Improving Undergraduate Programs in Public Universities in Kenya Through Ict.

IMPROVING UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN KENYA THROUGH ICT.

ABSTRACT.

ICT is a revolution that involves the use of computers, internet and other telecommunication technology in every aspect of human endeavor

This study focused on improving undergraduate programmes through ICT in public universities in Kenya. The objectives were to establish the role that ICT plays in undergraduate programmes, the extent to which ICT facilities are available for teaching in undergraduate programmes, the extent to which users of ICT (students, lecturers and ICT managers) are exposed to ICT facilities and the benefits of ICT in undergraduate programmes in Kisii University College.

The research adopted a case study approach. The target population consisted of 3144 students from eight academic departments, 20 ICT staff and 12 staff drawn from other non academic departments from which a sample of 314 students from the 8 academic departments, 20 ICT staff and 12 users from other non-academic departments, were distributed with questionnaires. 287 of them completed and returned them. The questionnaire was administered through drop and pick method using stratified sampling and then simple random sampling. Data analysis was done using both qualitative and quantitative methods, that is, Likert type scale, percentages and mean.

The findings of the study indicated that around 50% of the students agreed that 60% of their course work required the use of ICT. Thus, in the ever changing world of technology, ICT is playing an integral part in the learning of undergraduate studies. The study identified a need for the university college to improve the ICT center to increase its’ efficiency in serving the students, as it has been found core to undergraduate studies and much need to be done to make sure that students access ICT more regularly. The research recommended that the university academic department should consider revising its curriculum to improve ICT in all its’...