E-learning@USIU By Meoli Kashorda, Ph. D. , MIEEE Associate Professor of Information Systems & Dean, School of Business USIU Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 1
Outline of presentation • Institutional context and infrastructure – Kenyan economic and ICT indicators -challenges – University vision, mission and accreditation – USIU student and faculty profiles • The goals of IT systems and e-learning at USIU – Effective use of the Internet for Teaching and Learning • Content development and quality assurance • Cost of using IT at USIU – Technology and financing challenges • What have we learned? Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 2
Where is Kenya? Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 3
Where is USIU located? Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 4
Economic and Human Development Indicators (2001) Tanzania Kenya Turkey 30. 7 South Africa 43. 2 Population (millions) 34. 5 GNI per capita (US$ - Atlas) 270 340 2900 2540 GNI per capita (PPP $) 540 970 9510 6640 HDI rank/HDI 151/0. 440 134/0. 513 107/0. 695 85/0. 742 Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 66. 2 5
ICT Infrastructure indicators Tanzania Kenya Population (millions) 34. 5 30. 7 South Africa 43. 2 Fixed telephones (per 1000) 5 10 114 280 In largest city (per 1000 people) 31 78 415 388 Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 Turkey 66. 2 6
ICT readiness of Kenya (2002) (Harvard methodology) Stage Information Infrastructure ICT Trade Policy Telecommunications & Regulation E-Government Internet Affordability Network Speed & Quality B 2 B Electronic Commerce Hardware & Software B 2 C Electronic Commerce Services & Support ICT Employment Opportunities Schools Access to ICTs in the Workplace Enhancing Education with ICTs in Everyday life Locally Relevant Content Meoli Kashorda Internet Availability Developing the ICT Workforce People & Organisations online World Education Market May 2003 7
University vision and mission • Vision statement – To be the premier institution of higher learning in the Eastern Africa region • Mission outcomes – Higher order thinking (analytical & critical thinking skills) – Literacy – oral, written and technological literacy – Multicultural perspective (how to accommodate diversity) – Preparedness for career; Desire to be of service to the community Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 8
University accreditation • Dual accreditation – In Kenya by Commission for Higher Education – In US by Western Association of Schools & Colleges • Professional accreditation – AACSB – starts the process in AY 2003 -2004 Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 9
USIU student and faculty profiles • Over 2700 undergraduate and graduate students – 10% are international students from over 40 different countries • Over 80 % of students in School of Business – Includes 400 majors in Information Systems program • Over 300 MBA students – About 80% are executives of local and multinational business organization in Kenya • Full-time faculty with diverse educational and professional backgrounds (North America, Europe, Kenya) Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 10
USIU MBA Tuition comparisons USIU, Nairobi UG business major $3, 000 Alliant Int’l $22, 000 University, San Diego Meoli Kashorda UG Nonbusiness major $4, 000 Tuition per year/GNI per capita 4. 17 $32, 000 0. 32 World Education Market May 2003 11
MBA tuition at USIU • In absolute terms, it is about 8 times cheaper to study at USIU than at Alliant Int’l University for the same MBA degree • Demand for quality MBA degree programs is very high in Kenya – USIU rejection rate is about 40% • Tuition fees of $3, 000 competitive with other MBA programs in Kenya – University of Nairobi has a large MBA program of about 800 students – about the same fees as USIU Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 12
Reasons for using IT and elearning at USIU • IT (includes e-learning) is a strategic inflection point in global higher education • To increase effectiveness of teaching and learning • To increase efficiency – in learning, teaching & administration – E. g. , USIU has a flat organizational structure • To serve the learning needs of our graduate students – Over 80% full-time employees Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 13
E-learning as the Sixth Force with a 10 X force Existing rivals Complementors Customers The Business Suppliers Meoli Kashorda Potential competitors (New Entrants) Substitute products or services (e-learning) World Education Market May 2003 14
Effective and efficient teaching • There is an acute shortage of business and IT faculty in all Kenyan Universities – IT could utilize remaining faculty in a costeffective manner • Improved testing, assessment, and evaluation methods – Efficiency of the process significant for faculty with increasing workload. Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 15
