Teachers’ Council seeks ICT integration in learning

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) has emphasised the need for professional teachers in Africa to embrace the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

This was contained in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by Mr Ojewuyi Muyiwa, TRCN’s  Head of Information.

The statement quoted TRCN’s Registrar, Prof. Addison-Mark Wokocha as making the call at the Africa Forum of Teachers Regulatory Agencies (AFTRA) conference in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

Wokocha said this in a paper entitled: The need to integrate ICT in Teaching and Learning and the role of AFTRA at the conference.

He said ICT had become necessary in the teaching and learning transaction in the information age and knowledge-based economy.

“Teaching skills can be more readily acquired and improved through the use of ICT instruments such as e-learning and e-teaching, virtual library, virtual laboratory and video conference,’’ he said.

He noted that the creative use of ICT–related facilities to improve learning opportunities had eluded a lot of teachers in the educational systems of many African countries.

“These are undoubtedly, the pivot of dynamic pedagogy and must indeed be the indispensable instruments of transformation of the educational institutions as trained trainers in content teaching and transmission, ‘’ he said.

The Registrar of South Africa Council for Education, Mr Rej Brijraj who doubles as AFTRA Chairman, said the ability to use ICT in teaching e-learning transaction would provide the needed transformation in higher education on the continent.

“It will assist in making our continental knowledge bases institutions to be internationally competitive, ‘’ the statement quoted him as saying.  

The AFTRA Chairman noted that the benefits to be derived from making use of ICT include saving time taken to complete operations and saving energy spent in performing tasks.

 Brijraj added that the 1998 UNESCO World Education Report noted that the world of teaching and earning process was changing.

He said the new technologies challenge had overtaken traditional conceptions of teaching and learning, configuring how teachers and learners gain access to knowledge.

He said this had the potential to transform the teacher-centred and text-bound classroom into rich student-centred interactions knowledge environment. 

AUTHOR : The nation . The paperboy.com

GOVE BRANDS ICT CURRICULUM 'A MESS'

ABOVE: Michael Gove wants to revamp the way technology is taught in schools

11th January 2012

ICT in England's schools is a "mess" and must be radically revamped to prepare pupils for the future, Michael Gove has said.

Teachers and industry leaders describe the current curriculum as "off-putting, demotivating and dull", and fails to inspire youngsters, he warned.

In a speech to the BETT conference in central London, the Education Secretary confirmed plans to scrap the current ICT (information and communications technology) curriculum from this September to allow schools to decide what to teach.

The subject will remain compulsory in primary and secondary schools in England for now, although it may not be after the Government's national curriculum review.

While Mr Gove's proposal was welcomed by many technology groups, concerns were raised by school leaders and unions about the pace of the changes.

The minister told the conference: "Schools, teachers and industry leaders have all told us that the current curriculum is too off-putting, too demotivating, too dull."

Submissions to the current curriculum review from technology groups say that the current ICT curriculum is "unsatisfactory", he added, with many worried that "it doesn't stretch pupils enough or allow enough opportunities for innovation and experimentation".

"They're telling me the curriculum has to change radically," Mr Gove said.

"In short, just at the time when technology is bursting with potential, teachers, professionals, employers, universities, parents and pupils are all telling us the same thing. ICT in schools is a mess."

Mr Gove, who said the proposals would be consulted on from next week, also revealed that he wanted to see new "rigorous" computer science courses in schools.

AUTHOR :DALIYSTAR.CO.UK AND PAPERBOY.COM

Taiwanese groups launch global ICT, green energy contest

Taipei, June 29 (CNA) Taiwanese nonprofit groups have launched a competition challenging students around the world to come up with the best carbon reduction or energy saving solutions using information and communications technology (ICT). 

Eugene Chien, chairman of the Taiwan Institute for Sustainable Energy, a co-sponsor of the event, said Friday that the "Incredible Green Contest" is aimed at promoting awareness of green issues in an era of global warming and climate change. 

Although the ICT industry generates 2 percent of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, applying ICT technologies can help reduce such greenhouse gas emissions by up to 15 percent, Chien said at the contest's launch ceremony. 

"Students all around the world are invited to join the competition" by directly or indirectly utilizing ICT related technologies and infusing them with innovative, green ideas, he said. 

The launch ceremony was also attended by foreign diplomats from 25 countries stationed in Taiwan who wanted to show their joint commitment on green issues. 

Acer Group founder Stan Shih, who also attended the ceremony, said he hopes the foreign officials will promote the contest in their countries and encourage students to participate. 

Shih was speaking on behalf of the Acer Foundation, another of the competition's co-sponsors. 

Acer's collaboration with the institute in organizing the event showed the company's desire to play a part in environmental protection, Shih said. 

Students can register for the competition until Oct. 31 by submitting a proposal outlining their ICT application. All materials and presentations must to be in English, the organizers said. 

