UNIVERSIT Y OF DAR ES SALAAM | ISSUE 001 | MARCH 2011
e-Learning
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 1
Contents
March 2011
1) Message from the Director.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . .. 3
2) EditoriaL .. ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 4
3) A new College is Born .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5
4) CVL Responds To UDSM e-Learning Needs.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . .. 6
5) PHEA Evaluates Projects at UDSM.. .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... . 7
6) Math Module Now in LMS .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . .. 7
7) eLearning Africa .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . .. 8
●●Dar to Host e-Learning Africa 2011 Conference8
8) UDSM to Celebrate 50 years Anniversary.. ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... 10
9) Tele - Education.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 11
10) First Batch Graduates UDSM Online Postgraduate Programs .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12
●●UDSM Online Postgraduate Programs 12
11) Participants congratulate CVL for Organizing Multimedia Training .. .... .... .... .... .... .... 14
12) Finland Trains CoICT Staff in e-Learning, Entrepreneurship.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 15
13) MOODLE Becomes Popular in Tanzania.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 16
14) UDSM Establishes ODeL Centres.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 16
●●CVL Coordinates UDSM Online Programs
17
15) CoICT trains Lecturers, Students to use MOODLE.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 18
16) UDSM Experts Develop Human Resource Information System for Local Goverment.. .. 19
17) E-learning Now Cuts Student-Teacher Psychological Difference in Tanzania.. ... . ... . ... 20
18) e-Learning Projects To Reduce Shortage of Teachers .. ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... 21
19) CoICT Satisfies Your ICT, Career Needs .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 22
20) Minister Urges UDSM to Maintain e-Learning Facilities.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 25
21) CVL Staff wins UDSM slogan Competition.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 26
●●MOODLE LMS Replaces Blackboard at UDSM 26
22) Four Steps to access courses in Moodle.. .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 27
23) Poodle: Live Moodle on USB Storage, Offline Environment .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 28
24) Students Congratulate UDSM Blended Learning.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 30
25) CoICT Students To Exhibit IT Projects.. .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 31
26) A Guide to Portable Applications .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 32
27) UDSM Plans to Improve e-Learning Facilities .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 33
28) PHEA Supports e-Learning Projects at UDSM .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 34
29) UDSM Dons Resolve HR System Challenges in Health Sector .. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 35
30) CRDB Bank, MBS, UDSM Launch Distance Learning Programs.. . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . ... . 38
2 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
Message f rom the Director
Dear Readers,
Welcome to this first issue of our e-Learning
Newsletter of the College of Information and
Communication Technologies (CoICT) of the
University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM).
I as the Director of the Centre for Virtual Learning
(CVL) would like to take this opportunity to
succinctly explain the aim of the establishment
of the Centre and the purpose of this newsletter.
In short, CVL was established in 2005 in order to
enable the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM)
to improve the quality of teaching and
learning by using Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT).
The mission of the Centre is to aggressively and
efficiently use the power of modern ICTs, the
infrastructure and facilities at UDSM to increase
virtual access to relevant and quality higher
education programmes to and from Tanzania
through Open Distant e-Learning (ODeL) Centres.
On the other hand, the vision of the centre is
to become a leading e-Learning Centre for
virtual two-way delivery of relevant and quality
University level academic programs and short
courses in the country and in the region.
CVL has three sections which provide technical
supports to all UDSM academic units in the
design, production and delivery of e-learning
programmes. These sections are Virtual Learning
Technology (VLT), UDSM Virtual Learning Programs
(UDVLP) and External Virtual Learning Programs
(EVLP).
The VLT section is responsible for assisting
course lecturers from UDSM academic units to
adapt their course contents for virtual learning.
Thus it includes Instructional Design, Multimedia
Laboratory and Production and Dissemination.
The section has competent staff and sufficient
multimedia facilities for creating simulations,
animations and video clips.
Dr. H. M. Twaakyondo, Director CVL
The UDVLP section networks UDSM academic
units in the delivery of courses to the distance
Learning Centres and liaises with UDSM academic
units in the selection of students for enrollment
in e- learning programs. Other functions of UDVLP
are to promote and market UDSM ICT–
mediated distance education programs and to
liaise with UDSM academic units in the selection
of course facilitators at Distance e- Learning
Centres.
The EVLP Section coordinates the delivery of
virtual academic programs outsourced from
other institutions. Currently four programmes
are delivered in collaboration with universities
from Indian Colleges and Universities under the
Pan African e-Network Project.
Finally, I would like to thank Partnership for Higher
Education in Africa (PHEA) under Educational
Technology Initiative (ETI) for funding this
e-Learning Newsletter. In addition I would like
to thank the team who worked tirelessly on
preparing this Newsletter and would like to invite
all of you to contribute to it in future issues.
Thank you:
Dr Hashim Msafiri Twaakyondo,
The Director Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL)
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 3
Newsletter
editorial
Dear Readers,
This is the first issue of our e-Learning
Newsletter of the newly established
college, the College of Information
and Communication Technologies
(CoICT) of the University of Dar es
Salaam.
The aim of this newsletter is to keep
various stakeholders informed of
CoICT. With this newsletter, we hope
other Colleges, Schools, Institutes of
the University, students, partners as
well as other audiences will be informed
of various activities of the college.
In this issue, we have covered a range
of information about e-Learning
activities carried out by the Centre for
Virtual Learning (CVL) which is a
centre in the college (CoICT) and other
details about CoICT. We bring you
several articles which explain specific
activities which are conducted at CoICT.
The editorial team expects that our
audience will get valuable information
about various units of the college and
their activities.
The Chief Editor wishes you all the best
and thank you for spending yur time to
read our e-Learning Newsletter.
Chief Editor
Godfrey Nkwera
Writers
Joel Mtebe
Godfrey Nkwera
Frank Kennedy
Oscar Mashauri
Bugota Saganda
Mulembwa Munaku
Contributors
Prof. Justinian Ikingura
Dr. Hashim Twaakyondo
Dr. Mussa Kissaka
Cosmas Kapis
Dr. Godfrey Justo
Rodrick Ndomba
Mulembwa Munaku
Bugota Saganda
Dr. Mercy Mbise
Photographers
Godfrey Nkwera
Oscar Mashauri
Bugota Saganda
Editors
Jafari Abdallah
Rodrick Ndomba
Distribution
Joel Mtebe
Godfrey Nkwera
Oscar Mashauri
Graphic Designer / Layout Editor
Oscar Mashauri
Special thanks
PHEA Project Donors
Published by
CoICT
4 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
A New College
is Born
By Godfrey Nkwera
A new campus college is born
at the University of Dar es
Salaam (UDSM) known as the
College of Information and
Communication Technologies
(CoICT). It covers all related
ICT matters at the University.
for UDSM to spearhead national
efforts to produce high level ICT
expertise required to support
economic developmennt.
The goal is to transform
Tanzania into an IT country and
thus accelerate
The Council of the University
established the CoICT on
January 27th, 2011, by
merging the former School of
Informatics and Communication
Technologies (SICT) with the
Department of Electrical and
Computer Systems Engineering
(ESCE). The latter was a
department in the College of
Engineering and Technology
(CoET).
This youngest college consists
Prof: J.R. Ikingura (Ag Principal)
of two departments namely:
the Department of Electronics
and
Telecommunications its socio-economic development
Engineering and the Department in the context of vision 2025.
of Computer Science and
Engineering.
Subsequent to the establishment
of the new college, the Vice
The college has two centres; Chancellor has appointed
the Centre for Virtual Learning Prof. Justinian Ikingura to be
(CVL) and the University of the Acting Principal of the
Dar es Salaam Information College. Prof. Ikingura was the
Technology Centre (UDITC).
former Dean of the School of
Informatics and Communication
The move behind the Technologies (SICT).
establishment of CoICT, was
inspired mainly by the need
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 5
CVL Responds To UDSM
e-Learning Needs
The Centre for Virtual Learning
(CVL) is a unit that was
established in 2005 in order to
enable the University of Dar es
Salaam (UDSM) to improve the
quality of teaching and learning
by using Information and
Communication Technologies
(ICT).
In an exclusive interview with
the e-Learning Newsletter
reporter, the CVL Director Dr
Hashim Twaakyondo said that
the mission of the centre is to
aggressively and efficiently use
the power of modern ICTs, the
infrastructure and facilities at
UDSM to increase the virtual
access to relevant and quality
higher education programmes
to and from Tanzania through
Open Distant e-Learning (ODeL)
Centres.
He said that since it was
established, the entire staff
members have been dealing with
various e-learning activities at
the University and its various
Colleges and Institutes so as to
meet CVL mission and vision.
The director also said that,
CVL has managed to customize
the Open Source Learning
Management System (LMS) called
Moodle to replace a proprietary
Learning Management System
Blackboard. “ We have also been
able to conduct various trainings
to academic staff on how they
can develop e- learning courses
and conduct blended learning
using Moodle,”he said.
Apart from training instructors,
CVL has also trained System
Administrators from various
Schools, Colleges, and Institutes
of UDSM on how to use Moodle.
The aim of this training to
System Administrators was to
equip them with skills in Moodle
so that they can give immediate
support to instructors from
different departments in which
they are working.
In addition, CVL has also trained
several students on how to
use Moodle at the University
Main Campus, Dar es Salaam
University College of Education
(DUCE) and in e-Learning
Centres located in Arusha and
Mwanza.
Besides that he said that
the Unit is coordinating the
delivery of three online
Postgraduate programs that
are delivered with few face to
face sessions. These programs
are Postgraduate Diploma in
Education (PGDE), Postgraduate
Diploma
in
Engineering
Management
(PGDEM)
and Master of Engineering
Management (MEM). This year,
CVL will also coordinate the
delivery of online Bachelor of
Business Administration (BBA)
programme from University of
Dar Es Salaam Business School.