IT and effective learning environments • To improve learning resources – ability to create, maintain, and deliver learning resources which are current, consistent and readily available • There is evidence that IT helps learning – Seven Principles for Good UG Education • Improved communications – students/student, student/faculty, student/administration • Effective integration of on-line library resources and the e-learning environment Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 16
Mixed-mode delivery options • Classroom instruction - face to face • Synchronous delivery – video conferencing – Teacher and student separated by distance, not necessarily long • Asynchronous delivery – e-mail, discussion groups, notes, assignments, and experiments • E-learning at USIU is asynchronous and includes classroom instruction Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 17
E-learning quality assurance process • Life-cycle approach to developing the e-learning content with following phases: – Initiation, development, implementation, and operations and maintenance phases • Initiation phase started in 1998 with small pilot projects, development phase started in 2000 • E-learning content and delivery subjected to the same quality assurance process as regular courses – Learning outcomes are the same; delivery different. Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 18
E-learning quality assurance process (cont) • Faculty member initially attends training – Training by experienced faculty member and/or on-line seminars/workshops • Faculty member develops the content while teaching the regular classroom-based course • Faculty teaches course again using the draft of content developed (mixed mode delivery) • Content peer reviewed by another faculty member who makes recommendations • Final approval by curriculum committee Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 19
IT Infrastructure@USIU • Networked campus with institutional access to Internet – Administrative and faculty offices, library and IT labs • Integrated student and financial information systems implemented since 1997 – Students can register on-line or check grades • Library is fully automated with access to over 7 Internet databases for our programs • Well-equipped teaching labs and student workrooms with extended opening hours Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 20
Cost of using IT@USIU • Bandwidth is expensive in Kenya – $800/month for a 64 kb/s permanent connection • Cost of a non-branded PC about $900 • Software license costs are relatively high – – Administrative IT system license - $20, 000/year Library system license – $24, 000 per year E-learning platform license (Web. CT) - $7, 000/year Microsoft OS/applications - $45 /PC per year Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 21
Cost of IT@USIU • Capital investment per student lab about $40, 000 – Includes cabling, furniture, PCs and other networking accessories • Quality IT personnel costs relatively low but still significant – About $5, 000 per year in wages for e-learning system administrator • No local support for e-learning platform, library or mission-critical student information system – External on-line or internal support by USIU personnel Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 22
How does USIU finance IT investments and support • All IT investments funded using tuition – Relatively small lab fee pays for operational expenses (US$ 31 lab fee per term) – Current teaching labs being used as e-learning labs in the evening and weekends • Total cost of IT systems about 8% of the total revenue – Academic IT alone is about 6% of total revenue Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 23
Cost/student for Internet access Type of access Analog dial-up access (28. 8 kb/s modem) Digital dial-up access (64 kb/s ISDN line) USIU computer lab access (128/512 kb/s) Meoli Kashorda Total cost/ 10 week term (US$) $475 $ 2450 $31. 25 World Education Market May 2003 24
Current status of the MBA elearning • About 65% of foundation courses on-line • About 30% of the core MBA courses online • Goal: 100% on-line component of all MBA courses by end of AY 2002 -2003 • E-learning forum for faculty support – Training and peer support for content development Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 25
What have we learned? • A well-developed Intranet is crucial for success in training and developing on-line materials – E-learning labs necessary in our environment • Good and motivated faculty essential for success • Quality IT professionals need to be part of elearning project – University provides leadership • Invest in faculty training, content development and quality assurance Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 26
What have we learned? • MBA students are excited about e-learning courses – response is better than we expected in current ICT environment • Developing quality e-learning content is the slowest and most challenging part of the project • It is possible and necessary to develop internal capacity for e-learning even with a constrained national telecommunications infrastructure Meoli Kashorda World Education Market May 2003 27
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