Page 2 - Caleb University Lagos Conference Paper MSWord #1

Dr. Cosmas U. Nwokeafor
Professor & Dean
Graduate School
Bowie State University
Center for Business and Graduate Studies
Suite 1312
Bowie MD 20715
301-860-3406
301-860-3414 (fax)
cnwokeafor@bowiestate.edu

THE ROLE OF ICT IN CHANGING ACADEMIC CURRICULA IN AFRICAN
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM: A REVIEW OF ITS POLICY AND INTEGRATION
APPROACH

Abstract

The emergence of information communication technology (ICT) on the continent of Africa will
redefine the various ways businesses and government organizations manage their agencies. It has
significantly resulted in revolutionizing the higher educational systems in the emerging African
democracies as many colleges and four year granting institutions have taking the changes brought
about by this greatest human invention of our time into effective and efficient use. The growth of ICT
on the continent of Africa has result in tremendous paradigm shift from the traditional instructional
material development and classroom instruction to a refined, technology driven curricula to a more
collaborative and student engaged delivery modality. The internet which encompasses the (wide-
world-web (www.), e-mail/yahoo messenger, face-book, u-tube, my-space, cell phone system, and
most of all the efficient use of Skype access and the recent changes in television capabilities from
analog to digital, satellite dynamics, smart classrooms, electronic projection capabilities and
computerized data-base systems) have already exerted tremendous impact on both the development of
future academic instructional materials, as well as changed the pattern of course delivery by
professors in African higher educational classrooms. This paper therefore, takes a careful look at the
availability of new forms of information communication technology as identified and recommended
strongly on how they will increasingly play significant roles in changing the methodological approach
to instruction and educating the next generation of African students.

Biographical Sketch

Cosmas U. Nwokeafor is currently the Dean of Graduate School at Bowie State University. He
received his BA at Howard University in 1986, his MA from Howard University in 1990 and his
doctorate in Mass Communication from Howard University in 1992. His career at Bowie State
University traversed through classroom teaching to serving as Assistant Dean and the Dean of the
College of Arts and Sciences, Department Chair, Assistant Provost and currently is the President
Elect of the Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools (CHBGS) in America. Dr. Nwokeafor
holds the rank of full Professor and has published nine books.