The PGDE is a programme from
School of Education while MEM
and PGDEM are from the College
of Engineering and Technology
(CoET). CVL offers technical
6 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
support which facilitates these
programmes to be offered
online with face to face
sessions once per semester. In
November 27th, 2010, twenty
five students graduated from
two online postgraduate
programmes namely PGDEM
and PGDE. These were the first
students to benefit from this
mode of delivery.
The director also said that,
CVL is also coordinating several
online programs from Indian
Colleges and Universities under
the Pan African e-Network
Project. Through this project,
highly advanced technologies
are used to deliver courses live
from India to various African
countries such as Tanzania,
Malawi, Rwanda and Ethiopia.
At CVL where the Tele-Education
Centre for the Pan African
e-network is located, courses
such as Master of Science in
Information Technology, Master
of Business Administration
(MBA) in International Business
and Bachelor of Science in
Information Technology (Bsc IT)
are offered.
CVL is further expecting to
respond to UDSM e-learning
needs by assisting Departments
to offer online programmes
and to provide instructional
support to subject matter
experts. Furthermore, the
Centre is expecting to address
national e-Learning needs by
providing technical assistance
in e-Learning and other Higher
Learning Institutions.
PHEA Evaluates
Spaven met with several staff from
CVL who are involved in the projects
and conducted several meetings with
them.
Two Projects which are implemented
by the Centre for Virtual Learning
(CVL) of the University of Dar es
Salaam (UDSM) and funded by the
Partnership for Higher Education in
Africa (PHEA) have been evaluated to
ascertain how well the projects are
meeting the intended goals.
During evaluation, he conducted
a group interview with the UDSM
instructors whom their courses
are being developed as part of the
Interactive Courses Design and
Development Project. He managed to
elicit views from them about various
trainings which they have attended
as part of the projects. However the
report of the evaluation has not yet
been released.
Projects at UDSM
The projects which were evaluated
are Online Course Migration and
Improvements and Computer Science
interactive courses design and
development project.
The evaluation was done by PHEA
External Evaluator, Patrick Spaven,
from February 16th to 18th, 2011;
Patrick Spaven, PHEA External Evaluator
Math
Module
Now in LMS
The Partnership for Higher
Education in Africa (PHEA)
expert James Swash integrated
a Mathematical Module in the
University of Dar es Salaam
Learning Management System
(UDSM-LMS).
with Mathematical equations
and formula can easily
develop their courses in the
system without being worried
The Centre for Virtual Learning about their formula being
(CVL) Multimedia section unrecognized by the system.
Coordinator, Mr. Joel Mtebe
recently revealed that James “Before it was not possible to
Swash who came to Tanzania write complex mathematical
to conduct training in Teaching formula in Moodle, but now it
and Learning Effectively using is possible,” he said.
Moodle assisted the UDSM
Learning Management System Also, following the demand
Administrator to find the for how phonetic characters
module and installed it in the can be integrated in a course
system.
in Moodle by Linguistics
Lecturers from the University
Mr Mtebe explained that of Dar es Salaam, James was
with Mathematical module able to research and identified
integrated
in
Moodle, a site which is dealing with
instructors who teach courses phonetic characters.
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 7
eLearning
Africa
Dar to Host e-Learning Africa
2011 Conference
Tanzania will, in May 2011,
host the 6th e-Learning Africa
Conference whereby the
meeting will act as the key
networking event for developing
e-learning capacities in Africa.
According to the e-Learning
Africa website, the conference
will take place from May 25th
to 27th, 2011 at Mliman City
Conference centre in Dar es
Salaam and will focus on the
youth but it will also highlight
the importance of skills,
development and employability.
Focusing on youth, skills and
employability, 6 broad themes
have been identified, each with a range of subthemes: conceptual Frameworks: Learning,
Knowledge, Skills and Employability, Policies,
Partnerships and Resources, technology Solutions,
Innovations and Choices.
Other themes which will be discussed includes:
Sector Based eLearning, Capacity Development
and Education Content, Resources and Intellectual
Property Rights.
The e-Learning Africa homepage discloses that
over 40 per cent of Africa’s population is younger
than 24 years old. 198 million Africans, 20 per cent
of the continent’s population, are aged between
8 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
15 and 24 – the largest percentage
of young people anywhere in the
world. Children (under the age of
15) account for another 20 per cent.
E-Learning Africa 2011 will focus on
this group and its huge potential.
The College of Information and
Communication Technologies (CoICT)
of the University of Dar es Salaam
will participate whereby its staff
will present papers on e-learning
in Tanzania and exhibit various
activities related to e-learning which
are carried out by the CoICT.
E-Learning Africa is the largest
gathering of eLearning and ICT
supported education and training in
Africa enabling participants to develop
multinational and cross-industry contacts
and partnerships, as well as to enhance
their knowledge, expertise and abilities
in e-learning.
At eLearning Africa 2010, 1778 education
and training practitioners, experts,
researchers and providers from 78
countries gathered during the three
conference days at the Mulungushi
International Conference Centre in
Lusaka, Zambia. 86% of the participants
came from African countries. The
conference programme featured the
work of 323 speakers and chairpersons
from 51 countries, addressing all forms
of technology-enhanced learning and
including a rich mix of themes and topics.
for more info:
http://www.elearning-africa.com
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 9
The Vice Chancellor Prof. R.S. Mukandala and Prime Minister Hon. M.K. Pinda during launching of golden anniversary
UDSM to Celebrate 50 years Anniversary
The University of Dar es Salaam
(UDSM), which is the oldest State
owned University, is due to celebrate
its Golden Anniversary in October
25th, 2011.
marked the beginning of a yearlong
celebration of the University’s Golden
Anniversary, which will climax on
25th October, 2011 to coincide with
the University’s 50th birthday.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Rwekaza
S. Mukandala said that the occasion
of the 50th anniversary provides an
opportunity for the University to take
stock of its past efforts and seriously
reflect on its future directions and
aspirations. Over the last fifty years
the University has played a significant
role in producing knowledge and
educating generations of men and
women from the African continent
and beyond.
It is therefore with great honor and
pleasure that the Vice Chancellor
invited alumni, including Gerald
Kakuba from Uganda who is one
of the first graduates of this
University, to the launch ceremony
held on 26th November, 2010, at
Nkrumah Hall and to the subsequent
celebration activities. His presence
at the launching occasion was of
great significance not only to the
University’s leadership but also to
all the members of the University of
Dar es Salaam Convocation and other
stakeholders.
It is in this spirit that during the last
year’s, Prof. Mukandala says, the
General Meeting of the University
of Dar es Salaam Convocation the
President of the Convocation H.E.
Justice Joseph Sinde Warioba and
the Vice Chancellor hosted a special
launch ceremony for the 50th
anniversary celebrations on Friday
26th November, 2010. To reflect the
occasion, last year’s Convocation
meeting was held under the theme
“Towards 50 Years of the University
of Dar es Salaam”. The launch event
10 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
“We see this as a landmark worth
celebrating in elaborate ways and
on a scale befitting the glamorous
history of half a century of this
institution,”
says the Vice Chancellor Prof.
Rwekaza S. Mukandala as he was
quoted by the UDSM Directorate of
Public Service website.
source: http://dps.udsm.ac.tz
“We see this
as a landmark
worth
celebrating
in elaborate
ways and on a
scale befitting
the glamorous
history of half a
century of this
institution,”
Tele - Education
Business Administration
(BBA) both from the Madras
University.
Other programs began in
August 2010; these are Master
of Business Administration in
International Business (MBAIT) and Bachelor of Science in
Information Technology from
the Amity University.
The project is being funded by
the Government of India with an
approved budgetary cost of over
USD mil.125.
The CVL Director Dr. H.M
Twaakyondo recently said that
the first intake for Pan-African
e-network Project programs was
July 2010 and the second intake
began February 2011 for the
Amity University and in July for
the University of Madras.
n-
Pa
In the first intake, there were
four programs which were
Master of Science in Information
Technology and Bachelor of
As part of the Pan African e
Network Project the University
He explained that both
programs are distance
education
programs
originating from India and
there are live lectures
through video conferencing
facilities at the CVL TeleEducation centre.
Students can access all
learning materials and
participate in online discussion
with their lecturers through
Learning Management System
(LMS) which can be accessed
anywhere if there is internet
connection or in computer
labs located at the Centre for
Virtual Learning (CVL) Main
Campus Mlimani.
k
The Centre for Virtual Learning
(CVL) through its External Virtual
Learning Programs Section (EVLP)
is coordinating the delivery of
several online programs from
Indian Universities under PanAfrican e-Network Project.
of Madras is currently inviting
applications for Master
of Science in Information
Technology, Bachelor of
Business Administration,
Certificate in German and
Certificate in Arabic for its
second cycle which will start
in July 2011.
Afr
or
Dr. H. M. Twaakyondo, Director CVL
He clarified that, in the second
intake (February, 2011), the
Amity University has added
three more programs which
were not in July 2010. These
programs with their fees
in brackets are Bachelor
of Finance and Investment
Analysis (1,300,000/Tshs per
academic year), Master of
Finance and Control ((MFC)
1,500,000/=Tshs per academic
year) and Postgraduate
Diploma in Information
Technology (1,500,000/=Tshs
per academic year).
