[kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in Kenya

Wed Nov 11 21:21:08 EAT 2009

John W,

I agree with you to an extend. However, I feel that clustering of all these
disciplines in one particular curriculum, either way or Cramming
one course with all that can possibly be taught in class, and meet what the
employer might be seeking for may not be practical in the long 
run. Infact this seems to be the case with the current curricula, where most
of the disciplines within the current course outlines really never
get applied anywhere. This is wasted knowledge. Just like, much of the
physics and the Chemistry you and me learnt in High school may 
just have been a real total 'waste' of  time, effort, and money. It might
only serve to create some walking encyclopedias with knowledge that 
never gets applied. Let us develop Specialized Training Curriculas way
before even the university entry..

Muthoni, if you would ask me, I would recommend that even before you
overhaul the current University curriculum, a crucial section of 
stakeholders that comprise the High School, and probably the upper primary
School fraternity, need to be brought into the fold in order to
develop and adopt what I would call a "Bottoms-up"  approach in arriving at
curriculum that flows right through the entire Education system 
as currently structured, with vision 2030 in mind.

Of course the other end of the production - The employers, who are consumers
of the Finished products, are equally important, but also
will need to make "Realistic" demands on the graduands.. When you demand
that you need graduates who have done computer Science, 
Electronic Engineering etc, all compressed in one,  it tends to lock out
deserving prospects for the job. It may be cost-saving to look at it 
that way but in the long run it won't augur well for skills development that
we have at our disposal.

Please cast the net far and wide, it's just as a multistakeholder issue, at
hand, just as the Constitutional Review is..

Regards,
Harry

  _____  

From: kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke
[mailto:kictanet-bounces+harry=comtelsys.co.ke at lists.kictanet.or.ke] On
Behalf Of Walubengo J
Sent: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 10:18 AM
To: harry at comtelsys.co.ke
Cc: skunk; waema at uonbi.ac.ke; moturi; sci-acad at uonbi.ac.ke; KICTAnet ICT
Policy Discussions
Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in
Kenya

Muthoni M,

I think its good to see Academia going back to the industry to ask for input
in curricula development.  Previous University Dons would rather claim it
was their sole prerogative to say what needs to be taught and when and how
it would be taught.

Indeed just looking at the recent post from Eng. Kariuki regarding "ICT Jobs
at Huawei" it shows the gap between industry and academia. Whereas most ICT
University Curricula continues to be strictly segmented along EITHER
"Computer Science/Info Technology" OR "Electrical/Telco Engineering" most
employers seem to be looking for BOTH CompScience/IT and Engineering
components from their candidates.

The Challenge then becomes, should IT students be taught some
Telco-engineering concepts or Should Electrical and other Engineers be
taught IT concepts? I know I have not answered your question regarding
inputs for the Computers Science program, but it is just that your question
provokes more questions than answers...

walu.

--- On Tue, 11/10/09, Muthoni Masinde <muthoni at uonbi.ac.ke> wrote:

From: Muthoni Masinde <muthoni at uonbi.ac.ke>
Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in
Kenya
To: jwalu at yahoo.com
Cc: "moturi" <moturi at uonbi.ac.ke>, "KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions"
<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>, "sci-acad at uonbi.ac.ke"
<sci-acad at uonbi.ac.ke>, waema at uonbi.ac.ke
Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 2:39 PM

Dear Nancy,
I agree with you; we actually review our curriculum every 4 years; the
current one is 4 years old and that is why we are reviewing it.  We have
always done it through the approach you have described but this time round,
we would like to incorporate stakeholders views.  Quality assurance issues
are well taken care of.

The issue of specialisation from 2nd year seems to be favoured by many and
we consider this.

Thank you very much for the comments and indeed I will be glad to receive
more ideas from ICSIT-JKUAT.

Best regards,
Muthoni

On 11/10/09 12:03 AM, "n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk" <n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk>
wrote:

> Muthoni,
> 
> This is a brilliant idea. In my view you benefit by eliciting very
valuable
> and resourceful ideas for the Curriculum from experienced and sharpened
staff.
> 
> An all stakeholder involvement in either curriculum review or development
is
> an IUCEA and CHE requirement. Its the right process for both academic
quality
> assurance and towards offering demand driven(ICT industry, Kenyas vision
2030)
> and custom  built training.
> 
> The revision is long overdue. In any case the requirement is one cycle
which
> is in the period of five yrs.
> 
> On CS, the direction focus should be specialisation from 2nd Year of study
> after the foundation units.
> 
> We in academia, believe in sharing "cable", here knowledge and ideas. Will
> share this with ICSIT colleagues in JKUAT and come back to you.
> 
> Nancy Macharia
> Deputy Director
> ICSIT  JKUAT 
> Sent from my BlackBerryR
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tuma Barua <tumabarua at gmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 17:19:40
> To: <n_macharia at yahoo.co.uk>
> Cc: KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions<kictanet at lists.kictanet.or.ke>;
> moturi<moturi at uonbi.ac.ke>; <waema at uonbi.ac.ke>
> Subject: Re: [kictanet] The Premier B.Sc. Computer Science Programme in
Kenya
> 
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