Challenges in ICT experienced by nurse educators in tertiary institutions in Edo State, Nigeria

Global acclamation of the benefits derived from the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in all facets of life has made its application in nursing education invaluable to both students and educators. This study explored challenges faced by nurse educators in the use of ICTs in tertiary institutions in Edo State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design using a self-administered questionnaire was employed. The population and sample comprised all 36 nurse educators in the three universities that offer Bachelor’s in Nursing Science degrees, but 34 participants completed and returned their questionnaires giving a response rate of 94.3%. Results of the study showed that although nurse educators are ICT literate, they are confronted with challenges such as erratic power supply and inadequate facilities which affect their use of technology for teaching and learning. The study recommends internet connectivity for the offices of nurse educators among other steps to enable the universities to reap the benefits to be gained from using ICTs in education.Department of HE and Training approved lis

THE CONTINGENT ADOPTION OF ICT INNOVATIONS: THE CASE OF AN INDONESIAN UNIVERSITY

Using the context of a university in a developing country, this research is employing a single case study with embedded design to examine the perspective of academics as secondary adopters of managerial ICT innovations. By exploring the influence of mediating factors towards the adoption and implementation of the innovations, this research will contribute to and extend the hybrid innovation diffusion framework advocated by Gallivan (2001) in a university setting in Indonesia. Gallivan (2001) suggests that innovation diffusion studies should accommodate the contingent adoption scenario where the innovation is first adopted at an organisational level, leaving organisation members as secondary adopters. Universities frequently utilise this scenario as university executives initially adopt innovations before mandating them to academics. The framework is therefore a suitable tool to be used to assess ICT innovation diffusion in universities. The research has reviewed the available literature, identified the research gap and developed a preliminary conceptual framework upon which to analyse the case study. After the data is analysed, a refinement of the framework will be undertaken

Adapting an Online Learning Quality Assurance Framework in a Developing Country Setting: The Case of a HEI in Malawi

Covid-19 prompted many higher education institutions (HEIs), even in developing countries like Malawi, to abruptly shift from their traditional face-to-face mode of delivery to online learning. However, quality issues with online learning remain one of the greatest challenges to acceptance of online learning by many students and stakeholders. This paper presents an action research based study at the Malawi University of Science and Technology, in which an online learning quality assurance framework is adapted to a developed country setting. The adapted framework builds on the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Quality Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs. The contextualization and validation of the framework is done using a modified mini-Delphi technique. Validation of the adapted framework identified key issues including financing of online learning, IT infrastructure challenges, lack of faculty training in online teaching and need for proper quality assurance instruments for monitoring online learning

Study Spaces and Environments: Recognizing the Needs of Students in Africa

This study looks at the satisfaction of tertiary students with their institution’s library services with the aim of identifying study and learning related impediments and challenges faced by students from poor backgrounds.  A study of this type is important because educators need to understand that information technology adoption and implementation must first address learning needs and situations facing emerging communities.  The purpose of the study was to ascertain the reasons for visiting the library, frequency of visits, reasons that may have prevented visits, and to determine satisfaction and experience of users.  This was purely quantitative study, based on a survey of students. Satisfaction levels were measured across 20 indicators adapted from similar studies and sought information on the rate of library usage, the main reason for the most recent library visit and reasons that had ever prevented them from visiting the library. Post survey, three focus group sessions were conducted to discuss issues relating to home study environments and the preliminary findings of the survey.  Based on the item groupings, five service dimensions were identified. These were student services/facilities, staff, collection, study spaces, and availability (access). The study found that there was some disconnect between student needs and library services available. A large number of students (47%) indicated that they prefer to conduct their study in the library, despite indicating a high level of dissatisfaction with some aspects of the services, because home environments are not conducive to study and learning.  The implementation of many of the virtual characteristics of university libraries should be based on a clear understanding of the local information needs, searching behaviours as well as being cognizant of how and why libraries are accessed. Keywords: Library, satisfaction, low socio-economic, student needs, internet, study spaces, e-resources, higher education, Africa

Emerging political narratives on Malawian digital spaces

Social media platforms are being considered new podiums for political transformation as political dictatorships supposedly convert to overnight democracies, and many more people are not only able to gain access to information, but also gather and disseminate news from their own perspective. When looking at the situation in several sub-Saharan African countries, it becomes clear there are various challenges restricting social media and its palpable yet considerably constrained ability to influence political and social changes. Access to the internet, or lack thereof, is a recognised social stratification causing a “digital divide” thanks to existing inequalities within African and several other societies throughout the world. This article reports on a study that analysed a popular Facebook page in Malawi using a discursive online ethnographic examination of interactions among social media participants seeking to determine the level of activism and democratic participation taking shape on the Malawian digital space. The study also examined potential bottlenecks restraining effective digital participation in Malawi. The article argues that while social media's potential to transform societies is palpable, keeping up with the pace of transformation is no easy task for both digital and non-digital citizens. The study demonstrated social media's potential but also highlighted the problems facing online activists in Malawi, including chief among them digital illiteracy. Therefore, the digital sphere is not a political podium for everyone in Malawi as shown by the analysis of digital narratives emerging from the country's online environment, which opens its doors to only a tiny fraction of the population

Social and academic use of Internet by the graduate students in Finland and Bangladesh: a comparative study