»» CVL Coordinates Programs
from Amity,
Madras
Universities
»» CVL Invites Applications
for Second Intake
»» Amity, Madras Add More
Online Programs
ic a n e - N e
tw
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 11
First
Batch
Graduates
UDSM Online
Postgraduate
Programs
By Godfrey Nkwera
Twenty five students have
graduated Post graduated Diploma
in Engineering Management
(PGDEM) and Post Graduate
Diploma in Education (PGDE)
which they were conducted
online with few face to face
sessions.
The Centre for Virtual Learning
(CVL) former Deputy Director,
Dr Mussa Kissaka recently
said that 19 students have
graduated Postgraduate Diploma
in Engineering Management
(PGDEM) and 6 students
graduated Postgraduate Diploma
in Education (PGDE) in 2010.
Dr Kissaka said that PGDEM
and PGDE are programs from
the College of Engineering and
Technology (CoET) and School of
Education respectively and are
conducted online with technical
support from CVL.
PGDEM Graduate 2010, Mr. Mjoka Mtwangi
“Students accessed
their course
materials and
interacted with
lecturers from
wherever they were
as long as they
were connected to
internet,”
Dr. Kissaka said.
12 | www.udsm.ac.tz | FEBRUARY 2011
These programs, Dr Kissaka
clarified, were conducted
in three Open Distance and
e-Learning (ODeL) Centres
which are at University
Computing Centres in Arusha
and Mwanza and at the
University of Dar es Salaam
main campus.
Apart from students accessing
course materials through the
University of Dar es Salaam
Learning Management System,
he said, lecturers conducted
face to face sessions once
Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE-Online)
Sex
1
2
3
4
5
6
Khamis Said Mataka
Male
Salehe Kassimu Kassimu
Male
Francis Anatory Anatory
Male
Marcel Salum Masalu
Male
Mwita Nyagonde Mchuni
Male
Antony Simon Antony
Male
Salaam main campus.
In a telephone interview, Ester
Kimaro, a PGDEM graduate,
said that it was very interesting
experience
with
some
challenges that were resolved
as days went on. “It is now
possible to study and work at
the same time,” she said.
Postgraduate Diploma in Engineering Management (PGDEM- Online)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Mtoka Shabani Mtwangi
Male
Sadiki Mwaruka
Male
Venant Thadey Komba
Male
Rashidi K. Mtamila
Male
Salim Jumanne Bwaya
Male
Justus Berthold Chipatikira. Mtolera
Male
Nestory Ngoromela
Male
Leonard Peter
Male
Jailos Wilson Chilewa
Male
Morice Omary Agai
Male
Ayoub Lazaro N'ghasha
Male
Eshumael Lembris Mollel
Male
Onesmo Gallus
Male
Danstan Ishebabi
Male
Esther Bellium N Kimaro
Female
William Busagi Massome
Male
Charles N.P. Magele
Male
Boazi Pius Matundali
Male
Seleman Paul
Male
Boaz Pius Matundali, a PGDEM
graduate said “it was very
interesting, we ventured in
new technology in education
that allowed us to study
wherever we were.” However
sometimes, he added, there
were no immediate feedback
from the instructors.
Charles Magele, a PGDEM
graduate said that it was
good though there were some
network problems.
First batch graduates of UDSM Postgraduates programs online
per semester in Arusha,
Mwanza and Dar es Salaam
Centres. These sessions
enabled students to discuss
with their lecturers any
academic problems that
students encountered in the
course of their studies.
Dr Kissaka explained that the
University of Dar es Salaam
e-learning Programs, allow
courses to be delivered
on demand and to study
at home or while working,
independent of time or
location constraints.
The College of Engineering
and Technology (CoET)
PGDEM Program Coordinator
Dr Juma Mohamed said
that 13 students did not
graduate because some had
incomplete courses and
others were in maternity
leave and thus they were
unable to proceed with their
studies.
Dr Juma said that the
infrastructure in Open
Distance and e-Learning
(ODeL) Centres such as
Arusha and Mwanza need to
be improved to incorporate
multimedia facilities that
will allow lecturers to
conduct live sessions directly
from the University of Dar es
Mchuni Mwita, a PGDE graduate
said that the program was good
because it was possible to
study and work simultaneously.
However, Mchuni said that
instructors need to improve
communication with online
students
and
provide
immediate feedback to online
learners.
The UDSM launched
two
ICTMediated
Distant
programs in February 2009
namely Postgraduate Diploma
in Education (PGDE) and
Postgraduate Diploma in
Engineering Management
(PGDEM) and in 2010 the
university launched other two
programs which are Bachelor in
Business Administration (BBA)
and Master in Engineering
Management (MEM).
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 13
Participants
congratulate
CVL for
Organizing
Multimedia
Training
By Oscar Mashauri and Godfrey Nkwera
Most participants, who attended a five-day
workshop on developing multimedia contents
congratulated the Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL)
for organizing the workshop at the University of
Dar es Salaam as it was a great step in integrating
multimedia elements in online courses.
The Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL) Multimedia
section Coordinator, Mr. Joel Mtebe said that in
responding to a question which asked, “Did you
find this Multimedia Training Workshop helpful?” in
a questionnaire which was designed to elicit their
views on whether the training was useful or not,
most of them said the training was marvelous and
it really exposed them to useful practical skills in
designing and creating multimedia contents.
They said that the workshop opened their minds
to new exciting level and found it challenging
and vowed to continue practicing the skills they
received.
“Yes! It was very useful experience to me and
my department as I have increased my skills on
multimedia creation,” said Maximillian Makungu,
a participant of the training.
Bitebo Ally, who was one of the participants in the
multimedia training, said, “Yes, it has broadened
my knowledge in graphics design.”
“Yes, it was very helpful as I have further enhanced
my skills and knowledge in multimedia. It also
encouraged me to do more practice,” said another
participant.
14 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
However, other participants said the training was
excellent but five days were inadequate for the
training since it had a lot of practical skills which
participants were supposed to follow during the
sessions.
“No, we needed enough time for practice in line
with learning/presentation. The facilitator was not
giving enough time to participants,” said Zedekia
Msabalala.
The workshop was conducted last year as part of the
Partnership for Higher Education in Africa (PHEA)
Project to build capacity in creating multimedia
contents for the project and was facilitated by
Nicholas Kimolo.
“Yes!
It was very useful
experience to me and my
department as I have increased
my skills on multimedia
creation,” said Maximillian
Makungu, a participant of the
training.
“Yes, it has broadened my
knowledge in graphics design,”
Bitebo Ally said.
“Yes, it was very helpful as I
have further enhanced my skills
and knowledge in multimedia.
It also encouraged me to do
more practice,” said another
participant.
“No, we needed enough time for
practice in line with learning/
presentation. The facilitator
was not giving enough time
to participants,” said Zedekia
Msabalala.
Finland Trains CoICT Staff in
e-Learning, Entrepreneurship
Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) and
Information Processing Association of the Tampere
Region (PITKY) both from Finland have trained four staff
from the College of Information and Communication
Technologies (CoICT) in e-Learning and ICT-enabled
entrepreneurship incubation so as to enhance their
skills.
The training, which was conducted from September
27th to October 15th 2010 in Finland, covered
Video Editing, Project Management, Generating and
Evaluating business ideas, Coaching skills, Running ICTbusinesses and legal affairs.
CoICT staff who attended the training were Ms Khadija
Mkocha, Ms Christine Mwase, Mr. Oscar Mashauri and
Mr. Joel Mtebe.
Mr Joel Mtebe said that trainings were very exciting
and honestly beneficial to us and the University in
general. ‘We were able to meet various stakeholders
and had a number of discussions and network with
different key stakeholders,” he said.
He said, “We were invited to see how Pro Academy is
working at Finlayson Area and how students are taught
some entrepreneurship skills. We met
students who are establishing and managing their small
companies such as vastakaitu, we-design, sotkku, koste
etc students.”
He said, “It was a very good experience especially
seeing how a group of about 17-20 students working
as a team, which is well organized.”
Mr Mtebe said that they had an opportunity to visit
Nokia Company in Tampere where they had chance
to discuss research possibility in the area of Mobile
Software Development in East Africa. So far Nokia
has built a research lab in Nairobi and also have a
representative in Johannesburg South Africa.
Mr Oscar Mashauri said that they received trainings
in various software such as Adobe Indesign, Adobe
Illustrator, Adobe premier and Adobe After Effects
which are very crucial in creating multimedia contents
for online education.
“The trainers used games and Iron Sky examples to build
various cases of developing interactive materials,” he
said.
The training was part of a larger ICT Technical support
Project funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Finland.
2011 FEBRUARY | www.udsm.ac.tz | 15
From left, Ms Christine Mwase, Ms Khadija Mkocha, Mr. Oscar Mashauri and Mr. Joel Mtebe
MOODLE
Becomes
Popular in
Tanzania
Mkwawa University College of Education
(MUCE) and the Dar es Salaam University
College of Education (DUCE) have begun using
Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning
Environment (MOODLE) to conduct their
courses through blended learning approach.
after training more than 200 instructors from
both MUCE and DUCE, instructors have started
using MOODLE to deliver their courses.
Mr Mtebe said that a series of trainings which
were conducted to instructors at University of
Dar es Salaam main campus and at Mkwawa
in Iringa have enabled teachers to create and
upload their courses, manage chats, forums
and quizzes in MOODLE.
MOODLE, which is an open source course
management system, is used by thousands of
educational institutions around the world to
provide an organized interface for e-learning,
or learning over the Internet.
Mr Mtebe clarified that Moodle allows
educators to create online courses, which
students can access as a virtual classroom.
MOODLE was originally developed by an
Australian PhD student Martin Dougiamas to
help educators create online courses with
In an exclusive interview, the Centre for a focus on interaction and collaborative
Virtual Learning (CVL) Multimedia section construction of content, and is on continual
Coordinator, Mr. Joel Mtebe recently said that evolution.
