A Decade of Technology Enhanced Learning at the University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania: Challenges, Achievements, and Opportunities

INTRODUCTIONAt the onset of the first decade of 21st century, educational technology has revolutionized teaching and learning process in many higher education institutions worldwide. These technologies have been praised in developing 21st century skills and competencies required for current and future workplaces (Bates, 2009) improving students' learning, widening access of education and reducing the number of students' dropouts (Carr, 2000; Garnham and Kaleta, 2002; Garrison and Kanuka, 2004; Lim, Morris and Kupritz, 2007; Vaughan, 2007; Collopy and Anord, 2009; Vaughan, Zimmer and Vallamar, 2011). Likewise, research has proved that appropriate integration of education technologies allows accomplishment of learning objectives more successfully than traditional approaches (Garrison and Kanuka, 2004; Prinsloo and Rooyen, 2007). Nevertheless, the last decade has witnessed radical transformation in the use educational technologies in sub-Saharan Africa, the continent that been lagging behind for many years. A report published by UNESCO in 2002 indicated that, sub-Saharan Africa has no option but to overhaul its education system-turning it from 'schooling' to 'learning'. Nearly, all institutions in the continent have started using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in their daily activities and a good number have seriously started using educational technologies to improve the quality of face-to-face delivery through blended learning and to increase students' enrolments. Overall, the use of technologies in education has led to ameliorate access and quality of both incampus and mediated distance learning in higher education.In Tanzania, higher education is the life line and dream for the majority school children, their parents, guardians, communities, and the country as a whole (URT, 2010). For the past decade, there have been tremendous efforts to expand annual intakes in higher learning institutions in Tanzania yet enrolment is still very low. According to Lindow (2011), only 1.48% of Tanzanians participate in higher education which is the lowest in the sub-Saharan region. Similarly, change of student body characteristics and an influx of educational technologies are also compelling institutions to re-think on their education delivery methods.Given this scenario, institutions in Tanzania have been adopting and using various educational technologies in a bid to expand access and to improve the quality of education (Lwoga, 2012). The study conducted by Munguatosha, Muyinda, and Lubega (2011), and Mtebe and Raisamo (2014) indicate that more than 80% of surveyed institutions in Tanzania were found to be using various educational technologies with Moodle system being the most popular.The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) like many other institutions in Tanzania has been taking advantages of these technological developments in order to increase access to learning opportunities, enhance the quality of education delivery, and in long run reduce the costs of education. The university started by installing ICT infrastructure in all colleges and halls of residence as far back as 1998. After being connected to SEACOM optic Fibre cable in 2008, the infrastructure was also upgraded to accommodate the newly acquired Internet speed from 1Mbps/4Mbps to 155Mbps (Mtebe and Twaakyondo, 2012). The connection to Fibre optic cable was accompanied with the installation of wireless within the campus and halls of residence. As of now, the majority of public access rooms are equipped with computers connected to the Internet in all colleges and halls of residences.The Blackboard system was the first eLearning system to be introduced in 1998 at UDSM whereas more than 16,000 users were trained and registered, and 402 courses were uploaded (Mtebe, Dachi and Raphael, 2011). However, ten years later the Blackboard system was replaced by Moodle due increased annual license fee which approximated to US$ 18,000 annually (Mtebe, Dachi and Raphael, 2011). …