Analysis of the factors and attitudes that influence lecturers readiness to adopt distance education and the use of ICT in teaching: The case of the University of Nairobi
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Date
2006-06Author
Gakuu, Christopher Mwangi
Type
ThesisLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
There has been a very low rate to adopt distance education and the use of information
communication technology (ICT) based instructional delivery modes in the University
of Nairobi by lecturers. This situation has hampered the expansion of distance
education to all disciplines in the university.
The aim of this research was to analyze the factors that influence the University of
Nairobi lecturers' readiness to adopt distance education and the use of ICT based
instructional delivery modes, and how lecturers' attitudes influence their readiness to
adopt distance education and the use of ICT in teaching. Several studies conducted in
both the developed and developing countries have generally agreed on the factors that
deter lecturers from adopting ICT in delivering instruction in distance education (DE).
The main factors cited by such studies are: increased time commitment (workload) for
academic staff; lack of extrinsic incentives or rewards; lack of technical and
pedagogical support; philosophical, epistemological and social objection. This study
examined the factors that are critical in influencing the University of Nairobi
lecturers' attitudes owards DE and their readiness to adopt distance education and the
use of ICT in teaching.
A structured questionnaire designed to elicit information on the factors and how their
attitudes may influence their readiness to adopt ICT in distance education, was
administered to a stratified sample of lecturers in altthe six colleges of the University.
Factor analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Multivariate analysis of
variance (MANOVA) were the main tools used to analyze the data.
The results indicate that the factors that influence lecturers' participation in distance
education in other institutions in the world are basically the same and also important
to the University of Nairobi lecturers. It is also apparent that lecturers' attitudes
towards the adoption of DE are not negative as hypothesized. There is no significant
difference of attitude towards the adoption of DE between the various university
colleges. Level of readiness for adoption varies according to the college. There was
significance difference in readiness to adopt DE between the colleges. Results indicate
that there is a linear relationship between readiness to adopt DE(dependent variable)
and the independent variables. It is evident that there is significant positive
relationship between readiness to adopt DE and training in DE; formulation of an
open and distance learning (ODE) policy; support from the University administrators;
incentives provided to lecturers while participating in DE activities. However, there
was a negative relationship between readiness to adopt DE and the efforts the
lecturers are expected to put in translating course materials into DE formats; the time
commitment the lecturers must sacrifice in DE activities and formulation of an
intellectual property rights policy. The result also indicates that the University of
Nairobi lecturers support the use of E-learning in teaching. The results also indicate
that lecturers from "hard" science disciplines, (College of Agriculture and Veterinary
Sciences (CAVS), College of Physical Sciences and Biological (CPBS), College of
Health Sciences (CHS) and College of Architecture and Engineering (CAE) differ
from social science (CEES and CHSS) lecturers in terms of the importance they
attach to the factors that influence their readiness to adopt the use of ICT in teaching
Sponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
School of continuing and distance education
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- Faculty of Education (FEd) [1039]