Implementing ICT in all Teachers Colleges:

The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Tanzania made a decision to expand the use of ICT to all government teachers colleges in Tanzania followed a two year pilot project in Kasulu Teachers College and a feasibility study assessing all 34 colleges in the country. Both the pilot and the study concluded that ICT would have a positive impact on colleges by improving communication, provide opportunities for professional development and facilitating the application of ICT in teaching and learning.

The Aims of the Project:

The main purpose of the project is to create a workforce of highly skilled teachers with the appropriate skills to apply ICT to teaching and learning. With these skills, teachers will access education resources to be able to produce quality teaching material and have the opportunity to change their teaching methods to include knowledge based and participatory learning. It is hope that all this will improve teaching and learning and address the poor standards in schools.
 

Technical design:

All the 34 teacher colleges in Tanzania have been equipped with computer laboratories of networked thin client computer terminals powered by Sun Microsystems servers using Solaris operating system, an open access centre, seminar room and a provision for Educational Management System (EMIS).

Key features:

• Broadband Internet through VSATs in all the 34 Teacher Colleges.
• Dedicated pooled bandwidth (2MB downlink and 1MB uplink).
• Free open Source Software (FOSS).
• Think client networking.
• Common hardware and software platform.
• Low voltage, low energy computers.
• Centralised technical support. Technical support is provided using remote management tools.

The project’s success and sustainability will be guaranteed through extensive training and technical services that ensure that even the smallest and most remote college will not be disadvantaged.

 More information about the project can be obtained from the project website

http://www.teachers.or.tz/

Aims of the workshop

This workshop which was held (4th -6th ) Dec 2007 at Morogoro Teachers College was the first in which all College Academic Deans, College ICT Tutors and Ministry of Education staff looked at the practicalities of using ICT in subject teaching.
The workshop aimed at:

• Looking at the existing use of ICT in teaching and learning in Teacher Education Colleges.
• Looking at best practice through model lessons that maximise the benefits of ICT in teaching and learning.
• Setting goals and achievable targets.
• Having practical activities using ICT in teaching and learning.
• Planning the way forward to introduce ICT in Teaching and Learning in all teachers Colleges.

Kakinda Daniel, the Executive and Training Director of SchoolNet Uganda was invited to the Workshop and made a presentation on Using Educational Technology to Enhance Teaching