The challenge of HIV/AIDS: Where does agroforestry fit in? - World ...

Chapter 19: Can e-learning support agricultural development in developing countries?157making it possible to send vast amounts ofinformation anywhere in the world in seconds– at an ever-decreasing cost. This newtechnology greatly facilitates the acquisitionand absorption of knowledge, offeringdeveloping countries unprecedented opportunitiesto enhance educational systems,improve policy formation and execution,and widen the range of opportunities forbusiness and the poor.” (World Bank 1999).While encouraging, the World Bank statementplaces a tremendous responsibility oneducators and trainers. But while the technologywill greatly facilitate informationacquisition, it will do nothing for the ‘absorptionof knowledge’ if the content is notstructured and organized in a meaningfulway. In other words, technology alone doesnot ‘create’ knowledge; it is the quality anddesign of the content that matters. Poorlydesigned and structured material deliveredby distance learning is just as ineffective aswhen it is delivered face-to-face.Computer and Internet availability, policiesand training vary widely throughout Africa.For example, in 2001 in Kenya 1.6 per centof the total population were Internet users.In Zambia, the figure was less than onepercent (World Bank 2002). These figuresare increasing rapidly as people realizethe benefits of ICT. Professor Abdulrazak,Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research andExtension at Egerton University in Kenyabelieves that “investing in computer-baseddistance learning allows greater opportunitiesfor future generations of students andfaculty to access and to fully take part inthe global information society” (Abdulrazak2004). However, Internet access islimited, at present, to well-resourced, wellfundedinstitutions and regions.Table 1 shows that most Internet users arein North America, Europe and, to a lesserextent, Asia and the Pacific Rim. Africahas the lowest user numbers, next to LatinAmerica. It also illustrates the large gap betweenusage, indicating the difficulties associatedwith developing e-learning. However,the number of users is rising everywhere.Limited Internet connectivity and bandwidthavailability is a major obstacle toincreasing Internet use and e-learning inAfrica. Figure 2 shows the connectivity inAfrica through bits per capita (BPC). Thistakes into consideration the wide range ofInternet applications available, from personaluse to cybercafes and business transactions.The map shows the Internationallevel (bpc) bandwidth available in eachAfrican country with the darker shadedcountries having the most accessablity andthe lighter shaded countries with the least.The high percentage of outsourcing Internetand satellite coverage outside of Africamakes bandwidth availability expensivebecause of the telecommunication and administrativeupkeep of such a system, andlimits the amount of Internet use in educationalsettings. The average cost of using alocal dial-up Internet account for 20 hoursa month in Africa is about US$60 (Etta andParvyn Wamahiu 2003).Table 1.Source: Dennis (2000).Despite the technical barriers to computerbasedICT development in Africa (and to alesser extent in other regions), e-learningis developing in response to the growingneed for access to education. Even wherereliable Internet connection is not yet possible,e-learning is being developed, basedon the assumption that ICT infrastructurewill continue to grow in the coming years.Therefore, establishing the theoretical andpedagogical background in e-learning willensure valuable benefits in the future.Figure 2. Internet connectivity in Africa.Source: IDRC 2003. For the full colour versionof this map see http://web.idrc.ca/en/ev-6568-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html.Active adult Internet users aged 14 and over, worldwide (in millions).2000 2001 2002 2003 2004North America 97.6 114.4 130.8 147.7 160.6Europe 70.1 107.8 152.7 206.5 254.9Asia and the Pacific Rim 48.7 63.8 85.4 118.8 173.0Latin America 9.9 15.3 22.1 31.0 40.8Africa and the Middle East 3.5 5.3 7.2 9.0 10.9Worldwide total 229.8 306.6 398.2 513.0 640.2