The contest will offer a top award of US$60,000 and finalists will win a complimentary trip to Taipei Computex 2013, according to the organizers. 

The Computex is Asia's largest computer trade fair. 

(By Elaine Hou) 

CREDIT TO paperboy.com

Australia to import more IT workers

While information and communication technology professionals say work is thin on the ground in some cities, industry figures point to a future where more foreign workers are shipped in to plug the gaps between what employers want and what's on offer locally.

Entity Solutions is one of the newest entrants to the market of importing ICT talent. The contractor management firm finalised an on-hire labour agreement late last month with the Department of Immigration, enabling it to bring up to 50 ICT workers a year into Australia, under the 457 visa program.

Businesses can use the program to sponsor workers from a range of occupations for up to four years, should they be unable to fill roles with qualified local staff. The process can be an expeditious one, with many overseas candidates able to report for duty within days of getting the nod.

Entity CEO Matthew Franceschini said a key part of negotiating the labour hire agreement had been demonstrating that the firm's clients had been unable to find appropriately skilled workers from within Australia.

"We have been able to demonstrate that to the government," Franceschini said.

Our clients have skilled positions they are unable to fill. There's a global shortage of talent – it's as simple as that."

But in the ever-volatile ICT sector, one man's shortage can be another's surfeit. Entity's announcement comes as local recruiters and employers point to a slowdown in the market for contract staff.

Many ICT professionals are critical of the 457 visa system, which they say makes it too easy for large companies to substitute local staff with cut-price equivalents from overseas, either directly or via third-party service providers.

"Those of us on reasonably good salaries are being replaced by Indian or other international workforces at salaries significantly less than enterprises would be paying their staff," one senior IT network executive working on contract told IT Pro.

"There's an underlying theme here, in that the number of IT jobs in westernised countries are probably not reducing by as much as being reported, but merely being usurped by backdoor means through offshoring."

Employers would rather hire locally but it was not always possible, Franceschini claimed, and many clients around the country were keen to find a quick solution which fulfilled their needs.

Entity plans to use its 457 quota to sponsor developers, programmers and software engineers into Australia.

They'll join the 90,280 skilled workers, 8800 of them in the information, media and telecoms industry, who held primary 457 visas as of 31 May, according to Department of Immigration figures.

The sector accounted for 10 per cent of the 47,980 applications received from July 2011 to May 31, with ICT positions attracting an average annual remuneration package of $85,100.

Candidates most commonly hailed from the UK, India and Ireland, with workers from these countries collectively accounting for half of all 457 applications granted.

Successful ICT applicants included 1870 developer programmers, 1110 ICT business analysts and 1080 software programmers.

While recruiters continue to cite skill shortages outside the southern capitals, particularly in the resource driven WA market, 7760 of the 8800 ICT hires on 457 visas were drafted for positions based in NSW and Victoria.

Head of listed recruitment group Clarius Kym Quick said the number of high tech 457 applications would rise significantly in the future, if Australian students continued to eschew computer science and information technology courses.

ICT enrolments in local universities have halved over the past decade while in NSW high schools, just seven per cent of students are studying Information Processes and Technology, down from 17.9 per cent in 2003.

Economically-moribund Ireland, where the unemployment rate has soared since the global financial crisis, had become an especially popular source of willing-to-relocate, high tech workers, Quick said.

Some larger employers were forging their own links with overseas agents to improve their access to this talent pool, she added.

The chief executive officer of the Australian Information Industry Association, Suzanne Campbell, said systemic issues in the education system meant there was an ongoing and significant gap between the supply and demand of ICT skills in Australia.

"Industry uses 457 visas to supplement that deficiency," Campbell said.

Holders of the 457 visa span the entire ICT industry, from project delivery staff, software specialists and systems integrators through to senior executives managing major projects and programs, Campbell said.

AUTHOR : Sylvia Pennington, the paperboy.com,www.shm.com.au

ICT Conference To Address Issues In Cashless Economy

By Henry Ojelu

This years edition of the National Conference of the Nigeria Computer Society, NCS , will among other things focus on the benefits, opportunities and challenges of cashless economy especially as they relate to technology.

The conference which is scheduled to take place in Akwa Ibom State, south-south Nigeria between 25 and 27 July is the leading conference for IT professionals and stakeholders in Nigeria.

The conference  attracts practitioners, decision makers, policy makers and professionals from Nigeria and all over the world.

The event is also the key networking and professional event for advancing Information Technology for development and promoting the interests of IT stakeholders in Nigeria

Organisers of the annual event said this years edition which has the theme: “Towards a cashless Nigeria: Tools and strategies,”  will also hone in on related issues for the development of the nation and the industry, adding that technology provides the backbone for any cashless economy.

