ICT in education (ICTE) in Bangladesh: an environmental analysis

1. ICT in education (ICTE) in Bangladesh: an environmental analysis Ahsan Abdullah Joint Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration and Secretary General, Bangladesh Centre for ICT in Education (BCIE)

2. ICTE: a conceptual frame • ICTE is • Use of ICT in education sector or ICT based education • Integration of ICT with educational activities • Teaching and learning activities by using information and communication technologies

3. ICTE.. • The basic areas of ICTE are • E-learning (EL), use of ICT in teaching-learning • E-governance in education (EGE) , use of ICT in education governance • E-library management (E-lib), use of ICT in management of library/documentation services • Link areas are • Policy infrastructure • ICT education

4. E-learning (EL) • E-learning components are • Development of EL materials • Quality assurance of EL materials • Training and application of EL materials • Development of EL infrastructure

5. E-governance in education (EGE) • E—governance in education (EGE) consists of the following key components • Education Management Information System (EMIS) • Education Institution Management system (EIMS)

6. EL infrastructure • EL infrastructure • Input source • Visualiser/document camera, slate/tablet, student response system, application software, PC • Output source • Projector, interactive whiteboard, display (monitor, TV etc) • Others • Digital camera, digital recorder, switcher, other technology

7. EL circle (software)

8. EMIS.. • EMIS covers • Data management policy • Student data • Institution data • Teacher data • Curriculum data • Other data

9. EIMS.. • EIMS covers • Student management • Teacher management • Institution management • Academic activities • Stakeholder connectivity and network

10. E-lib • Development of e-cataloging (database of reading and study resources) • Development of E-books (web-enable books and other reading & study resources)

11. Current ICTE environment in Bangladesh

12. Current environment in EL • Development of digital classroom in 20500 schools and madrasa by DSHE (www.dshe.gov.bd) • Supply of laptop, multimedia projector, internet modem • Teacher training on development and use of digital contents in Government TTCs by TQI and A2I projects • Blog developed for sharing digital content (www.ictinedudb.ning.com)

13. EL.. • A modern and equipped digital multimedia centre (DMC) is being developed in BANBEIS through Korean support • 3172 computer lab with multimedia established by BCC in educational institutions • Computer lab established in 14 Govt TTCs, 5 HSTTIs and in BMTTI by TQI • A project started for development of ICT training and service centres in 128 Upazilla by BANBEIS

14. Current environment in EGE

15. EMIS • Regular (annual) data collection by BANBEIS and DTE from institutions (post primary and primary) • Semi manual • Structured • Supply side based • More descriptive and less analytical • Significant duplication • National databases developed • No cohesion and integration • http://www.banbeis.gov.bd/

16. EMIS: GIS data • Education GIS • GIS database managed by BANBEIS • Limited number of layers used • Limited use of data

17. EMIS: On line services • Online registration (e-SIF), admission, exams(e-FF) and results processing by BISEs and BTEB. • Interactive and dynamic websites developed (OEMS ) • Online databases and queries (BISEs, BTEB, BANBEIS, DSHE, NU)

18. EIMS • A few educational institutions are learnt to use management applications independently

19. E-library and documentation services (E-lib) • E books developed and uploaded by NCTB for secondary level • E-book centre established at BANBEIS • Development of Bangladesh Research Education Network (BdREN) under process. • Connectivity with Trans Eurasia Information Network (TEIN3) • Most of the educational institutions not covered.http://www.banbeis.gov.bd/ • http://www.nctb.gov.bd/downloadpage22.php

20. ICT education • Computing made compulsory as a subject for SSC (voc) from 2009 • Computing made compulsory as a subject at secondary level from 2013 • Curriculum for the subject updated at secondary and higher secondary levels

21. Policy infrastructure • National education policy 2010 • National ICT policy 2009 • Master plan for ICT in education 2013

22. A goals grid analysis

23. Grid A Want it =yes, have it= no, So achieve or do it • Integrated and harmonised EMIS data management • National education data centre • Sub- sector cohesion • Data mining or KM • El benchmarks and standards • Quality EL materials • Strong QA and authentication process in EL • EL evaluation and rating

24. Grid-A • High level of professional competency in staff • ICTE research and study • Decentralised and coordinated DBMS • Unified educational institution management system for O&M • An independent national body to steer all ICTE activities `

25. Grid-B Want it =yes, Have it= Yes, So preserve it • Sustained EMIS data management activities • Online services • Strong policy infrastructure • Investment in hardware • Teacher training in ICT and digital content

26. Grid-C • Want it= no, have it= no, so avoid it

27. Grid-D Want it = no, Have it= yes, eliminate • Duplication of EMIS efforts • Departmental silo

28. Goals grid

29. Suggested recommendations • Integration and harmony in EMIS activities • Integrated and unified EIMS • National data centre and data clouding • Operationalise EL activities • EL infrastructure • EL material development, evaluation, rating, QA, training

30. Suggested.. • Development of a research MIS (RMIS) • Conduct ICTE preparedness study and follow up surveys • Conduct qualitative surveys on ICTE • On line data collection surveys to create more effective EMIS • Bangladesh Centre for ICT in Education (BCIE), the proposed national organisation to work on ICTE should, take the lead

31. Suggested.. • Collaboration between BCIE and CSE of BUET will maximise throughput