Success factors in ICT integration

Tony Bates reviews Sangra A. (2008): The integration of Information and Communication Technologies in the university: models, problems and challenges

The analyses covers success factors for ICT integration in 16 univerisities world wide. It seems these factors do not differ significantly to secondary education.

1. embedment of ICT in a overall picture: «use of ICTs was sometimes part of a larger and often hidden agenda to bring about greater cultural change in institutions».

2. Strategic planning is a process: action is often a «bundle of initiatives as a part of smaller or larger projects but not necessarily related to a global strategy»

3. Wide variations in strategies and actions: change management strategies; shared, well disseminated vision and capable leadership; specialised, centralized support unit

4. Common problems: problems of organization, lack of funding, high-resistance to change from front-line staff.

VET Kazakhstan is on the right path to encourage the dialogue between professional education and business on the one hand and to address qualification on-site as the main tool to overcome resistance to change. An objective might be to achieve a crucial level in developing,  formulating and communicating a common vision, covering the realization of the State Investment Program 2008 - 2012.

21st century learning

The slogan "21st century learning" disseminates fast: a google research for 21st century learning gives 75 million results. Some of the efforts are backed by leading corporation, for others it seems that it is also used as a marketing tool. The main consensus about is a switch to creativey, collaboration and cooperation, use of ICT technology, the independent, self-paced learning. Without doubts, these ideas are important. In an ever faster changing world, the old paradigm are replaced with new approaches. "21 century learning" seems me still a bit empty, comparing, for example, to connectivism, but the concept behind is powerful.
The diagram provides an overview. It is clear, it is structured and it gives a fast understanding of the underlying issues. I like that it provides a good orientation.
Discussing modernization in VET Kazakhstan, these issues are not yet addressed. One official said to me "we are not yet there to address 21st century skills". He has an argument that there are indeed basic issues to be covered, having, for example, a basic physical and institutional infrasturcture in place. Before speaking about higher skills, there should be the possibility to enter the system. Ressources and attention are limited, in a first step the priority is in following the traditional path.
Indeed, as the sector is starved from investment over the last 15 years, this is an important argument.
Is there an alternative? Should new approaches be addressed? Should it be considered, decision-makers, administrators and teachers qualified? The answer is yes, of course. However, there are limiting resources and the real danger to focus on lighthouse projects, small ilands of excellence within a sea of low performance and inefficiencies.
The solution is to switch, step-by-step, the balance to a more advanced way of these new learning methods, to lower the risk for decision-makers by educating them, to addresse the issue, to create appropriate capacities for dealing with new challenges.

Overview E-Learning tools

This overview has become - as far as I am able to watch - a "should know about " in the global E-Learning community. Indeed, it provides much-needed guidance in a complex and extremely dynamic E-Learning market Furthermore, I like:
* a lot of solutions do support Russian langauge
* google is a main provider of cost-free and highly efficient E-Learning solution (thus the seminar as offered of the project on Online cooperation and communication). Communities like Kazakhstan, which do not generate much income from ads, do benefit from them.
* Work and learning is more and more integrated.
Kazakh E-learning experts: join this global community!

The issue of E-government

The Journal VOX Populi, N3 November 2008, page 21, 22
The initiative in e-government is long-term and costly: around 16,5 Mrd Tenge in 2008 - 2010 or 100 million Euro. It is there - and nobody uses it. It requires 3 - 4 million active Internet users. But there are at the moment less than 2 million. Especial rural regions are cut of.
Bad luck that there is no similar initiative in learning!