Information and communication technology resource availability and distance education in selected Universities in Somaliland

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Date
2013-03
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
Kampala International University, College of Economics and Management.
Abstract
The research intended to investigate ICT resource availability and distance education in selected universities in Somaliland. It also intended to achieve objectives such as, (1) to identify the demographic characteristics of the respondents in terms of gender, age, qualifications under the ICT discipline and number of the years in distance education field, (2) to determine the level of ICT resource availability in selected universities in Somaliland (3) to determine the extent of distance education selected universities in Somaliland (4) to establish whether there was a significant relationship between ICT resource availability and the extent of distance education. This study employed the descriptive survey design specifically the descriptive comparative and descriptive correlational strategies. Based on the findings of this study, the research has clearly shown that most of the respondents had access and used the Information Communication Technology resource in distance education and there was the significant relationship between ICT resource availability and effectiveness of distance education. In conclusion, both universities did not utilize the most appropriate tools, technology and media in delivery of distance learning programs currently, and the online systems were missing, and video conference systems were not available in these universities. Also, there was evidence that distance learners were well prepared to engage in self-directed learning which was very crucial in learning process remotely, so this research validated that the Transactional Theory of Moore was the most appropriate for distance education research theory, which refers to the theory on distance education that occurs between teachers and learners in an environment having the special characteristic of separation of teachers from learners where learners are self-directed. The study recommended that policy makers, practitioners and Somaliland higher institutions should continue developing and implementing distance education programs when those programs meet identified ICT resource needs and when they were designed and managed as carefully as traditional education programs.
Description
A Thesis Presented to the College of Higher Degree and Research Kampala International University Kampala, Uganda in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Business Administration in Information Technology
Keywords
Communication technology, Information Technology, Resource availability, Distance education, Somali land
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