The role of educational technology in Kenya

Abstract

The Project is aimed at studying the role IT has played in the education sector particularly in the developing countries like Kenya. This would help understand the situation relating to IT and the role the Internet plays in the education sector and be able to make a comparative analysis between Kenya and other less developed countries, with the developing and the developed world and the rest of the world. The Project is aimed at studying the role IT has played in the education sector in the whole world and particularly in the developing countries like Kenya. This would help understand the situation relating to IT and the role the Internet plays in the education sector and be able to make a comparative analysis between Kenya, other less developed countries and the rest of the world. While in other countries, statistics exist that help businesses understand the potential of the Internet on businesses and particularly in the education sector, Kenya doesn't. For example a study done by SQISS show that the Western world has embraced the advancements in IT at a very fast pace. They estimate that in the year 2004, 90% of the American homes will have computers and approximately 60% of these computers will have Internet connections. The studies also showed that most people are slowly taking their work to their homes and very soon people will be working and schooling from the comfort of their homes. There will arisethe so called, virtual schools and virtual offices where people will conduct business in cyberspace "Interqet And Society; A preliminary report by Norman Nie et al. Feb 17, 2000" In Kenya however, the scenario is quite different. Kraut, R in his write up to the communications of the ACM, December 1996 on 'The Internet@home ' predicted that the third world would still be left behind by about twenty years. He goes on to say that the year 2020 for the developed world will seem like the year 2007 for Africa and most other developing countries. This then means that unless Kenya wakes up to the changes in the information technology, she will still lag behind the Information bandwagon as the rest of. the world moves at an unprecedented rate. This project therefore highlights the various issues affecting the growth of IT in Kenyan Schools and Industry and the role IT specifically the Internet is to play in the classroom. It attempts to address the key role IT plays in Society and give recommendations on the way forward if Kenya and the rest of the developing countries have to keep up with the changing technology now recorded to be changing every eighteen months. The education sector has been chosen for study because it is in School that the Know-how on IT can be transferred to industry effectively. Data was collected through questionnaires from a sample of 122 individuals and institutions. Questionnaires were completed individually through the use of email, telephone, Site visit and the Internet (University of Nairobi Website.) Contacts were drawn from the education sector in Kenya and the general public through the Internet. The data collected was analysed and conclusions drawn thereof. Conclusions arrived at from the study included among others, recommendations to draw up the Country's IT policy and strategy, continuously improve the education relevance to industry through .., reviewing of the Schools' curriculum to accommodate the.present day state-of-the art technology .."'- - ... and a programme set up to continuously train learner-instructors and the work force in industry on the advancements in technology among others.