UDSM Establishes ODeL Centres
The University of Dar
es Salaam (UDSM) has
established three Open
Distance and e-Learning
(ODeL) centres to facilitate
UDSM online Programs.
The former Centre for Virtual
Learning (CVL) Deputy
Director Dr Mussa Kissaka
recently said that the Centres
are in Mwanza and Arusha
at University Computing
Centre (UCC) branches and
University of Dar es Salaam
main campus.
He revealed that these
Centres are equipped with
modern computers that are
connected to Internet and
they are used by online
students to access their
course materials and interact
The forth Centre is to be with lecturers from the
established in Mbeya later University main campus.
this Year
16 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
>>>
The Arusha ODeL
Centre is located at SUMMIT
Centre Building at the city
Centre. This location allows
students to easily go there
and access materials through
the University of Dar es
Salaam Learning Management
System.
>>> Mwanza ODeL centre is
located at Katalama Building
where UCC Mwanza Branch is
located.
>>> He said students from
Lake Zone Regions such as
Mwanza, Shinyanga, Kagera,
Musoma and the other nearby
regions can use Mwanza ODeL
Centre for their face to face
sessions while the Arusha
ODeL centre can be used by
students from Kilimanjaro,
Singida and Tanga.
>>> Students, he said, who
have Internet connections in
their offices or at home can
access materials through the
learning management system
and use these centres only for
face to face sessions.
>>> The
University of
Dar es Salaam e-Learning
Programmes extend the scope
for collaboration and sharing
with others in similar fields
and thus enhancing learning
experience.
The former CVL Deputy Director Dr. Mussa Kissaka
CVL Coordinates UDSM Online
Programs
The Centre for Virtual Learning
(CVL) is coordinating and
facilitating the delivery of three
online postgraduate programs
with few face to face sessions.
The former CVL Deputy
Director, Dr Mussa Kissaka said
that CVL collaborates with the
University of Dar es Salaam
School of Education and College
of Engineering and Technology
(CoET) to offer Postgraduate
Diploma in Education (PGDE),
Postgraduate Diploma in
Engineering
Management
(PGDEM) and Master of
Engineering Management (MEM)
online.
Dr Kissaka clarified that students
can access all course materials
online using the University
of Dar es Salaam Learning
Management System and have
online discussions with their
lecturers wherever they are as
long as they are connected to
internet.
Students may, he said, access the
Learning Management System at
the University Computing Centre
(UCC) in Mwanza or Arusha
Branches during week days from
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm or anywhere
if there is internet connection.
He said PDGE programme is
delivered by the School of
Education while PGDEM and MEM
are delivered by the College of
Engineering and Technology
(CoET).
The former Deputy Director said
that the University of Dar es
Salaam e-learning programmes
allow courses to be delivered on
demand and to study at home
or while working, independent
of time or location constraints.
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 17
CoICT trains Lecturers,
Students to Use MOODLE
The College of Information and
Communication Technologies
(CoICT) through its Centre for
Virtual Learning (CVL) has trained
more than 500 lecturers from
different Schools, Colleges and
Institutes of the University on how
to use a Learning Management
System (LMS)-MOODLE for online
teaching.
In an exclusive interview, the CVL
Multimedia section Coordinator,
Mr. Joel Mtebe said MOODLE, which
stands for Modular Object Oriented,
Dynamic, Learning Environment, is
easy to use even for people with
no technical skills and that the
trainings on how to use it to deliver
online courses were done to enable
teachers manage online materials,
facilitate learning, assessment
and discussion forums through the
system.
Apart from teachers, Mr Mtebe
said, CoICT through CVL has trained
more than 1000 students and more
than 50 technical staff.
“These trainings have really
assisted both
lecturers and
students of the University of Dar
es Salaam to be able to use the
system for online courses,” he
said.
Through MOODLE, the Multimedia
section coordinator said, both
students and lecturers can access
the system anywhere, anytime
and interact as long as they have
internet connections by accessing
http://lms.udsm.ac.tz on any web
browser and logging into the system
using user names are passwords
which are given to them.
18 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
MOODLE, Mr Mtebe said, is one
of the most famous and popular
Learning Management System (LMS)
internationally today. It is widely
used with a strong community
worldwide. For instance to date,
he said, there are 49795 currently
active sites that have registered
from 212 countries globally.
MOODLE performs student
registration, tracks students’
progress, records test scores, and
indicates course completions and
finally it allows lecturers to assess
the performance of their students.
“These trainings have
really assisted both
lecturers and students
of the University of Dar
es Salaam to be able
to use the system for
online courses,”
Instructors attending moodle training at UDSM
UDSM Experts Develops Human Resource
Information System for Local Goverment
The University of Dar es Salaam
ICT experts in collaboration with
other partners have designed and
developed an Integrated Human
Resource Information System
(iHRIS) which is used to collect,
manage and analyze detailed
information about employed
health workers in Tanzania.
The Project Coordinator, Dr.
Juma Lungo, recently said
that the system solves various
challenges in storing various data
for employees in work places.
The challenges include: loss
and missing of employee data
and the delay of transferring
of employees’ information from
district, town and municipal
councils to central government.
employee data, for instance date
of birth and date of the first
appointment to be 31th April. In
addition to that, he said, some
data of the deceased and retired
employees of various government
institutions do appear in the list
of the existing seniority lists.
All these documents are stored
within the database so that
when data are backed-up and
tranferred from one office to
another say from district to the
ministry the documents also get
transferred with other database
records.
The iHRIS software can recheck
various data of an employee
for correctness using validation
rules before storing them and
in this case can prevent data
which are invalid such as dates
not in calendar. Furthermore
iHRIS can store a range of details
about a particular worker, for
example curriculum vitae, letter
of employment, promotion,
scanned certificates and a
photograph of an employee.
The iHRIS is Internet database
driven system which can be
accessed on-line through the
World Wide Web.
The University don said other
challenges are incorrect
When explaining how the project
was conducted, Dr. Lungo said,
before the system began to be
developed and implemented, a
thorough research was conducted
by asking various stakeholders
such as human resource officers
from the government, faith
based organisations and private
agencies as well as involved
evaluating other human resource
software.
The system, which is Free and
Open Source Software (FOSS), is
not costly to the government of
the United Republic of Tanzania;
it is distributed with its source
code and has been translated into
Kiswahili language. It is currently
installed and being used in
Zanzibar, Iringa, Dodoma and in all
five zones of the Christian Social
Services Commission in Tanzania.
The project is funded by USAID and
involves many partners including
Benjamin Mkapa AIDS Foundation
(BAMF), Prime Minister’s Office
Regional Administration and Local
Government (PMO-RALG), Christian
Social Services Commission (CSSC)
and INTRAHEALTH International.
Dr. Juma Lungo, iHRIS Project Coordinator
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 19
E-learning Now Cuts Student-Teacher Psyc
Difference in Tanzania
Mulembwa Munaku’s recent
experience in Arusha served
as an eye opener about the
added advantages Information
Technology has brought to
this generation of Tanzanians.
Munaku had just arrived in
the northern tourist city that
very evening on official duty
and was in a hurry to look for
accommodation.
Godfrey Mwanda’s dreams to
access institutions of higher
learning were frustrated
by the problem of lack of
infrastructure in most public
universities in the country
although he had attained the
needed qualifications to join
such institutions. His passion
and desire kept burning
and upon learning that the
University of Dar es Salaam
(UDSM) academic programmes
include digital content
to distant learners using
Information Communication
Technology (ICT)-enabled
delivery method he grabbed
the chance without hesitation.
He enrolled for a postgraduate
diploma course in one of the
centers for Virtual learning at
Arusha. One of the prime roles of
the College of Information and
Communication Technologies
(CoICT) is to ensure that rapidly
evolving Information and
Communication Technology
is effectively harnessed to
enhance and modernise
curriculum delivery and
improve the quality of
20 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
teaching and learning on
campus and at the same time
allowing expansion of students’
enrolment in various academic
programmes.
E-learning programmes offer
a blended mode of learning
that combines face-to-face
tutorials and internet-based
independent learning. That
is how Mwanda came to
know Munaku, an assistant
lecturer and coordinator UDSM
e-learning programmes.
According to Munaku, there
are several objectives that the
initiative is trying to address
but the main one is to fill the
gap where traditional mode of
learning does not suffice.
“We try to accommodate
flexible alternative learning
styles so that the majority of
Tanzanians access institutions
of higher learning,” he says.
The infrastructure issue, he
says, remains a hindrance to
the initiative because of lack
of electricity in rural areas.
Again, there is this issue of
facilities in that many don’t
access internet, he adds,
saying the number of computer
literate people remains low.
“These are challenges that we
cannot run from, instead we
have tried to address them in
several ways,” he notes.
He says centres have
established in Arusha , Mwanza
and Mbeya. Secondly, they
assume no prior computer
knowledge to applicants who
must undergo a week’s training
before the course starts and
finally introducing alternative
energy sources such solar
power in rural areas.
The Ag.
Principal
of
College of Informatics and
Communication Technologies,
Professor Justinian Ikingura,
says “Our resort to alternative
modes of delivery of
academic programmes has
been mitigated by several
factors. These include the
rapid increase of qualified
applicants aspiring for higher
education and the proven need
for flexible learning in the
current global socio-economic
context.”
Despite its size and the
established strength in the
delivery of quality academic
programmes, the UDSM is
unable to accommodate all
qualified applicants because
of limited infrastructure on
campus, Prof Ikingura says.
“Using ICT-enabled delivery
modes is therefore one of the
effective ways of increasing
students’ enrolment and thus
expanding access to higher
education in the country
generally,” he adds.
