E-Learning & IT Entrepreneurship

By: Samuel Nii DodooEducation Chair, ISOC-Ghana Chapter

August 15, 2016Kofi Annan ICT Centre for Excellence

2016

OUTLINE

Introduction Prospects Challenges IT Entrepreneurship Conclusion

INTRODUCTION

There is evidence that the ever increasing African

population is willing to engage with new technology-

based tools to improve their education and

knowledge.

In the situation where physical educational

infrastructure cannot be expanded at the rate at

which the population is increasing, the globally

known technology adopted is E-LEARNING.

E-learning: is often regarded as a ‘new’ form of learning that uses the affordances of the Internet to deliver customized, interactive, learning materials and programs to diverse local and distant communities of practice.

Global E-Learning Revenues

2011 - $35.6 billion

2016 - $51.5 billion.

Africa E-Learning Revenues

2013 - $332.9M

2016 - $512.7M

The Value Chain

Content Specialists Instructional Designers Multimedia Technology Experts Programmers/IT Specialists Instructional support personnel Managers & Administrators

Studies have shown that the

adoption rates of e-learning are not the

same for every country.

The cause of this could be traced to

the prospects and challenges this

technology encounters during the

diffusion process.

PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

PROSPECTS Individual Institutional National

Prospects (Individual)

Flexibility

Accessibility

Quality

Cost effective

Prospects (Institutional)

Increased Enrolment

Cost effectiveness Optimization of Resources

Competitive Advantage

International dimension to

the educational experience

Prospects (National)

Opportunities for updating skills of the workforce

Enhancing the capacity of the educational system

Emergency training for key target groups

Job creation

Increased national revenues

Challenges

Organizational – Financing, Structure, Culture

Technological - Compatibility, Complexity

Environmental – Political, legal, Social

User Adoption – Culture, Perceptions

IT Entrepreneurship

• Should Technology Drive Innovation?

IT Entrepreneurship … cont’d

• According to ‘Design Thinking’ MOOC by Iversity.org, Human needs and experience should drive innovation – not technology.

• i.e. using the designer’s sensibility and methods to match people’s needs with what is technologically feasible.

Infrastructure - Technology, Network, Bandwidth

Content - (Free, Open or IP); Quality; Format

Course Delivery System Human Resource – Instructors, Support

Personnel, Administrators, Managers

Learners

E-Learning EcosystemHuman Needs

Conclusion

Brick & Mortar/1-jacket-fits all Open Schooling

Teachers function as Repository of Knowledge

Train teachers to function as Leaders in Education

Teacher-Centered Pedagogy Student/Learner-centered approach

Technology as a subject matter in Education

Education in synergy with Technology

Technology override human needs Human needs driven innovation

OLD PARADIGM NEW PARADIGM

PARADIGM SHIFT