They said the theme of the conference was carefully chosen to evaluate the roles and strategies the Information Technology industry plays in the reforms and changes in the financial, economic and social sectors in Nigeria.

The event, according to them,  is also designed for the Information Technology  industry to re-strategise in the ongoing reforms and transfer from cash-based to cashless society.

Speakers at the event include the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr. Eugene Ikemefuna Juwah; Country Managing Director, Accenture Nigeria, Mr. Niyi Yusuf;  Managing Director, SystemSpecs Limited, Mr. John Obaro; Managing Director, Red Star Express, Sule Umar Bichi, and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Oscar Onyema.

Others are Partner & Head, Management Consulting, KPMG Nigeria, Bisi Lamikanra; Director General/CEO, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC),  Dr. Chris E. Onyemenam and representatives of Central Bank of  the Nigeria. 

AUTHOR:The paperboy.com

Zimbabwe: National ICT Policy Review Starts

THIS week started on a good note for the information communication technology sector following announcement of the commencement of the consultation process for a new ICT policy.

Policy consultations started on Tuesday in Marondera and proceeded to Mutare yesterday.

Consultation in other towns and cities has been slotted for later this month. The final review will be in Harare on July 26 after which the ICT Ministry will prepare a draft that will be used to formulate the national ICT policy.

ICT Minister Nelson Chamisa told a Press conference on Monday that the national ICT policy would be launched this year. The minister said the reviewing of the policy had been necessitated by the need to take into account developments in the ICT sector in recent years since the current policy was crafted six years ago.

"The first ICT policy was adopted in 2005 and was launched by President Mugabe in September 2007. It has served us exceptionally well as the starting point for the development and exploitation of ICTs within the country.

"However, it has been six years now, the time has come for a review of this policy, more so considering the rapid nature in which the renovation of technologies for information and communications take place," said Minister Chamisa.

The nationwide review will be the cornerstone of the new ICT policy as it seeks to foster serious consultations between the ministry and the people, ICT experts and other stakeholders. This is an opportunity for all ICT enthusiasts and consumers to air their views to influence the kind of ICT policy that they want.

One of the key observations made by the minister was the need to move with speed on the country's e-commerce framework and e-government together with the interoperability and the migration from the analogue to digital system.

The minister noted with concern that the country was lagging behind in this respect.

I received the news with so much excitement because it shows that we are a progressive nation because a lot has happened during the past six years.

Although this policy review may seem traditional or procedural to many, the ICT Ministry has a mammoth task ahead of them. ICT stakeholders and experts expect a policy that has answers to our day-to-day needs.

We have serious issues of website hacking, information security, network security policies and the IT governance statutes that we have to contend with as a country. A previous quick review proved that most institutions in Zimbabwe are operating outside any IT governance statute posing serious risk to organisations since ICTs are the bedrock of every entity.

Other issues of concern include having an IT manager reporting to the financial director which is the norm in almost every organisation in Zimbabwe.

This scenario has been identified as one of the main reasons why ICT development in most organisations has been slow. It has been argued that finance directors are more concerned in most cases with containing costs at the expense of beefing up ICT security.

An IT manager in most instances prepares a very technical proposition to the finance director to buy a new security server costing hundreds thousand of dollars and in turn the finance director turns down the proposal because they do not find the sense in fixing something which is not broken.

In developed countries, organisations have found a way around this by creating the post of chief information officer or IT director who report directly to the chief executive, managing director or general manager.

The National ICT Policy Review project is aimed to benefit all users of ICT services in Zimbabwe.

It has two main components e-policies formulation inclusive of e-Government and broadband strategies as well as technical, legal and regulatory frameworks.

It also involves e-leadership training and capacity building and the shared infrastructure and e-services development. Each of the components that derive from a National ICT Policy go beyond the basic individual rights such as freedom of speech and association but extend to challenges created by the explosion of new technologies accompanied by the increase in size and scope of data to be considered.

The main risks accompanying protection of such rights are highlighted in the loss of control by individuals of the use of their personal data and the increasing shift to automated decision-making.

Solutions must then be found to take into consideration issues relating to the creation of legal certainty, including protection of individual rights, transparency and regional homogeneity of ICT laws.

Minister Chamisa also noted that another aspect that they will be looking at is the mobile operators' licences that are due to expire next year.

"After every 15 years their mobile operator's licences are reviewed and we need to look at the pricing structures we offered them way in 1998," he said.

The review of the ICT policy comes at a time when the country has made great strides in the sector.

Zimbabwe has more than 78 percent mobile penetration rate and is well positioned as one of the fastest developing ICT countries in the world.

The fibre optic from Harare to Bulawayo has been completed but because of the UNWTO event, Government has to prioritise the connection between Bulawayo to Victoria falls to facilitate communication during the conference.

AUTHOR : Allafrica ( the paperboy.com )