“The connectivity challenge
is being addressed through
public-private partnership.
For example, the landing of
r Psychological
the SEACOM optic fibre marine
cable in Dar es Salaam will ease
the connectivity challenge and
it is our expectation that as
more regions are connected,
more students will be able to
study in a cost effective way.
Other challenges which we
have no choice but to grapple
with include concentration
of internet connectivity in
capital cities and a few major
towns, fast technological
advancements in the field of
ICT, low ICT awareness in our
society, illiteracy and poor
language skills among rural
communities”
“It is an education system in
which the student is physically
separated from the teacher
and destined to be carried out
remotely by using electronic
communication,”
she
explains, adding “Although ICT
mediated distance learning is
not substitute to face-face
education, it is worthwhile
option in terms of cost of
investment in education.”
“You are my tutor although we
have not met before,” Mwanda
told Munaku on that day. The
new thing about e-learning
mode, according to Munaku,
is that it has helped reduce
the psychological difference to
student because you see the
teacher through audio
Source: The Guardian Newspaper
e-Learning Projects
To Reduce Shortage
of Teachers
By Ray Naluyaga, The Citizen
The government of Tanzania
in partnership with some
leading
multi-national
technology
companies
and
non-governmental
organisations, will in the
next two years, role out a
computer-based teaching
programme in public schools
to help bridge the shortfall
of 85,000 teachers.
Titled, “Tanzania Beyond
Tomorrow” the initiative
is intended to supplement
the long-term government
recruitment of teachers to
curb the huge shortage of
the personnel in primary and
secondary schools.
The partners to work on the
project with the Tanzanian
Government through the
Ministry of Education are
the world’s leading high
technology companies,
Accenture, Intel, Microsoft
and Cisco.
Other partners include
the NGOs NetHope, Plan
International, Amref, and
World Vision. In the past five
years alone, the government
has put up 34 new teacher
training colleges, adding
to the previous 22, while
the private sector has
established another 44
colleges in the past four
years.
Speaking to The Citizen
during a tour by the
World Economic Forum
(WEF) delegates of Mbezi
e-learning demonstration
centre, at the outskirts
of Dar es Salaam, project
coordinator Jessica Long
said the programme would
cover over 4,000 secondary
schools with over 1.5 million
students.
The Tanzania Beyond
Tomorrow project aims at
using ICT to enable a single
teacher to simultaneously
run several classes by
relaying a lesson by
computer.
“A teacher can be
based in Dar es Salaam
but be able to reach
several classrooms,
which are connected
to the national
electricity grid and
the Internet across the
country,” said Ms Long.
The connectivity would
enable remote learning
and increased collaboration
among
students
and
teachers.
Source: www.allAfrica.com
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 21
CoICT Satisfies Your ICT, Career
Needs
much easier and much more
Information and Communication efficient. Computer Science
Technology (ICT) is important and Engineering is an academic
and changes the life style unit which is dedicated to train
of people in every aspect. experts in Computer Science
Its importance to the and Information Technology in
development of the economy Tanzania. It is one of the few
cannot be underrated. With academic units in East Africa
ICT facilities, people can work which teaches Computer Science
Q&A
Certificate in
Computer Science
Question:
Who should apply for this program?
Answer:
Prospective
students
for
Certificates in Computer Science
are those with Certificate of
Secondary Education or East
African Certificate of Education
O-Level with at least D passes in
four approved subjects including
Mathematics or equivalent
qualifications.
Question
&
Answer
Support Personnel in an IT
department in any organization in
Tanzania and outside the country
once they successfully complete
their studies.
This program provides a stepping
stone into career development and
for further studies for those who
could not proceed to Advanced
Certificate of Secondary Education.
Question:
Can Certificate in Computer
Science allow the holder to join
other programs of the University
of Dar es Salaam?
Question:
Answer:
Where can one be employed after
studying Certificate in Computer
Science of the University of Dar es
Salaam?
Yes! A holder of Certificate in
Computer Science can be admitted
into Diploma in Computer Science
of the University of Dar es Salaam
Answer:
Students can be employed as
Computer Laboratory Technician
Question:
How long does this program last?
22 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
courses from Certificate level
to Ph.D level. The e-Learning
Newsletter reporter, Godfrey
Nkwera, interviewed the Acting
Head of Computer Science and
Engineering Dr. Godfrey Justo
and explained various programs
from certificate to Ph.D offered.
Answer:
Certificate in Computer Science of
the University of Dar es Salaam is
a one year Program.
Question:
How much does it cost for one to
finish studies for this program? are
there any scholarships?
Answer:
The annual Tuition fee for
Certificate in Computer Science is
700,000 Tanzanian Shillings. So far
there is no specific Scholarships.
Diploma in Computer
Science
Question:
Who should apply for this program?
Answer:
Prospective students for Diploma
in Computer are those with
Certificate of Secondary Education
or East African Certificate of
Education O-Level with at least D
passes in four approved subjects
including Mathematics AND one
of the following combinations
of passes in the Advanced
level of Secondary Education
Examination or the East African
Certificate of Education (A-Level)
or equivalent
a) One Principal Level pass
in Mathematics, Physics,
Chemistry,
Economics,
Commerce, Accountancy,
Geography and Subsidiary
pass in any of these subjects
OR
b) One Principal Level pass
grade ‘C’ and above, in any
of these subjects listed in (a)
above OR
c) A form VI Certificate with at
least two subsidiaries in the
subjects listed in (a) plus at
least two years of Industrial
experience OR
d) A University of Dar es Salaam
Certificate in Computer
Science with an average GPA
of at least 3.5
Science allow the holder to join
other programs of the University
of Dar es Salaam? Explain?
Question:
Answer:
Where can one be employed after
studying Diploma in Computer
Science of the University of Dar
es Salaam?
Answer:
Graduates can be employed
as Principal IT officers/System
Administrator in an IT department
in any organization in Tanzania,
and outside the country once
they have successfully completed
their studies.
Diploma
Yes! A holder of Diploma in
Computer Science can be
admitted into University of Dar
es Salaam Degree program. This
program provides a stepping stone
into career development and
higher education opportunities
for those who could not proceed
to advanced level education, or
did not do well to secure a study
opportunity at a University upon
completion of advanced level
education.
Question:
How long does this program last?
Answer:
Diploma in Computer Science of
the University of Dar es Salaam
is a two year program.
Question:
How much does it cost for one to
finish studies for this program?
Are there any Scholarships?
in
Computer
Question:
Where can one be employed
after studying B.S.C. in Computer
Science of the University of Dar
es Salaam?
Answer:
After completing their studies
successfully, Graduates can be
employed in private and public
sectors where IT is readily in
use, including higher learning
institutions,
government
agencies,
and
research
institutions. Also most of our
graduates seek the route of
self employment. This program,
provides a stepping stone into
career development in the field
of IT and Management. Also it
opens the door to join further
studies in IT or related disciplines
at Masters Level both locally and
abroad.
Question:
The annual Tuition fee is 900,000
Tanzanian shillings. So far there
are no specific Scholarships.
Bachelor of Science
in Computer Science
Question:
Who should apply for this
program?
Answer:
Question:
Can
Answer:
are those with good Principal
level passes in Physics and
Mathematics or an appropriate
equivalent Diploma with B
average or higher grades
Prospective students for Bachelor
of Science in Computer Science
Can B.S.C. in Computer Science
allow the holder to join other
programs of the University of Dar
es Salaam? Explain?
Answer:
Yes! A holder of Bsc in Computer
Science can be admitted into
Msc in Computer Science in any
University.
Question:
For how long does this program
last?
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 23
Answer:
Question:
Bsc in Computer Science of the
University of Dar es Salaam is a
three year degree program.
Can one employ himself after
studying Master of Science
in Computer Science of the
University of Dar es Salaam?
Explain?
How much does it cost for one to
finish studies for this program?
Are there any Scholarships?
Question:
The annual Tuition fee is
1,500,000 Tanzanian Shillings.
There are no student can apply
for specific scholarships, but
through HESLAB.
Master of Science in
Computer Science
Answer:
Yes! The course offers a high
potential for self employment
as the research component for
this program is intensive thus
gives possibilities of patenting
some of the research results for
commercial exploitation.
Question:
How long does this program last?
Answer:
Question:
This is a two year program.
Who should apply for this
program?
Question:
Answer:
Prospective students for Master of
Science in Computer Science are
those with Lower Second Class
Bachelor of Science degree in
Informatics or related discipline
from a recognized University,
or Postgraduate Diploma in
Informatics or related disciplines
Question:
What are the employment
opportunities after studying
Master of Science in Computer
Science of the University of Dar
es Salaam?
Answer:
Graduates can be employed in
top positions in IT department
in private or public sector or
they can be employed in higher
learning institution and research
institutions
How much does it cost for one to
finish studies for this program?
Are there any scholarships?
Answer:
The tuition fee for this course
is about 2.7 Million Tanzanian
Shillings per year. There is a wider
opportunity for scholarships
from development partners and
private sponsors, but also through
applyin for a loan from HESLAB.
Master of Science in
Health Informatics
Question:
Who should apply for this
program?
Answer:
Prospective candidates for Master
of Science in Health Informatics
are those with BSE degree in
Informatics or related fields or
a BSE. degree in Health Sciences
or related qualifications, with
24 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
an overall grade average of B or
higher. In addition a minimum
of one year work experience is
required.
Question:
What are the employment
opportunities after studying
Master of Science in Health
informatics of the University of
Dar es Salaam?
Answer:
After this program one can be
employed in public or private
health sectors as health
information officers, in NGO’s
dealing with health issues or
in heath informatics fields as
educators and researchers
Question:
How long does this program last?
