University of Behr el GhazalLooking forward to the Future

By David Pollitt

According to the Study in Africa website, UBG is located in South Sudan and serves four of the major provinces of South Sudan majoring in Business & Economics Degrees as well as Medicine and Health Degrees (2013, p. 1) paraphrased.

According to Dino J., UBG was opened in 2011, then closed a year later because of lack of funds, but it has recently opened again and operational (2013, p. 1) paraphrased.

UBG is currently in need of a fast and accessible Internet capable of supporting electronic books and online learning.

The MissionAccording to the Study in Africa website, the mission of

the university is as follows: “Contribute to provision of skilled human capital in areas of strategic, economic, and security importance to the nation. Help government meet the challenges of globalization of our economies” (p.1). The motto of UBG is “Knowledge is Prosperity” (p.1).

According to Study in Africa website, the goals of the university are as follows: “Establish a research-based and research driven institution; contribute to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); provide market-oriented educational programs; help revitalize local industry and local business enterprises” (p.1).

Futuristic Scenario Building The university must decide whether they want

to follow a doom-and-gloom scenario and give up or endorse new technology planning for the future.

The university must be acceptable to change in order to survive as a successful educational institution.

The university must be able to endorse internal and external scanning to better understand what most impacts how they develop a plan for the greatest possibility of success in the future.

New Technology Planning TechniquesEndorsing a vision of electronic books,

mobiles with camstreaming along with webcam and videoconferencing instruction and training.

Using stakeholders to visit other universities to better understand what to do and not to do in their technology planning.

Producing Library & Online Access with Blended

Classrooms

As Ron Zappolo in his interview with Thomas Frey mentioned in his video, Future Trends in Education, Jobs, Transportation, “Let the library produce things” (2008). A library acts like a communication hub for learning by providing facilities and expertise to develop student educational videos, Podcasts, and Webcasts. Having unlimited access to online educational resources is an additional key trend to making this library center a successful learning center. There must be access on all levels of online educational resources driven by a vast assortment of up-to-date equipment. Educational resources can include: Proquest, Ebscohost, IBISWorld, Reference USA, and a wealth of scholarly journals, professional articles, and dissertations.The educational technology trends pertaining to the UBG Project include the movement from classroom-only instruction to use blended (both classroom and online instruction) with the use of mobiles in classroom research; the use of electronic books in student learning, as well as iPads and like-kind technology.

Improved Unemployment,

With a successful educational program, unemployment can be

positively impacted. For instance, according to the article Education Pays: The

Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals

and Society written by Baum, Ma, and Payea, “The 4.0% 2012 unemployment rate for individuals age 25 and older with at least a

bachelor’s degree represented a decline from

the 4.7% peak for this group in 2010” (2013,

p.19). In addition, “From 1992 through 2012, the difference between the

annual unemployment rate for individuals with some college but no degree and

high school graduates ranged from 0.3 percentage

points in 2003 to 1.1 percentage points in 2010”

(p. 19).

Better CitizensSince this information is dealing specifically with correlation and

not causation, a line can be drawn between a more successful economy along with better

political and societal participation. According to Baum, Ma, and

Payea, “Among adults ages 25 and older, 45% of those with a least a bachelor’s degree, 34% of those

with some college or an associates degree, 21% of high school

graduates and only 15% of those without a high school diploma

reported understanding quite a bit or a great deal about the political

issues facing our country. The percentage of four-year college

graduates who donate their time to organizations is over twice as high as the percentage of high

school graduates who volunteer” (p. 19). There seems to be a

connection between education and how successful the well-educated

participates in politics and government.

BudgetsAs discussed by Thomas Rabovsky in his article,

Accountability in Higher Education:

Exploring Impacts on State Budgets and

Institutional Spending Patterns, budgetary funding from states

varies, but there is no direct connection

between educational results and funding

because it is difficult to measure results (2012).

Future Vision of EducationChallenges & Opportunities

•Technology Planning

•Robust Broadband

•Funding Sources

•Create the Right Kind of Coursework

Technology Schedule

First YearFaçade PlanningFundingBroadband Access

Second YearFundingTraining TeachersLibrary Computer LabsLimited Devices

Third YearAdd More DevicesAdd More Online Curriculum

Fourth YearProducing LibraryOutsource InstructorsAdd More Devices

Fifth YearOnline Courses Reach 50% of all coursework.

ConclusionThere is a need to continue to plan for

flexibility and change in this technology planning. It is through this planning that UBG educational technology planning will succeed. Once the planning for technology is complete, then there is no reason for UBG no to succeed. Planning for technology is the best process in their success.

References

Avalanches. (2013). Study in Africa. Retrieved from http://www.helpforafricanstudents. Org/study inafrica/index.php?option =com content&view=article&id=489%3Abahr- el-ghazal- university&Itemid=66

Baum, S., Ma, J. & Payea, K. (2013). Education Pays: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society. College Board. Retrieved from http://www. Trends.collegeboard.org/sites/default-pays.w013-full-report.pdf

Chen, M. (2013). The best way to predict the future is to invent it. Independent School. 72. p. 1-8.  Dino, J. D. (2013, November). University of Bahr el Ghazal set to open July 2013. Retrieved from http://www. gurtong.net/ECM/Editorial/ tabid/ 124/ID/11876/Default.aspx

Duetuschman, A. (2007) Change or die. New York: Harpeth Collins.

Groff, L. & Smoker, P. (2013). Introduction to future studies topics. Retrieved from http://www.csudh.edu/global_options/IntroFSTTopics.HTML

References ContinuedHout, M. (2012). Social and economic returns to college education in the United States. Annual Review of Sociology. Retrieved from http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/ 10.1156/annurev.soc.012809.102503

Learning in the 21st century 2009 trends update. Project Tomorrow: Speakup. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.postuniversityblackboard.com

Lepi, K. (2013, September). The 10 biggest educational trends. Retrieved from http://www.edudemic.com/biggested-educational-trends/

Marx, G. (2006). Future focused leadership. Alexandria, VA.: ASCD 7Digital & social trends for higher education marketing. (2013, October). Retrieved from hppt://thefutureindex.worpress.com/2013/10/29/7digital-social-trends-for- higher-educational-market

Rabovsky, T. (2012, February). Accountability in higher education: Exploring impacts on state budgets and institutional spending patterns. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 22, 675-700.

Thomas D. (2004). Are there civic outcomes to education? Journal of Public Economics. Retrieved from http://www.ideas.repec.org/a/eee/pubeco/v88y2004i9-10p1697- 1720.html

Zappolo, R., (Producer). (2008). Future trends in education, jobs, transportation (Video). United States: Fox News.