The role of universities in creating ICT awareness, literacy and expertise: experiences from Tanzanian public universities
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Makerere University, Uganda.
Abstract
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Universities Taking a Leading Role in ICT Enabled Human Development
This paper discusses, analyses and gives a way forward on the creation of ICT awareness, literacy and expertise through public universities in Tanzania. Relevant literature and websites were reviewed and interviews with key persons were conducted to establish the current situation as well as potential in Tanzanian universities. The study limited to practical experiences of two public universities in Tanzania found the two to be actively addressing the challenge in various ways; formulation of policies and strategic plans, collaboration with institutions, agents and governments from developed countries, ICT based curricula, establishment of ICT infrastructure, ICT units, elearning environment, ICT short courses, computer science degree programmes, organization of workshops, seminars and public lectures, use of media such as television, radio, newsletters and websites. The paper, based on this study, recommends that universities should review the methods used to enrich their communities with ICT awareness, literacy and expertise in order to bridge the digital divide gap.
This paper discusses, analyses and gives a way forward on the creation of ICT awareness, literacy and expertise through public universities in Tanzania. Relevant literature and websites were reviewed and interviews with key persons were conducted to establish the current situation as well as potential in Tanzanian universities. The study limited to practical experiences of two public universities in Tanzania found the two to be actively addressing the challenge in various ways; formulation of policies and strategic plans, collaboration with institutions, agents and governments from developed countries, ICT based curricula, establishment of ICT infrastructure, ICT units, elearning environment, ICT short courses, computer science degree programmes, organization of workshops, seminars and public lectures, use of media such as television, radio, newsletters and websites. The paper, based on this study, recommends that universities should review the methods used to enrich their communities with ICT awareness, literacy and expertise in order to bridge the digital divide gap.
Keywords
ICT awareness, ICT literacy, ICT expertise, Public universities, Tanzania, ICT challenges