Answer:
This is a two year evening
program.
Question:
How much does it cost for one to
finish studies for this program?
Are there any scholarships?
Answer:
The tuition fee for this program
is about 2.6 Million Tanzanian
Shillings per year. There is an
opportunity for scholarships
from development partners and
private sponsors.
Doctor of Philosophy
(Ph.D) in Computer
Science
Question:
Who should apply for this
program?
Answer:
Question:
A holder of a relevant Master degree from any
recognized institution.
For how long does this program last?
Question:
This is a 3 year program.
What are the employment opportunities after
studying Ph.D in Computer Science of the University
of Dar es Salaam?
Answer:
There are a lot of employment opportunities
after successfully completing this program. They
can be employed in higher learning and research
institutions and relevant executive positions at
local or international organizations.
Minister
Urges
UDSM to Maintain
e-Learning Facilities
By Godfrey Nkwera
The Minister for Communication,
Science
and
Technology
Honorable Professor Makame
Mnyaa Mbarawa urged the
University of Dar es Salaam
(UDSM) through its Centre for
Virtual Learning (CVL) to take
care of the e-learning facilities
installed in the Tele-Education
Centre under the Pan Africa
e-Network Project.
The Pan African e-Network
Project is a joint project
between
African countries
Answer:
Question:
How much does it cost for one to finish studies for
this program? Are there any scholarships?
Answer:
The fee for this program is about 3 Million
Tanzanian Shillings per year. There is opportunity
for scholarships from development partners and
private sponsors.
and the Government of India.
The project aims at building
capacities in Africa and exchange
expertise between people of
the continent in Education
and Health sectors through
Information and Communication
Technologies (ICT).
Under this project Universities
from India offer courses leading to
the award of different degrees to
some selected African countries
using e-learning technology and
video conferencing facilities.
Addressing the former School of
Informatics and Communication
Technology (SICT) staff and the
University of Dar es Salaam
top officials in his visit to the
Tele-Education Centre, the
Minister said that as part of the
project implementation, the
Government of India installed
modern e-learning facilities
at UDSM so that students from
Tanzania can study various
courses from Indian Universities.
He said that in order to make the
project sustainable, there is a
need to take care of the facilities
and put more local inputs to
make the Tele-Education Centre
sustainable even after the
project is over.
The project is being funded by
the Government of India with an
approved budgetary cost of over
USD mil.125.
Professor Makame Mbarawa (fourth left) in a group photo with UDSM top officials and staff when he
visited the UDSM Tel-Education Centre
CVL Staff wins UDSM slogan Competition
Mr Maximilian Makungu [third left] won the University of Dar es Salaam slogan writing competition.
The College of Information and Communication Technologies (CoICT)
staff, Mr Maximilian Makungu, has won the University of Dar es Salaam
slogan writing competition.
Mr Makungu came up with the slogan titled “Advancing Knowledge,
Creating Futures” which seemed to call attention of the public.
He is working as a System Administrator at the Centre for Virtual
Learning (CVL).
The slogan will be displayed at the University of Dar es Salam’s main
gates to mark 50th anniversary of the University in 2011.
MOODLE Replaces Blackboard at UDSM
The University of Dar es Salaam has
officially announced the deployment of the
Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning
Environment (MOODLE) as its Learning
Management System (LMS) to replace a
commercial Learning Management System
(LMS) known as Blackboard.
the Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL) to shift
all their courses to MOODLE.
According to the Deputy Vice ChancellorAdministration Prof. Yunus Mgaya’s letter to
the Principals of Colleges, Deans of Schools
and Director of Institutes, the University is no
longer supporting Blackboard; each College,
School and Institute is requested to liaise with
According to Prof Mgaya’s letter the University
of Dar es Salaam has stopped subscribing for
Blackboard licence and is not getting support
and updates from the vendor. However, some
of the colleges and schools are still using
Blackboard in the delivery of their courses.
26 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
The letter instructed all System Administrators
to provide support to instructors so that they
can migrate their courses from Blackboard
to MOODLE.
Four
Steps to access
courses in Moodle
By Frank Kennedy
Moodle is a Learning Management System (LMS) which is used by the University of
Dar es Salaam (UDSM) and other Universities in the world to offer various programs
online. UDSM Moodle enables one to access course notes and other learning resources
such as text, pictorial, audio, assignments and course news wherever you are as long
as your connected to internet. Students can follow the following four simple steps
in order to access course materials and have direct interactions with instructors.
1
Step one: Log In
Type http//lms.udsm.ac.tz on the address bar of
any browser for instance Internet Explorer or Mozilla
Firefox or click the link UDSM E-learning Platform from the
UDSM website. Log in using your registration number and
password. If you can’t login you will need to check that you
are using the correct username and password.
2
Step two: Accessing your profile and changeing
password
Once you have logged on to UDSM Moodle Learning
Management System you will see your name within the first
block in the right column blocks. Click your name and in the
opening page you can either click update your profile and
add your picture or change your password.
3
Step three: Accessing your course and course
materials
On the left column blocks, go to the first block
called “My courses” and click your course to access course
materials. You will see materials organized in a weekly
format. Simply click the links within a particular week to
access them.
4
Step four: Working with communication tools
(Forum and Chat)
In your course you will find a block called “Activities”
on the left column blocks. Within that block you will find
different activities such as assignments, forums, chats and
quizzes. To enter a chat simply click “Chat” link in activities
block and select a chat room, do the same for a forum.
If you face any problem about UDSM Learning Management
System, you can contact the technical and user support team
through 0655857758/0683107204 or email the technical
team at lms@udsm.ac.tz.
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 27
Poodle: Live
Moodle on USB
Storage, Offline
Environment
By Joel Mtebe
Innovations in Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) such as the recently developed
Poodle will revolutionize the way e-learning
programs are offered.
Poodle,which stands for Portable Moodle, is
a collection of portable applications that are
used to execute Moodle from a USB flashdrive
or other removable drives. It is a software
tool designed to allow the delivery of Moodle
content offline.
Moodle, which stands for Modular Object
Oriented, Dynamic, Learning Environment, is
designed to offer an online environment for
learning and collaboration between teachers
and students. Various academic institutions
such as universities have created content for
classes and instruction in the Moodle platform.
Poodle is a way to bring some of that content
to those who are in low-bandwidth and nobandwidth areas.
One expected benefit of Poodle software is
that educational institutes can expand their
trainings to offline students in a format they
are familiar with. Learners no longer need to
find a computer with an internet connection,
but only a computer.
Poodle can help instructors to run Moodle on
a USB flash drive so that they can distribute
Moodle content offline.
What applications are included in Poodle?
Poodle is a PortableApps based program. It uses
Firefox, Portable Edition and a portable web
server to deliver an offline Moodle experience.
It is primarily designed to be used on a
28 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
removable writable media (USB flash drive).
If you install Poodle, it comes with the following
software:PortableApps v1.6, Mozilla Firefox,
Portable Edition 3.6.3, Sumatra PDF Portable
1.0.1, Moodle 1.9.8+ (Build: 20100407),
MoodleStart.exe 1.0 and the miniServer 21 v2.
Why use Poodle?
In a sense, Poodle provides an “offline” testing
and development environment for those that
are constructing or editing existing courses.
Since it is a full Moodle installation you can
easily restore courses to your Poodle, make
edits, back them up and then restore them
to an existing web-based Moodle site. If you
have materials that need to make it into a
Moodle classroom but don’t have internet on
holiday or on a trip (in an airplane, etc.) then
boot up your computer, startup Poodle and you
can configure your classroom resources there.
Note that this is not, in anyway, linked to an
existing Moodle site on the web, so any work
you do on your computer through Poodle would
have to be manually backed up and restored
to Moodle later.
Where do you get Poodle?
You can download the latest release of Poodle
by visiting http://maflt.org/products/poodle.
On the download page you will find a .zip file
and a .iso file. See our Poodle documentation
page for instructions on how to ‘burn’ the .iso
file to a USB Flash drive.
What are the platforms and hardware
requirements?
Poodle has been tested on Windows XP, Windows
Vista, and Windows 7 platforms. Computers
with USB 2.0 are highly recommended. While
Poodle will run on USB 1.1, it runs very slowly.
What size of flash drive is needed?
»» The minimum requirements are a 512MB
flash drive. MAF-LT recommends at least a
1GB flash drive.
»» Poodle requires 200MB of drive space.
»» The miniServer and Moodle require
approximately 130MB
»» PortableApps and the portable applications
require approximately 70MB
How to launch Poodle
Follow these steps to launch Poodle:
»» Launch PortableApps by browsing the folder that contains Poodle (Ex. C:\Poodle) and run
“StartPortableApps.exe.”
»» Once the PortableApps menu opens in the lower-right corner of your screen, click on“Moodle
Start.” This will start Moodle inside of Firefox, Portable Edition.
Note: During Moodle startup procedure, two Windows Security Alert dialog boxes may appear.
These alerts can be ignored. To prevent another computer on the network from accessing the
application, press button Keep Blocking or Ask Me Later.
»» Keep Blocking – This will block access to the application from other network users
»» Unblock – This allows access to the application from other network users
»» Ask Me Later – This will keep blocking the application and the user is prompted again the
next time it starts.
How to configure Moodle
Follow these steps to configure Moodle:
»» Login to Moodle using the following login information
□□ Username: admin
□□ Password: admin
»» Add courses and customize Moodle
»» Create a student account
»» Modify the home screen Welcome block to replace the Admin login information with student
login information
How to shutdown Poodle
Follow these steps to shutdown Poodle:
»» Close Firefox, Portable Edition.
