Strategies for Connectivity Configuration to Access e-Learning Resources: Case of Rural Secondary Schools in Tanzania
In response to address different development challenges, Tanzania is striving to achieve its fourth attribute of the National Development Vision, i.e. to have a well educated and learned society by the year 2025. One of the most cost effective methods that can reach a large part of the society in a short time is to integrate ICT in education through e-learning initiatives. However, elearning initiatives are challenged by limited or lack of connectivity to majority of secondary schools, especially those in rural and remote areas. This paper has explores the possibility for rural secondary school to access online e-Learning resources from a centralized e- Learning Management System (e-LMS). The scope of this paper is limited to schools that have computers irrespective of internet connectivity, resulting in two categories schools; those with internet access and those without. Different connectivity configurations have been proposed according to the ICT infrastructure status of the respective schools. However, majority of rural secondary schools in Tanzania have neither computers nor internet connection. Therefore this is a challenge to be addressed for the disadvantaged schools to benefit from e-Learning initiatives.
[1] MoEC. (2002). Education Projects and Programmes. Ministry of
Education and Culture. Dar es Salaam.
[2] ICT Policy, (2003). National ICT Policy of Tanzania, Final Draft.
http://www.tanzania.go.tz/ictpolicy.doc, Retrieved on 10th Oct, 2007
[3] Mason, R and Rennie, F. (2004). Broadband: A Solution for Rural e-
Learning? International Review of Research in Open and Distance
Learning, Scotland.
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/173/255. Retrieved
on 18th feb, 2007.
[4] Talavera, N., Alvarez, E., Mondelo, P. and Terres, F. (2001). Capturing
Requirements for E-Learning Systems Design. In Proceedings of
International Conference on Computer-Aided Ergonomics and Safety.
Hawaii-USA.
[5] ICT4E, 2007. MoEVT ICT Policy for Basic Education
http://www.moe.go.tz/pdf/MoEVT ICT Policy for Basic Education.
Retrieved on 3rd June, 2007.
[6] Sheriff, S (2007). Rural connectivity in Tanzania: Options and
Challenges. SWOPnet/IICD study report. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
[7] Menda, A. (2006). Tanzania: ICT education project amid rural
connectivity challenges.www.iconnect-online.org. Retrieved on 28th
Feb, 2008.
[8] Isamuyo, Z., (2006). Open Access ICT Infrastructure in Rural Tanzania.
Master-s Thesis, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm,
Sweden.
[9] Chitamu, P. J. and Vaunucci, D. E. (2002), "Networking Africa: A case
for VolP, In Proceedings of IEEE Africon, IEEE Catalog No.
02CH37385, George South Africa, pp. 361-366.
[10] Islam, A. H. M. R., Shafik, R. A., Hassan, M. I. and Song, J. B. (2006).
Next Generation Rural Wireless Connectivity Model for Developing
Countries. In Proceedings of 12th IEEE Asia Pacific Conference on
Communications (APCC2006), Busan, Korea.
[11] Raman, B and Chebrolu, K. (2007). Experiences in Using WiFi for
Rural Internet in India. IEEE Communications Magazine. pp 104 - 110.
[12] Hammond, A. and Paul, J. (2006). A new model for rural connectivity.
Washington, DC: World Resources Institute. http://www.nextbillion/
net/files/A_New_Model_for_Rural_Connectivity.pdf, Retrieved on 23rd
Oct, 2007.
[13] Chebrolu, K; Raman, B and Sen, S. (2006) ``Long-Distance 802.11b
Links:Performance Measurements and Experience''. In Proceedings of
12th Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and
Networking (MOBICOM), Los Angeles, USA.
[14] Hare, H. (2007). Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: Tanzania
Country Report. www.infodev.org/tanzania-2
[15] Anatory, J.; Mvungi, N.H.; Kissaka, M.M. (2004). Trends in
telecommunication services provision: Powerline network can provide
alternative for access in developing countries. In Proceedings of the 7th
AFRICON Conference in Africa, Vol.1, pp 601 - 606.
[16] Kalinga, E. A., Bagile, B. R. B., Trojer, L., (2007). "An Interactive e-
Learning Management system (e-LMS): A Solution to Tanzania
Secondary Schools- Education". International Conference on
Computers, Electrical, Systems Science and Engineering (CESSE),
2007 WASET.ORG, ISBN 978-975-01752-0-6, V-21, 19.
[17] Yair, A., Danilov, C., Miskin-Amir, M., Staton, J., Tutu. C., (2002).
"Practical Wide Arae Database Replication" Technical Report CNDS-
2002-1 Johns Hopkins University, http://www.cnds.jhu.edu/publications
[18] Kondoro, J.W.A and Nungu, A. (2007). ICT for Rural Development
Project: Provision of ICT Access to Rural Tanzania. In Proceedings of
Towards Multidimensional Partnership in Promoting Use and
Application of ICT for Rural Development Workshop. Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania.
[19] Simba, F. (2005). Implementation of Internet Protocol Virtual Private
Network (IPSec-based VPN) in Tanzania. M.Sc Thesis. Department of
Physics. University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
[1] MoEC. (2002). Education Projects and Programmes. Ministry of
Education and Culture. Dar es Salaam.
