the importance of ict policy development for education ...mad/ib7200/engagebangkok.pdf · the...
TRANSCRIPT
April 20, 2007 1
The importance of ICT policy development for education & challenges for research
E.M.A. Geers (Bert)
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), The Netherlands
TU Delft supervisor International Cooperation program on ICT
Member of the ICT4DEV platform of the Dutch Ministry for International Cooperation
Member of the Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions (SPIDER) network of consultants
April 20, 2007 2
Contents
1. ICT policy development and implementation for higher education
2. TU Delft as partner for ICT policy development and implementation
3. TU Delft as partner for ICT research
4. Example of research project
5. Final remarks
1 2 3 4 5
April 20, 2007 3
ICT for higher education (1)
• Researchers can access current literature; work collaboratively with colleagues around the world; submit, edit and review journal articles, theses and conference papers; and access web-based services and databases.
• Instructors can create electronic and traditional course materials including web-based resources and e-journals, communicate with students via e-mail, use e-learning tools to manage courses, submit marks; and issue and receive assignments electronically
• Students can use local and web course materials and resources instead of relying purely on lectures as the sole source of information and knowledge; participate in courses and programs even if not physically present on campus; and access online administrative systems for course registration and mark retrieval
1 2 3 4 5
April 20, 2007 4
ICT for higher education (2)
• Administrators can reduce archaic paper-based systems; can have certain
level of control over and knowledge about the areas they manage; and can
be responsive to staff and students needs.
• HEIs become attractive partners for research networks and education grids
• Society at large has the benefit of ICT-literate graduates
• With their new-found ICT expertise and experience, the university ICT
specialists become a prime resource helping the public sector start to use
ICT effectively
What ICT environment need to be put in place ?
2 3 4 51
April 20, 2007 5
Challenges for the HEI management
• What ICT services, ICT infrastructure, ICT technical support and what
competencies are needed?
• What ICT services, ICT infrastructure, ICT technical support and end
user skill development programs can be afforded?
• How to secure optimal deployment
• What should be the involvement of the various stakeholders groups?
• Internet / email services• Office automation facilities• Library information services• E-learning platforms• Academic Register Management IS• Financial Management IS• Human Resource Management IS• Academic discipline specific IS• ……..
• Bandwidth connectivity• WAN• Campus networks• Departmental networks
• ICT resource management concepts, organizational design, embedding and development principles
ManagementAdministrators
LecturesResearchers
StudentsICT technical support
GovernmentExternal (ISP’s, Telco’s)
2 3 4 51
April 20, 2007 6
Delft University as partner for ICT policy development and implementation
• TU Delft has developed partnerships with HEI’s in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East for ICT policy development and implementation
• Key: participatory approach for formulation ICT policies and ICTmaster plans providing:
- common, institute or sector wide supported vision (documented in the ICT policy)
- a concerted approach of actions (documented in the ICT master plan)
- a instrument for attracting required funding from national sources and international funding agencies
3 4 521
April 20, 2007 7
TU Delft partners for policy development and implementation
Latin America:
UNI- Nicaragua
UNAH-Honduras
Africa:
UoO- Burkina Faso
MU-Kenya
UDSM-Tanzania
UEM-Mozambique
Kist-Rwanda
Makerere-Uganda
Europe:
KPI-Ukraine
Asia:
USC-Philippines
HA-Philippines
CUSAT-India
HUCE-Vietnam
UCSC-Sri Lanka
Middle East:
HE sector-Yemen
HE sector-Jordan
Financial support from:
• The Netherlands (NUFFIC)
• Sweden (Sida – SPIDER)
• EU (Tempus TACIS, Asi@IT&C and AsiaLink)
• World Bank, Central America Bank
• National Governments
• In parallel: EU: FP6-3 other research projects
4 52 31
April 20, 2007 8
Concerted approach of actions
ICT services
Technical Support
End user skills
ICT data comm’sInfrastructure
TU Delft Resources:
• Future search approach
• Template ICT policies and master plans
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL/CTA-UK)
• Template ICT Resource Management (IRM) business modules and development plans
• Generic ARIS application
• Team of International Consultants from TU Delft and its partners
• TU Delft Research capacity
4 52 31
April 20, 2007 9
TU Delft as partner for ICT research
Areas of ICT research (amongst other):
Research group Distributed Processing:
• Grid computing
• Sensors for wireless networks
• Parallel processing
• Peer to Peer (P2P) networking
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 10
Example: TU Delft research project
Tribler Campus:
Relevant for cooperation on ICT policy development and implementation with partner HEI’s
An Integrated Peer-to-peer Platform for
File Distribution in Course Management Systems
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 11
CMS: Client-server architecture
Present generation of Content Management Systems: client-server
Problem: Not scalable
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 12
Client-server architecture
• Problem: Not scalable
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 13
Client-server architecture
• Problem: Not scalable
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 14
Client-server
• Common solution: better hardware..., more bandwidth….
• Expensive
• Not feasible for distance learning programs in rural areas with limited
bandwidth availability
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 15
Peer-to-peer technology
• All computers share resources / bandwidth
• Highly scalable
• Very low costs
• More users = better performance!
peer-to-peer
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 16
Peer-to-peer technology
Napster, Kazaa, BitTorrent, ...
client-server peer-to-peer
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 17
Tribler Campus Project
• Idea:
Functionality of Course Management Systems
with the performance of peer-to-peer
• Based on highly advanced Tribler P2P technology
- Improved BitTorrent
- Developed at TU Delft and VU Amsterdam
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 18
Tribler Campus prototype
• Prototype implemented and tested in the NL and the Philippines
• Extension (TC agent) written for Moodle CMS:
- Open-source, modular approach
- 10,000+ institutions, 150+ countries
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 19
Results (500 MB files, 40 available, 400 requests)
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 20
Results (500 MB files, 40 available, 400 requests)
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 21
Results (500 MB files, 40 available, 400 requests)
52 3 41
April 20, 2007 22
Performance statistics
• Download time statistics (500 MB file, 400 requests per day):
Average Std.dev Min Max
Client-server 19.1 17.1 1.7 53.2
BitTorrent 8.1 6.3 1.7 25.0
TriblerCampus 2.9 1.5 1.7 10.1
(in minutes)
53 41 2
April 20, 2007 23
Scalability: Requests
53 41 2
April 20, 2007 24
Final remarks• Current CMSs: not suitable for large files
• TriblerCampus: high performance at all times
• Highly scalable, stable and reliable
• Flash crowds, multiple campuses, distance learning
• Prototype findings very promising if not spectacular
• TribleCampus highly relevant for TU Delft partnership program on ICT
policy development and implementation
• Long term ambition: TriblerCampus first step towards toolbox consisting
of shareware, open source solutions for Higher Education
• Research Partners & funding (from FP7- IST and other programs) are
sought.
• Pioneers• Development and implementation• Research (security, validation)
3 41 52