»» Wait for application Moodle Start to exit.
»» Exit PortableApps by clicking the “X” button in the lower right corner of thePortableApps
menu.
How to test Poodle
If any problem arise during this phase, please post the problem on MAF-LT forums
»» Remove and then reinsert the flash drive
»» Verify the AutoPlay dialog is displayed
»» Select Start PortableApps
»» Launch Moodle Start
»» Verify Moodle is running in Firefox
Joel Mtebe is an Assistant
Lecturer at the Computer Science
and Engineering Dept. (University
of Dar es Salaam) and holds
Master of Science in e-Learning
from University of Southern
Queensland, Australia
For more information
contact
Tel: +255 22 2410758
lms@udsm.ac.tz
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 29
Students Congratulate UDSM Blended Learning
By Godfrey Nkwera
preferred face to face sessions
to be done at the beginning and
middle of every semester.
“When instructors came to face to
face, they put us into the line, but
it was too late as it was the 9th
week. We wish they could come at
the orientation week so that they
could keep us in line,” Abdul Kileo
said.
On the other hand, there are
some challenges that need to be
handled in order to improve the
UDSM e-learning Programs. The
team members said that online
students in Arusha and Mwanza
reported that they need also to be
given handouts that give students
Mr. Mulembwa Munaku, CVL Internal Programs Coordinator
guideline, bylaws and several
regulations of the University that include
Students from Mwanza and Arusha Open Distance examination regulations.
and e-Learning (ODel) Centres, who are studying
postgraduate courses have congratulated the
The evaluation team revealed that sometimes
University of Dare Salaam’s blended learning
the Learning Management System (LMS) was
approach as it gives them the chance to study
very slow and sometimes not available at all.
while working.
Furthermore some materials were not posted
in the system on time which affected student
According to a team formed by the Director
learning.
for Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL) Dr Hashim
Twaakyondo at the end of 2010 to visit the two
“We have our fellow students who are in remote
Centres to meet students and discuss with them,
areas whom to them accessing the Internet and
issues that are necessary for the improvement
therefore LMS is very difficult. Even ourselves,
of delivery of the programs, reported that most
since we do not access reliable library here, we
students are happy with UDSM online programs.
suggest that hard copies should be included in
reading materials. Chapters can be printed and
The team members, Mr. Mulembwa Munaku CVL
left at the Centre for us to photocopy at our
Internal Coordinator and Ms. Christina Raphael,
own time, especially for additional readings,”
DUCE staff specialized in managing distance
Agnes Razaro said.
education, said that students in Mwanza and
Arusha thanked the University of Dar es Salaam
The UDSM launched two ICT- Mediated Distant
for establish these blended learning distance
programs in February 2009 namely Postgraduate
programs which, without these programs it
Diploma in Education (PGDE) and Postgraduate
would not have been possible for them to study.
Diploma in Engineering Management (PGDEM)
The team revealed that, students were very
happy with face to face sessions. They said
face for face sessions were very useful and gave
them more understanding of the contents and
30 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
and in 2010 the university launched other
two programs which are Bachelor in Business
Administration (BBA) and Master in Engineering
Management (MEM).
CoICT
Students To
Exhibit IT
Projects
The Colleges of Information
and
Communication
Technologies
(CoICT)
third year undergraduate
students plan to exhibit
various projects that will be
developed as part of their
studies.
and Information Technology
and Communication (ICT)
companies.
“If a student designs a
system as part of his or her
project he or she will exhibit
the system to various ICT
stakeholders,” he said.
Meanwhile, the College
of
Information
and
Communication Technologies
(CoICT) students plan to visit
IT companies so as to learn
ICT skills from experienced
IT professionals.
In an exclusive interview, the
The
CoICT
students CoICT students Chairperson
Chairperson Mr Zubery Shafii Mr Zubery Shafii said that
recently said that students the tour will aim at allowing
projects exhibition will students to gain IT skills and
involve CoICT students and knowledge directly from the
various companies that are industry.
dealing with Information and
Communication Technology. Students study tour, he
said, will help students
The exhibitions, Mr Shafii to experience and relate
said, are expected to take what they have studied
place in the second semester theoretically in class at the
of their studies during University and what is really
which third year students happening in various IT
are required to prepare and companies.
present projects as part of
He said that, to start with
their studies.
, the study tour will only
He said employers and IT involve third year students
company owners will be because they are the finalists
invited to participate and and they are also expected
to see various students’ to be in the labour market
projects designed and after their studies.
developed by students.
Some of the IT companies
Mr Shafii said that the which students plan to visit
exhibition will not only include Vodacom, TIGO, and
display CoICT students’ Airtel.
creativity and applications
of new technologies but also
target to attract attention
from potential employers
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 31
A Guide to Portable
Applications
run correctly. They may even modify specific
operating system files during the installation
process. Also, programs for modern computers
can store a user’s options and preferences
in a number of different places. The place
Portable applications are becoming where most programs store these settings is
increasingly popular, but what makes an in the Windows Registry. Programs that do
application portable? What are there some this are not considered portable because they
applications not specifically written to be must be able to find the needed files and/or
portable, yet there are versions available registry settings in order to run properly.
that are? This article explains the ins and
Portable applications get around this by
outs of portable apps.
making sure that all files and settings
necessary to run, are stored locally in the
What are Portable Applications?
Portable applications are programs that are same directory (USB flash drive) as the
fully functional without having to install application. They still use operating system
them on your PC. You simply copy the file to files, but only those that are common to
your selected folder or drive, and then run every computer. This means that, in order
it. Portable programs do not store program to run properly, they don’t have to look in a
settings and options in the Windows Registry. directory on the hard drive or find a system
registry entry.
What makes an application portable?
An application is considered portable if it fits I saw a download for a portable version
of a non-portable program. What is that
the following criteria:
all about?
●●)) It will execute without being formally
installed onto a computer’s permanent Some very clever programmers have found a
storage device, and can be stored on way to modify popular programs (like Mozilla
removable storage devices, such as USB Firefox or OpenOffice) so that, instead of using
flash drives, CDs and DVDs, which enables or modifying some operating system files,
it to be used on multiple computers.
they use local copies instead. They also store
●●)) Settings are stored with, and can be carried all program settings in locally-found files, as
around with, the software (i.e., they are opposed to the Windows Registry. The end
written to the removable device). If result is that these previously classified “nonthe registry is used to store settings, the portable” applications are now portable and
application’s configuration isn’t portable, can be used on any compatible PC.
and must be set up on every PC on which
it is to be used.
●●)) It leaves a zero (or near-zero) “footprint”
on any PC it’s run on after being used (i.e.,
all temporary files/registry settings should
be removed once the program has exited,
and files created by the user can be saved
directly to the same removable media on
which the application is stored).
What are the advantages to using portable
applications?
With the advent of inexpensive, highcapacity storage USB flash drives and portable
hard drives, the possibilities for portable
computing have grown as never before. If
you are on the move, you can now take many
of your favourite software applications along
Why are some applications portable while with you on a flash drive or miniature hard
others are not?
drive and simply plug it into a USB port on
Some programs are written in such a way that just about any modern host computer. You
they need certain operating system files to can set up your applications the way you like
32 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
them, and need not worry that the computer you intend to use will have missing files or be set
up differently.
Are there any risks in using portable software?
Portable applications pose no risks. However, there are always inherent risks when you use a
portable application on a PC other than your own. These include viruses, malware and spyware.
Also be aware of the system requirements for the portable application you are running. Most
modern PCs today will be fine, but not all will be compatible.
Where can I find portable versions of non-portable software?
The following links are sites where you can download software adapted to be portable:
●●))
●●))
●●))
●●))
●●))
http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-portable-programs.htm
Apps to Go: http://appstogo.mcfadzean.org.uk/
Portableapps.com: http://portableapps.com/
The Portable Freeware Collection: http://www.portablefreeware.com/
Wikipedia’s list of Portable Software: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_portable_software
References:
●●)) Apps to Go: http://appstogo.mcfadzean.org.uk/
●●)) Wikipedia article on Portable Software: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_portable_software
Source: http://www.techsupportalert.com/guide-to-portable-applications.htm
UDSM Plans to Improve e-Learning Facilities
The University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) through
its Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL) is planning
to improve its e-learning facilities and equip its
staff with skills in e-learning technologies. This is
done so as to meet the future demands for online
students under the Pan African e-Network Project.
and have online discussions with their lecturers
from Indian Universities.
He clarified that, since the number of enrolment
of online learners is expected to rise as a result
of marketing strategies such as advertising online
programs in secondary schools, Universities and
private sectors, CVL will invest in e-learning
technologies and provide more trainings to its
staff so that they can be conversant with various
technologies in online education.
In his briefing note about the Tele-Education Centre
to the Minister for Communication, Science and
Technology Professor Makame Mnyaa Mbarawa,
the Director CVL, Dr Hashim Twaakyondo, said
that the University through CVL is prepared to
respond to challenges of large enrolments of The CVL Director explained that so far various
online students under the Pan African e-Network equipment in the Tele-Education Centre, which
Project in future.
is under the Pan African e-Network Project have
been installed and tested; various postgraduate
He said that, in addition to the existing computer and undergraduate students’ courses for the first
laboratories, the University is planning to have intake are being conducted using the installed
more computer labs with internet connections to video conferencing facilities.
enable online learners to access course materials
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 33
PHEA
Supports
e-Learning
Projects at
UDSM
migrated to MOODLE while 75 courses are
active courses containing course contents,
enrolled students frequently accessing
course materials.
