ROLE OF ICT IN ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TEACHING STAFF IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN SUDAN UNIVERSITY OF BAHRI AS A CASE STUDY

IJAEDU- International E-Journal of Advances in Education, Vol. 2, Issue 5, August 2016 ROLE OF ICT IN ENHANCING THE PERFORMANCE OF THE TEACHING STAFF IN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS IN SUDAN UNIVERSITY OF BAHRI AS A CASE STUDY Hashim Abdelgadir Elbakhit Ahmed Ph.D. Faculty of Education University of Bahri- Sudan, Abstract Information and communication technologies (ICT) can be used to support and enhance teaching and learning process. The following ICT tools: computer, video conference, projector, mic and other technologies have been used in classrooms. These tools deliver different types of contents and serve various purposes in the lecture hall. This empirical research aims at finding out (a) the real situation of ICT used in the higher institutions in Sudan. (b) to explore solutions to overcome challenges of ICT use (c) come up with specific recommendations can be generalized to all universities throughout the country in regard to ICT use. Structured questionnaire was designed to obtain primary data, in addition to secondary data collected from references and internet. It presents results of a survey to a number of 74 of teaching staff representing eight faculties at University of Bahri - Sudan. The findings of this study revealed that teaching staff had a strong willingness to integrate ICT into teaching-learning processes. The innovations that ICT has brought in teaching and learning process come through presentation via computer (PPT), video conference, social networks, e-courses, internet, email to communicate with students. Moreover, the existence of all these media increased the opportunity to excellent practice of teaching-learning process. The study introduced the following recommendations; equipping the lecture halls with the suitable digital equipment to enable teaching and learning with computer programs, developing new curricula for applying the ICT as presentation tools, encouraging ICT use by teaching staff accompanied by training and capacity development, integrating the ICT use into the university strategy, and finally transformation of positive attitudes towards ICT into effective practices. Keywords: ICT, Enhancing, Teaching-Learning, Teaching Staff 1. INTRODUCTION The use of ICT in education is covering behind expectation and desire. The role of ICT can support this process which focuses on capacity building of teacher. Guma, et al.(2013) argue that, the use of ICT in the classroom teaching-learning is very important for it provides opportunities for teachers and students to operate, store, use, and retrieve information, encourage independent and active learning, and selfresponsibility for learning such as distance learning, motivate teachers and students to continue using learning outside school hours, plan and prepare lessons and design materials such as course content http://ijaedu.ocerintjournals.org 252 IJAEDU- International E-Journal of Advances in Education, Vol. 2, Issue 5, August 2016 delivery and facilitate sharing of resources. The nature and extent to which ICT is being used in education is considered to be vital. In spite of all efforts made, the use of ICT in higher education institutions (HEIs) in general is poor. (Smeets, et al. 1999) stated that high expectations with regard to the potential of computer in education have not been met. Initially, attempts to introduce the computer in education were technologycentred, the role of the teacher in the innovation process being ignored. These innovators tended to view teachers as organisers of prescribed tasks, indicating that detailed tasks had to be formulated in order to get teachers to use computer in the classroom. University of Bahri is considered one of the newest universities in Sudan was established in July 2011 to accommodate northern Sudanese citizens who were working and/or studying in the former southern national universities, following the separation of South Sudan from the North to form an independent Country. The University of Bahri is built on a strong foundation of academic excellence and relevance through highly experienced academic and supporting staffs, therefore it looks to be a leader in higher education inside and outside the Sudan, particularly in the field of integration the ICT into learning and teaching process. 2. OBJECTIVES The specific objectives of the study are to: 1. Determine factors influencing use of ICT to make teaching-learning effective in higher institutions in Sudan. 2. Identify the situation of using ICT in teaching-learning process among the academic staff of University of Bahri. 3. Come up with recommendations can be generalized to higher education institutions throughout the Sudan regarding to the ICT use. 3. RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1. Do you use the computer for presentation in the teaching process? 2. Do you use information and communication technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning process? 3. If yes, please rank the following tools according to your use? Websites ( E- Courses ( ) social networks ( ) projector ( ) email ( ) forums ( ) chat ( ) WhatsApp ( ) ) 4. Do you think that, the use of ICT enhances the teaching and learning process? 4. DEFINITION OF ICTs ICT is a broad term referring to technologies which are being used for collecting, storing, editing and passing on information in various forms. Computer is the best known example of the use of ICT in education, but the term multimedia is also frequently used. Multimedia can be interpreted as a combination of data carriers, for example video, CD-ROM, DVD and internet and software in which the possibility for an interactive approach is offered (Smeets, 1996). Recently, ICT definition became more broadly used as Fong (2006) who explained that information and communication technology (ICT) is an umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems and so on. In the context of (ICTs), virtually it deals with the software applications and computer hardware, and no doubt it became an essential part of the world of work in today’s world. Derek, (2008) assumed that a modern labour market is almost unthinkable without ICT, digital literacy is increasingly considered as an essential competence. 5. ICT IN SUDAN Sudan like other developing countries is still in the first steps of integrating ICT in teaching-learning process. Though it is limited by a number of obstacles. According to Hamdy 2007, in last two decades, Sudan’s experience in building and capitalizing on ICT as gateway for custom development is benchmark in the country’s history. The institutional, legal and governing framework was formed to advance ICT as a strategy for integrating the economy into the global market. The Sudanese national ICT strategy was formulated in the year 1999. This strategy focuses on five major areas, namely; technology infrastructure, human resource development, software (...truncated)