The main aim of this study was to identify the social and academic use of Internet by the graduate students in Finland and Bangladesh. The study was carried out using mixed approach including quantitative and qualitative techniques. However, quantitative technique has dominated this research. For selecting the respondents of this research, cluster and purposive sampling method has been applied respectively. A total of 90 students including 45 from Finland and 45 from Bangladesh were interviewed. Data was presented through simple percentage calculation and graphical representation. The results were discussed comparatively both the cases of research. The major findings were; Finnish students were more advanced of using and accessing Internet than Bangladeshi students. Almost from all dimensions, Finnish students spent more time with Internet for the social and academic affairs. In some social circumstances like health issues, religious matters, and political aspects and in academic circumstances mainly searching job Bangladeshi students use more Internet than Finnish students. In addition, Bangladeshi students considered Internet as very important while Finnish students treated Internet as somewhat important for the social and academic discussion. The study concludes that the findings provided a practical scenario of the use of Internet by the graduate students of both the countries. However, for the deeper understanding and interpretation of social and academic use of Internet, there is a scope for the broader research initiatives which may cover larger samples and extensive qualitative method

An investigation into the use of electronic resources by postgraduate students in the department of postgraduate studies in education at the Central University of Technology

Masters of ArtLibraries use technology to improve the management of scholarly information and to provide faster access to information elsewhere. Over time, an important change was perceived in collection development policies and practices of libraries. Printed materials were increasingly replacing electronic forms of information. This research investigated the use of electronic resources by Postgraduate certificate Education (PGCE) students at the Central University of Technology (CUT). The research adopted the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by Fred Davis (1989) as its theoretical framework

The use of information and communication technologies by nurse educators for teaching and learning in edo state, Nigeria

Magister Curationis - MCurInformation and Communication Technologies (ICT) are for information storage, retrieval, display and transmission through electronic means in our day-to-day life. The use of technology in education has made both learners and educators to achieve new possibilities because life is made easy for them due to its inherent advantages which range from support of conventional classroom work, design, development of learning materials to accessing virtual libraries. Harnessing these benefits places a great deal of demand on nurse educators to improve the teaching-learning experience of learners. However, the major players, especially the nurse educators in Nigeria, have not been properly investigated to find out if they use technology in teaching, and if they do, what types they use. The study aimed to explore and describe the nurse educators‟ use of Information and Communication Technologies in teaching and learning in nursing schools in Edo State, Nigeria. It focused on the type of Information and Communication Technologies used by nurse educators, how they use them, and the challenges they face, if any, in the use of technologies with a view to suggesting ways of overcoming the identified challenges. An exploratory descriptive quantitative research design with the use of self-administered questionnaires was adopted. The population was all the 36 nurse educators in the three universities that offer the Bachelor in Nursing Science programmes in Edo State. Validity and reliability of the study questions were ensured and a pilot study was done to ensure internal consistency by measurement with the Cronbach‟s alpha consistency measure that yielded 0.85. Descriptive analysis was employed with the aid of frequencies, tables and graphs. Findings of the study indicate that the nurse educators use technology for teaching and learning. They all use the laptop 34(100%); desktop computer iii accounts for 33(97.1%). The respondents use these technologies in conjunction with word processing and spreadsheet for direct classroom teaching, preparation of lectures and students‟ results as well as classroom facilitation. Twenty-five (25) respondents (73.5%) use the mobile technologies such as cell phones and emails to send and receive messages from students. Thirty (30) respondents (88.2%) store information as well as browse the Internet. The use of these applications is quite high, unlike video transmission to receive recorded lectures from out-stations which amounted to 7(20.6%) and video conferencing to dialogue with nursing experts 6(17.6%). The CD ROMS are used for direct classroom teaching, storage of course materials and for rehearsal and revision purposes by less than 50% of the respondents each. The respondents identified erratic power supply, unstable connectivity and inadequate ICT facilities as some of the major challenges they encounter. In conclusion, the study recommends among other things that the various departmental and personal offices of the lecturers be equipped with modern technology facilities. The university management is urged to explore other alternative power supply like solar energy. Furthermore, all the role players are urged to play their part effectively to make ICT for teaching and learning beneficial and effective

Challenges of electronic surveillance in combating crime and addressing developmental issues in Port Elizabeth

Crime has been prevalent in South Africa, particularly in Port Elizabeth where violent crimes such as attempted murder, murder, sexual offences, robbery and hijacking have been reported to the South African Police Service. These violent crimes are mostly prevalent in police precincts such as Gelvandale, Bethelsdorp, Kwazakhele, New Brighton and Walmer. As a result, development in these police precincts has been affected negatively. This is highlighted by how developmental issues such as poverty and unemployment have been ubiquitous due to the manner with which crime has an effect on development. ICT companies are continuously providing solutions to crime-related challenges. The emergence of new technologies, such as CCTV surveillance cameras, drones and facial recognition software have been proven to be a solution to combating crime in some developing countries in Africa. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the challenges of electronic surveillance in combating crime and addressing developmental issues in Port Elizabeth. The study found out that the developmental issues faced by communities in Port Elizabeth include unemployment, poverty, a high crime rate, substance abuse, and a lack of resources. In addition, the study concluded that, the lack of education and skills development, gangsterism, unemployment and poverty were amongst the main causes of crime in Port Elizabeth. The study also revealed that, the SAPS does not have enough electronic surveillance devices such as CCTV cameras installed in high crime areas, thus, recommendations were made on how electronic surveillance can be used to combat crime and address developmental issue