploading, storing, and
sharing documents
Google Docs lets you
create different kinds of
online documents, work on
them in real time with
other people, and store
your documents online
DocumentCloud is a platform
that allows users to search and
analyze information about
uploaded source documents, as
well as publish primary
documents to the web
The Directory of Open
Access Journals aims to
increase the visibility and
availability of scientific
and scholarly journals
Skype offers free calls
and video-conferencing
via computer, phone, or
text
SurveyMonkey provides free,
customizable survey questions,
distribution of questionnaire on
the web, and collecting
responses in real time

9. ICTs in Education
 It has thus been necessary for HLIs to create
conducive environments as far as ICTs use is
concerned.
 Moshi Co-operative University (MoCU) is one
of the HLIs that need ICTs as one of the drivers
in the realization of academic development.
 This talk aims at exploring the extent to which
ICTs are diffused and used in MoCU for
Academic Development.
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10. IDI Framework
 The impact that ICTs can bring in any of the
application areas depends on the use.
 We adopt and use the ITU’s ICT Development
Index (IDI) framework to discuss our case.
 The IDI framework states that advancing
through ICTs depends on the availability of ICT
infrastructure, capability to use ICTs effectively,
and a high level of ICT use.
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11. IDI framework…
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Academic
Development

12. ICT Readiness at MoCU
 ICT readiness reflects on the level of
infrastructure and access to ICTs.
 In ICT infrastructures we look on:
 Teaching and learning facilities
 Internet Services
 Online learning platforms
 Accessibility of Electronic/Digital Materials
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13. ICT Readiness…
1. Teaching and Learning Facilities
 Two Computer labs
 Projectors in lecture halls (currently Nyerere
Hall, Kahama Hall, Pius Msekwa Hall, Sokoine
Complex, DRPS, ICCE, Lab 1 and 2)
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14. ICT Readiness…
2. Internet Service
 Accessible through cable and wireless (three
access points – Sokoine, DRPS, DUS).
 MoCU is connected to the high speed broadband
internet through fiber optic cable.
 Among Higher Education and Research Institutions
that benefits from the Last Mile Connectivity
project, which among other benefits improves the
speed of internet connectivity.
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15. ICT Readiness…
3. Online Learning Platform
 MUSARIS allows integration to online learning
platforms.
 Specifically Moodle open source software
 Moodle allows users to build education
solutions based on their specific needs.
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16. ICT Readiness…
4. Access to Electronic Materials
 MoCU as a member of the Consortium of
Tanzania Research and University Libraries
(COTUL) has subscribed to full range of electronic
scholarly databases from prestigious publishers.
 This helps students and staff to have access to full
text journal articles found in these journals.
 MoCU Website contains University’s research
papers and other publications.
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17. ICT Skills
 This ICT Skills sub-index seeks to capture
capabilities or skills which are important for ICTs.
 It includes three proxy indicators: adult literacy,
gross secondary enrolment, and gross tertiary
enrolment.
 According to the three proxy indicators and since
minimum requirement for a University academician
is first degree, then it is fair to say that MoCU
staff have got the required skills for ICT use.
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18. ICT Use
 This reflects on the level of use of ICTs.
 E.g. Percentage of individuals using the internet.
 ICT Use is basically determined by the other
two sub-indexes (Readiness and Capability).
 However, to get desirable outcome requires the
proper use (i.e. use for the intended purpose).
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19. Conclusion and Way Forward
 Since there is ICTs readiness (i.e. the
infrastructure) and skills to use ICTs at MoCU
then proper use will bring an impact on
academic development.
 Stakeholders should consider proper use for a
desirable outcome (academic development).
 Research can be extended to investigate on
the level and intent of ICTs use amongst
academic staffs at MoCU.
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20. Thank You!