ICT use in TIVET/MOYAS Institutions in Kenya: A Snapshot Overview

ICT use in TIVET/MOYAS Institutions in Kenya: A Snapshot Overview Field Research Team: Mike Ocharo – DTE, MoHEST Samuel Waweru – MoHEST Esther Wachira, GeSCI May Hooker, GeSCI Lina Palmer, GeSCI

Institutional Snapshot: ICT Use in TIVET/MOYAS • Examine the policy, pedagogical and technological issues in ICT integration process in TIVET/MOYAS programme provision • How is ICT being integrated in programme provision to improve vocational & educational training quality and provision?

Methodology… • Focus on system elements of training delivery: policy, curriculum, ICT infrastructure, organization & management, pedagogy, professional development • Targeted groups: Urban and rural TIVET/MOYAS institutions – Management teams, ICT coordinators and Trainer Specialists • Tools: Questionnaires, face to face interviews with institutional heads, focus group interviews with staff • Analysis: Content analysis, Most Significant Change Technique • Limitations: Demanding schedule, paucity of time

Interviews with…

Findings: Policy • What is the institutional vision (mission, objectives) for TIVET/MOYAS training provision? Does the institution have a written policy on ICT? • What are the most important factors which encourage you to use ICT in your instructional/course activities? • Vision and policy for course provision aligned to MoHEST overall education policy & quality assurance • Institutional policies at the emergent stage on ICT uses in administration, finance, examination record keeping • ICT learning & resource centre complex in construction • use of ppp & smart boards in course delivery • Existence of ICT Policy and Committee for ICT use in course delivery • ICT department used for training & for economic generation activities • ICT department should be pivotal for all other departmets • Cost cutting and effectiveness in teaching drives ICT usage • Integrating ICT into education a major step requiring instructor knowledge and resources

Policy • Tensions: • Online course content and/or delivery not available • No official internal ICT policy • No ICT competency profile for hiring of ICT Specialist • Traditional in-built methods of teaching & learning inhibiting new computerized options for training • Time limits preventing lecturers from adopting new ways of working • Lecturers lack both training and facilities • Teaching specialist applications outside the curriculum considered waste of time. • Curriculum obsolescence with technical requirements and technology infusion driving socio-economic development & growth • Lack of capacity to use ICT equipment • Student graduates lacking ICT skills upon graduation thereby creating negative image as product of TIVET institutions

Findings: Infrastructure • What are the non ICT/ ICT resources that you use in teaching and learning?What are the resource needs and priorities of the institution? • Resources needed – 2 labs for institutional and community needs • Upgraded hardware • Laptops, projectors, backup generator • ICT enables creation of more student friendly materials

Infrastructure • Tensions: • ICT equipment inadequate in resource centres to cater for student and lecturer/ instructor populations • Need to encourage depts. to change and adopt new methods • Lack of software / e-content for specialist areas and for flexible course delivery • Inadequate space for student population • Equipment obsolescence to take the high end applications required in technical education • Inadequate budget for technology acquisition • Need for ICT specialist instructors • Lack of capacity/ICT knowledge that limits the use of ICT in teaching and learning • Lecturers shy to use ICT • ICT usage not in the curriculum and hence a waste of time. • Lecturers shy to use ICT. • Limited integration of ICTs in teaching without involvement of ICT dept

Findings: Curriculum • What are the objectives for ICT use in TIVET /MOYAS programmes? • Do you use ICT for instructional purposes? How do you use it? • Need to integrate ICT for curriculum relevance • Requirement for social networking (email) for communication • All course manuals and written communication produced via ICT • National examination influence ICT usage and classroom coverage. • City & Guild exams seen as a response to demand from student market. • Exams involving ICT increasingly popular. • KNEC must find a way of incorporating ICT into the examination – so that the practical skills are tested via ICT use

Curriculum • Tensions: • Absence of dedicated quality assurance on ICT specific integration • Absence of ICT skills/ competencies in staff recruitment profiles • Student population expansion exponential placing pressure on space & resources • E-Learning course delivery necessary to address explosive growth in student population • ICT not a curriculum subject • ICT use for administration only / no instructional use • Syllabus doesn’t mention ICT - problem in examination orientated culture • National examination works against ICT integration. • ICT not used for instructional purposes outside of ICT dept.

Findings: Organization & Management • Does the institution use ICT for administration/monitoring? What are the roles & responsibilities that different staff/departments have to support ICT use in programmes? How does the administration support ICT use for your teaching function/ your specialized area? • Heads of all Departments undergo ICT compliance training • The ICT Department is meant to have a general role, not only conducting ICT training but also supporting the ICT use of other departments. • IT support externally sourced • ICT budget sourced from three lines - government, school fees and community contribution

Organization & management • Tensions: • ICT Dept capacity/ resources inadequate to support ICT use across departments • Computer facilities limited to computer rooms from where administration is conducted • Lacks of resources and capacity to support technology usage in teaching practice • Management board delays in release of funds • ICT not always seen as a priority during release and allocation of funds

Findings: Pedagogy • Do your lecturers use technology in their programmes on a regular basis? Which methods do you apply when using ICT in teaching and learning process? If you went into the classroom/ lecture hall of a good lecturer/ instructor/tutor using technology, what would you see? • Administration encouraging laptop purchase schemes for lecturers • Student graduates should have practical skills sets for application in industry • Good use of ICT requires authentic focus on real world applications - simulations that illustrate and clarify concepts • “What you see you don’t forget.” • More time required for experimentation & use of ICT in course work • No dust. A projector. Very little paper. Simulations. • Enthusiasm and new form of interaction between students. • On-line evaluations. • Shared expertise between institutions • Virtual teaching and learning • More interest from students and better performance • Students accessing self-managed tutorials and learning from each other • Competent instructor aware of what he/she is teaching and how to use technology. • Use of new technologies resulting in students with relevant skills to industry

Pedagogy • Tensions: • ICT integration a new process at institutional level • Articulation of national ICT Policy at institutional level still at emergent phase • Skills requirements for market place not articulated regularly for continued relevance • Not experiencing so many difficulties since not so much ICT usage. • Teachers with not enough time to explore and use a computer. • Funding, training, mindset are barriers to overcome

Findings: Professional Development • Can you get access to ICT specific training support? Have you been on ICT courses for teachers? What further training do you feel you need to progress further? What kind of communication and collaboration is there among lecturers/ tutors/ instructors about the use of ICT in teaching and learning? • All reporting is required in digitized format to encourage ICT use. Hard copies not allowed • Incentive schemes (study leave) to encourage staff development • In-house tutoring for staff development is an effective option • ICTs use in assessment has resulted in increased transparency during the giving of awards • ICT culture should be sustained and driven by ICT dept. • Industrial attachments generate very good ideas from students when they resume college

Professional Development • Tensions: • Limited resources to encourage staff to access and apply technology • Fear of change and “senior citizen” staff inhibiting ICT up-take • High attrition rates after post professional development in ICT • Obstacles hindering integration include limited number of computers, content, manpower, lack of equipment (software) & dedicated budget for TPD • Not so much interest for ICT use from colleagues outside of the ICT dept • 5 teachers out of 126 teachers actively use ICT when teaching. • Computers idle for much time as all stored in the same rooms. • No communication regarding use of ICT between departments.

Most Significant Change What has /have been the most satisfying ICT related learning activities that you have experienced? Can you tell a story about the most significant change ICT has made in your practice? (Video) Institutional Snapshot Change Stories TIVET

ICT use in TIVET/MOYAS Institutions in Kenya: A Snapshot Overview