Guidelines for the Successful Integration of ICT in Schools in Cameroon
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Guidelines for the successful integration of ICT in schools in Cameroon Calvain Raoul NANGUE Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Magister Technologiae in Information Technology in the School of Information and Communication Technology Faculty of Engineering , the Built Environment and Information Technology of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Supervisor : Prof D. Van Greunen Co-Supervisor: Ms Karen Church January 2011 DECLARATION BY STUDENT FULL NAME: CALVAIN RAOUL NANGUE STUDENT NUMBER: 209080431 QUALIFICATION: M.TECH. IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DECLARATION In accordance with Rule G4.6.3, I hereby declare that the above-mentioned dissertation is my own work, and that it has not previously been submitted for assessment to another University or for another qualification. SIGNATURE: ____________________________________________ DATE: 21st March 2011 ii LIST OF ACRONYMS ANTIC Agence Nationale des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication CMS Content Management System FS Free Software GDP Gross Domestic Product GNI Gross National Income ICT Information and Communication Technology LDC Least developed country LMS Learning Management System MDG Millennium Development Goals MINESEC Ministry of Secondary Education MoE Ministry of Education MRC Multimedia Resources Centres NICI National Information and Communication Infrastructure NRI Networked Readiness Index TCO Total Cost of Ownership UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization iii ABSTRACT ICT integration in secondary schools in Sub-Saharan Africa is still at an early stage and already faces several setbacks that may undermine the various initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector to promote the use of computers in schools. Based on literature and other research, this may be attributed to the fact that no guidelines for proper ICT adoption in secondary schools exist; and furthermore, most integration cases were done haphazardly with no systematic approach based on the existing frameworks or tailored towards the real context in the schools concerned. The present study aimed to provide guidelines for the successful integration of ICT into schools in Cameroon. A review of some existing frameworks for ICT integrations in schools, as well as the innovative pathways that some developing countries have taken to ensure the successful integration of ICT into schools were explored through a literature review, revealing the trends and challenges of ICT integration in schools in Sub-Saharan Africa. The current status of ICT in schools in Cameroon being at an introductory stage was established from the available literature. This led to the use of a single case study from the Western Region of Cameroon, where four secondary schools were selected from the most advanced schools in terms of ICT integration. Participants consisting of principals, ICT co-ordinators, teachers, and students were interviewed, in order to establish the current status of ICT in each school, as well as those factors affecting or promoting the adoption of ICT. Teachers’ and students’ surveys, as well as existing documentation were used to triangulate the data gathered from interviews with school principals and ICT co-ordinators. Data were descriptively analysed – and the findings revealed that ICT is at the introductory stage of integration in the Fluck’s Model of ICT development in schools. At school level, the lack of infrastructure and an ICT adoption plan were found to be the key opposing factors to ICT integration, whereas several enablers were identified, such as the positive attitude of teachers towards ICT, the existence of a minimum recurring budget for ICT adoption through parents’ funding, as well as the continually decreasing cost of ICT infrastructure in the market. Based on the findings and experiences from successfully proven projects, a set of guidelines were derived for schools’ decision-makers. It is critical to put in place a well-structured policy for ICT in the school and to recognise all the ICT-related costs. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Above all, my profound gratitude and love are here addressed to God Almighty for making this a reality and for being on my side throughout the course of this study. This work would not have been possible without the contribution of the following: My supervisor, Prof. D. Van Greunen for her professional support and competence in providing guidance to achieve this work. To the co-supervisor of this research work Ms K. Church for making my research experience as enjoyable as I never expected it to be and for providing support all the way to its completion. To the entire team of the Information and Communication Technology Advancement unit for providing all it takes to achieve the best in this research: namely Prof. R. Von Solms, Prof. R. Botha, Prof. D. Pottas. I thank you all for this opportunity. The NMMU Research Capacity Development Department for their financial support in the completion of my research; My dear parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, for their constant moral support. v TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .......................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................ III ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................... IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................... V TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................................................. VI LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... IX LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................................... XI CHAPTER 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY ................................................................... 1 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT ................................................................................................................ 3 1.3 STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................ 3 1.3.1 Research Questions ......................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.1.1 Main Research question ................................................................................................................................ 3 1.3.1.2 Secondary research questions ....................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 Research Objectives ......................................................................................................................... 4 1.4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY......................................................................................................... 4 1.4.1 Philosophy ........................................................................................................................................ 4 1.4.2 Strategies of inquiry ......................................................................................................................... 5 1.4.3 Data Collection Methods ................................................................................................................. 5 1.5 ASSUMPTIONS, SCOPE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY ........................................................................ 6 1.6 LAYOUT OF CHAPTERS ................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 2 ICT IN SCHOOLS - RATIONALE, TRENDS AND CHALLENGES ................................. 9 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 9 2.2 CONCEPTS OF ICT INTEGRATION IN SCHOOLS ....................................................................................... 9 2.2.1 History of Computers in schools ...................................................................................................... 9 2.2.2 What is ICT Integration into Schools? ............................................................................................ 10 2.2.3 Requirements for a successful ICT Integration in schools ............................................................. 11 2.2.3.1 The Curriculum ............................................................................................................................................ 11 2.2.3.2 ICT Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................................ 12 2.2.3.3 Staff development and support .................................................................................................................. 12 2.2.3.4 Organisational change and leadership ....................................................................................................... 13 2.2.3.5