IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - September 2016 - 32

BENEFITS KENYA
Instructor Benefits
* Institutional Memory
* Personal Development

Institutional Benefits
* Supports Quality Learning
* Student Engagement
* Flexibility
* Meeting Student Demand
* Tracking Student Progress
* More Access to Learning Materials
* Supporting Learning
* Beyond the Classroom
* Cost Reduction
* Efficiency

* Increase Intake and
Geographic Scope
* Supports Plagiarism Checker
* Supports Distance Learning
* Increase Investment
in Infrastructure and Skills

Figure 1. Benefits from instructor and institutional perspectives [1].

to skills gaps and lack of necessary time to set up quizzes and engage with very large classes online. It is sometimes much more straightforward to focus on devices
and infrastructure rather than addressing the larger challenges related to pedagogical change requirements and
content standards [4]. The study undertaken in [18]
determined that challenges facing students in using an
online collaborative environment included limited time
to participate, slow Internet connectivity, lack of feedback from instructors, and low participation from group
members in joint tasks.
Other potential LMS efficiencies identified that are not
fully exploited relate to the ability to automate assessments, reduce cheating through plagiarism checking,
and contribute towards creating an institutional memory
[1]. It was noticeable that the concept and strategic
importance of supporting the development of an institutional memory did not appear in the literature reviewed.
Perceived challenges of using TEL from an institutional and instructor perspective were grouped into
three main areas: skills deficits, infrastructure challenges, and change management challenges [1].
There was strong agreement that while technical
training is available on an ad-hoc basis, more structured training on content development and collaboration tools is required to address the current skills

deficit [1]. These findings are consistent with [9], [11],
[13], and [14].
Infrastructure challenges were perceived to include
restrictions on access to the LMS (networking, connectivity, availability of devices), upgrading equipment, and
costs associated with digitization [1]. The work of [9],
[10], and [15] highlighted the importance of effective
e-infrastructure that can support the levels of student
interaction required. Kashorda and Waema [9] outline
that initially the cost of instruction may increase due to
infrastructure and content development investment.
Ongoing efforts to address these issues were acknowledged. KENET has provided support to enable campus
WiFi zones. During 2011 there was a national Wezesha
Laptop initiative in Kenya to provide registered university students with a subsidy towards purchasing a laptop
[3]. This program implemented through the Kenya
Transparency and Communications Infrastructure Project was very beneficial in increasing access to devices.
To partially mitigate the current ratio of computers to
students, students are being encouraged to bring their
own devices (smartphones, tablets, and laptops).
Change management challenges identified included:
development of institutional policies addressing teaching
and learning with technology; policies for BYOD; agreeing to a consistent understanding of what is expected in

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