[2] ICT Policy, (2003). National ICT Policy of Tanzania, Final Draft.
http://www.tanzania.go.tz/ictpolicy.doc, Retrieved on 10th Oct, 2007
[3] Mason, R and Rennie, F. (2004). Broadband: A Solution for Rural e-
Learning? International Review of Research in Open and Distance
Learning, Scotland.
http://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/173/255. Retrieved
on 18th feb, 2007.
[4] Talavera, N., Alvarez, E., Mondelo, P. and Terres, F. (2001). Capturing
Requirements for E-Learning Systems Design. In Proceedings of
International Conference on Computer-Aided Ergonomics and Safety.
Hawaii-USA.
[5] ICT4E, 2007. MoEVT ICT Policy for Basic Education
http://www.moe.go.tz/pdf/MoEVT ICT Policy for Basic Education.
Retrieved on 3rd June, 2007.
[6] Sheriff, S (2007). Rural connectivity in Tanzania: Options and
Challenges. SWOPnet/IICD study report. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
[7] Menda, A. (2006). Tanzania: ICT education project amid rural
connectivity challenges.www.iconnect-online.org. Retrieved on 28th
Feb, 2008.
[8] Isamuyo, Z., (2006). Open Access ICT Infrastructure in Rural Tanzania.
Master-s Thesis, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Stockholm,
Sweden.
[9] Chitamu, P. J. and Vaunucci, D. E. (2002), "Networking Africa: A case
for VolP, In Proceedings of IEEE Africon, IEEE Catalog No.
02CH37385, George South Africa, pp. 361-366.
[10] Islam, A. H. M. R., Shafik, R. A., Hassan, M. I. and Song, J. B. (2006).
Next Generation Rural Wireless Connectivity Model for Developing
Countries. In Proceedings of 12th IEEE Asia Pacific Conference on
Communications (APCC2006), Busan, Korea.
[11] Raman, B and Chebrolu, K. (2007). Experiences in Using WiFi for
Rural Internet in India. IEEE Communications Magazine. pp 104 - 110.
[12] Hammond, A. and Paul, J. (2006). A new model for rural connectivity.
Washington, DC: World Resources Institute. http://www.nextbillion/
net/files/A_New_Model_for_Rural_Connectivity.pdf, Retrieved on 23rd
Oct, 2007.
[13] Chebrolu, K; Raman, B and Sen, S. (2006) ``Long-Distance 802.11b
Links:Performance Measurements and Experience''. In Proceedings of
12th Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and
Networking (MOBICOM), Los Angeles, USA.
[14] Hare, H. (2007). Survey of ICT and Education in Africa: Tanzania
Country Report. www.infodev.org/tanzania-2
[15] Anatory, J.; Mvungi, N.H.; Kissaka, M.M. (2004). Trends in
telecommunication services provision: Powerline network can provide
alternative for access in developing countries. In Proceedings of the 7th
AFRICON Conference in Africa, Vol.1, pp 601 - 606.
[16] Kalinga, E. A., Bagile, B. R. B., Trojer, L., (2007). "An Interactive e-
Learning Management system (e-LMS): A Solution to Tanzania
Secondary Schools- Education". International Conference on
Computers, Electrical, Systems Science and Engineering (CESSE),
2007 WASET.ORG, ISBN 978-975-01752-0-6, V-21, 19.
[17] Yair, A., Danilov, C., Miskin-Amir, M., Staton, J., Tutu. C., (2002).
"Practical Wide Arae Database Replication" Technical Report CNDS-
2002-1 Johns Hopkins University, http://www.cnds.jhu.edu/publications
[18] Kondoro, J.W.A and Nungu, A. (2007). ICT for Rural Development
Project: Provision of ICT Access to Rural Tanzania. In Proceedings of
Towards Multidimensional Partnership in Promoting Use and
Application of ICT for Rural Development Workshop. Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania.
[19] Simba, F. (2005). Implementation of Internet Protocol Virtual Private
Network (IPSec-based VPN) in Tanzania. M.Sc Thesis. Department of
Physics. University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
@article{"International Journal of Business, Human and Social Sciences:57091", author = "F. Simba and L. Trojer and N.H. Mvungi and B.M. Mwinyiwiwa and E.M. Mjema", title = "Strategies for Connectivity Configuration to Access e-Learning Resources: Case of Rural Secondary Schools in Tanzania", abstract = "In response to address different development challenges, Tanzania is striving to achieve its fourth attribute of the National Development Vision, i.e. to have a well educated and learned society by the year 2025. One of the most cost effective methods that can reach a large part of the society in a short time is to integrate ICT in education through e-learning initiatives. However, elearning initiatives are challenged by limited or lack of connectivity to majority of secondary schools, especially those in rural and remote areas. This paper has explores the possibility for rural secondary school to access online e-Learning resources from a centralized e- Learning Management System (e-LMS). The scope of this paper is limited to schools that have computers irrespective of internet connectivity, resulting in two categories schools; those with internet access and those without. Different connectivity configurations have been proposed according to the ICT infrastructure status of the respective schools. However, majority of rural secondary schools in Tanzania have neither computers nor internet connection. Therefore this is a challenge to be addressed for the disadvantaged schools to benefit from e-Learning initiatives.
", keywords = "connectivity, configuration, e-Learning, replication,rural.", volume = "3", number = "6", pages = "911-6", }