Mr. Munaku explained that the migration
of courses from Blackboard to MOODLE has
included migrating approximately 16,000
users including lecturers, students and
administrators with their respective courses
who were registered in the system from 1998
to 2007.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator for the Design
and Development of Computer Science
Interactive Courses Project Mr Joel Mtebe
verified that most learning materials
developed lack interactivity and do little to
promote independent learning.
The Partnership for Higher Education in Africa
(PHEA) supports the University of Dar es
Salaam to implement two e-Learning Projects
namely Course Migration and Improvements Mr Mtebe also clarified that the project in
and Computer Science Interactive Courses its first part sought to identify interactive
materials such as case studies, assignments
Design and Development.
and formative assessments that could be
In an exclusive interview with the e-Learning used or adapted for use by the Department of
Newsletter, the Coordinator for the Online Computer Science and Engineering at UDSM.
Course Migration and Improvement Project, The second part of it, he noted, involved
Mr Mulembwa Munaku recently said that creating interactive course materials for
several courses which were originally in a use in two undergraduate computer science
commercial system known as Blackboard courses at UDSM.
have been migrated to a free and open
source Learning Management System (LMS) Furthermore, he revealed that the project
called Modular Object Oriented Dynamic will identify and train staff from Computer
Science and Engineering to create quality
Learning Environment (MOODLE).
e-learning materials and support these staff
Course migration process involved auditing in the design, development and piloting of
of existing courses on Blackboard, which these materials. The project, he added,
included identification of 415 existing will ensure that both staff and students are
courses of which many of these were trained to use the materials which will be
found to consist merely course titles developed.
without contents; 120 courses though not
active but contain contents and can be
34 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
UDSM Dons Resolve HR System
Challenges in Health Sector
The Department of Computer
Science and Engineering
(CSE) in collaboration with
the Ministry of Health and
Social Welfare (MOHSW) and
other partners have managed
to resolve the challenges
of having fragmented and
multiple systems after
developing and implementing
Human Resource for Health
information System (HRHIS).
HRHIS is part of a larger
and integrated system of
the MOHSW called Health
Management Information
System (HMIS) and is one
among several subsystems
that collectively make up
the HMIS. HRHIS as part of
HMIS has been developed to
assist in capturing, storing,
processing, analyzing, and
reporting Human Resource
(HR) data from both public
other existing
and private health facilities data with
including referral hospitals.
systems. “So far the HRHIS
is linked with a computer
In an exclusive interview, based Health Management
the DHIS/HRHIS Project Information System (HMIS)
Coordinator, Dr Honest Kimaro called District Health
recently said that challenges Information System (DHIS) as
that have been resolved after well as Training Institution
the deployment of the System Information System (TIIS) of
include the existence of Ministry of Health and Social
multiple, uncoordinated and Welfare (MOHSW)” he added.
un-harmonized data sources,
difficulty
In addition to that, the effort
is now underway to link HRHIS
experienced in making with other systems such as
intelligent forecasts on Human Capital Management
demand and supply of Human Information System (HCMIS)
Resources (HR) for Health and used by POPSM and Integrated
planning due to analyzing and Human Resource Information
using deficient and unreliable System (iHRIS) used by
HR data.
Christian Social Services
Commission (CSSC).
Dr Kimaro said the HRHIS He emphasized that the
software has been designed importance
of
human
and configured in such a way resource in the health sector
it can communicate and share is unique in the sense that
HRHIS training for participants in Dodoma in January 2011
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 35
health service delivery is most improbable
without enough human resource ( in terms of
quality and quantity), even where a machine
is available, it must be operated by a human
being. “This circumstance explains the
labor intensive nature of the health service
delivery, thus calling for proper, reliable,
flexible, and secure computer based HRH
information system,” he insisted.
Pwani, Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Morogoro, Lindi,
Mtwara, and Dodoma and seven Referral
Hospitals namely: Muhimbili Orthopaedic
Institute (MOI), Ocean Road, Muhimbili,
Mirembe, Mbeya, Siha, Kilimanjaro Christian
Medical Centre (KCMC), and Bugando. The
plan and budget has already been approved to
roll out the system to other remaining regions
and associated districts in the country.
Dr Kimaro said that the development of
HRHIS was preceded by an assessment of
the existing human resource databases and
information systems within and outside
MOHSW, analysis of the existing paper based
HRH system at various levels such as district,
regional, and national in the health sector
to identify key data fields and information
required by various stakeholders including
MOHSW and Prime Minister’s Office Regional
Administration and Local Government
(MORALG).
The development of stable, flexible and open
source HRHIS that is linked with HMIS/DHIS is
a result of the continuous need assessments
conducted by the HMIS/DHIS team at the
department every now and then, in the
course of user training, onsite supervision,
information dissemination seminars and
other direct contacts with the users.
The HRHIS Project is fully funded by Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
through the MOHSW and the software has
been developed and implemented by a group
The process also involved designing data of experienced and highly skilled developers
collection tools and procedures, and system and Systems Analysts from the Department
specifications, software development and of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE),
testing, training of personnel to operate University of Dar es Salaam. Apart from
the System, distribution of computers and financial support from JICA, the project is
installation of the HRHIS at various regions, implemented in a participatory way with
districts and hospitals, and thereafter carrying experts from Japan and thus, team members
out remote user support through phone calls are positively shaped by the Japanese
and onsite supportive supervisions after the culture of hard working, timely and quality
deliverables, creating an extraordinary
installation.
learning experience in the project.
So far, the HRHIS has been successfully rolled
out to eight regions which are Dar es Salaam,
36 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
DHI
P
DH
D
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS DHIS/HRHIS
Project
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
DHIS/HRHIS
Project
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 37
CRDB Bank Managing Director Dr. Charles Kimei (center), South Africa,s Millpark Business School Chief
Executive Officer, Julian Van Der Westhuzein (L) and University of Dar es Salaam Vice Chancellor Prof
Rwekaza Mukandala (R) sign a MoU to launch distance for the bank in which its staff will learning at the
School through the University of Dar Es Salaam.
CRDB Bank, MBS, UDSM Launch
Distance Learning Programs
In the Bank’s efforts to develop
and retain strong, effective,
and result oriented work
force, CRDB Bank has made
arrangements for its staff to
pursue professional distance
learning programmes, aimed
at enhancing professionalism
so as to improve productivity
and efficiency.
the Professional Banking Certificate in Banking,
Programme on Distance Higher Diploma in Banking,
Learning.
Postgraduate Diploma in
Banking, and Masters in
Under this partnership, Banking and Finance.
Milpark Business School shall
provide the qualifications The MoU for the distance
including
all
course learning programme was
materials,
assessment signed on February 11th,
and certifications. The 2011 at Movenpick in Dar
University of Dar es Salaam es Salaam by the CRDB
CRDB Bank indentified the will coordinate and facilitate Bank Managing Director, Dr.
University of Dar es Salaam the programmes while Charles Kimei, MBS Chief
(UDSM) and Milpark Business CRDB Bank will promote Executive Officer, Julian
School (MBS) of South Africa registration of its employees Van Der Westhuzein and the
as the preferred providers with MBS qualifications.
UDSM Vice Chancellor, Prof.
for the development, The programmes proposed Rwekaza Mukandala.
delivery
and facilitation of to be offered include
38 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
2011 MARCH | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | 39
University of Dar es Salaam
Tele-Education Centre
CENTRE FOR VITUAL LEARNING
Introduction
Academic Programmes
The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania and the
Government of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) to implement the Pan-African e-Network Project., The
project comprises three main components – Tele-education,
Tele-medicine and VIP connectivity. The government of
Tanzania selected the University of Dar es Salaam to
implement the Tele-education component by hosting the
National Tele-education Centre and facilitating delivery of
educational programmes. Under this project, universities in
India offer courses leading to the award of different degrees to
selected African countries using e-learning technology and
video conferencing facilities.
The following academic programmes have been
selected for initial delivery:
Indian Universities selected for
Tele-Education Services
Application Forms, Eligibility and
Tuition Fees
India has many universities but the government of India has
selected only seven universities to provide Tele-education
services in the project, based on their qualities, academic
excellence, reputation, and readiness to provide the services.
These are:
Information about application forms, eligibility for
each programme and tuition fees can be obtained
from the Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL) office
located at the University of Dar es Salaam, Main
Campus
or
through
the
website:
www.cvl.udsm.ac.tz
40 | www.coict.udsm.ac.tz | MARCH 2011
For more information, please contact:
The Director
Centre for Virtual Learning (CVL)
P. O. BOX 35062
Dar es Salaam
TANZANIA
Tel: +255-22-2410758
e-mail: cvl@udsm.ac.tz
http://cvl.udsm.ac.tz
n-
Pa
Currently, the Tele-Education Centre facilitates delivery of
undergraduate and postgraduate academic programmes from
reputable Indian Universities via live lectures using video
conferencing. Registered students also access learning
materials through e-Learning Management System (LMS).
The students may access the LMS anytime where there is
Internet
connection
by
logging
at
http://125.16.61.40/V-Learn
More Information
k
Mode of Delivery
More information about each programme can
obtained through www.cvl.udsm.ac.tz
A fr
or
Indira Gandhi National Open University
(IGNOU) - New Delhi
University of Madras – Chennai
University of Delhi – New Delhi
Birla Institute of Science and Technology – Pilani
Amity University – Noida
Indian Institute of Technology – Kanpur
Indian Institute of Science - Bangalore
MBA in International Business (MBA-IB)
B.Sc.- Information Technology (B.Sc.-IT)
Bachelor of Finance & Investment Analysis
Masters of Finance & Control (MFC)
Post Graduate Diploma in IT
Masters of Information Technology (M.Sc.-IT)
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA)
ic a n e - N e
tw