Job Description: IT Lecturer, University of Bukoba

Employer

University of Bukoba
PO Box 1725, Bukoba Tanzania

Sponsor

VSO Canada

Supervisors

Professor Israel Katoke, Acting Vice-Chancellor
Mr. Isaya Bakinikana, Registrar
Mr. Samuel Mutasa, Project Leader

April-October 2001

The university's goals as listed in the VSO placement description:

Provide accessible, high quality teaching and research relevant to the socio-economic needs of the country
Produce innovative teaching approaches
Become established as an agent of change
Produce highly employable graduates who are committed to the principle of lifelong learning

Key duties and responsibilities of the volunteer as listed in the placement description:

Design appropriate Computer/IT course modules
Enhance the quality of teaching provision
Increase, if possible and appropriate, the University's capacity for interdisciplinary research

The volunteer's main activities toward achieving the above:

Completed teaching Information Technology II course module to 10 students and Programming Methodologies II course module to 5 students (included creating and organising materials and lesson plans), provided 72 classroom hours of teaching, April through June 2001
Facilitated and created materials for 7 workshops in computer basics, advanced word processing and advanced spreadsheets for members of Regional Administrative Secretariat staff, provided 105 workshop session hours, issued 35 certificates, and generated about Tsh 2 000 000 (Ł1500), July through October 2001
Created a curriculum of future course modules, including descriptions of 15 courses and some syllabi and materials for three courses (Information Technology I, Computer Maintenance and Programming Methodologies III)
Inventoried all university Information Technology equipment and installed, configured, repaired and maintained hardware, software and files on 12 computers
Provided about 10 lecturers and staff members with varying levels of computer assistance
Wrote a detailed proposal and related planning documents to obtain computer equipment from foreign donors
Created a temporary web site for the IT department (http://gvogl.tripod.com/uobit/uobit.htm)
Proposed an IT research programme to survey the use of computers in the region
Proposed a workshop on IT use for secondary school teachers in the region
Provided informal software configuration and other consultancy services to several individuals and local organisations, including Regional Administrative Secretariat, Dutch District Rural Development Programme, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania, Bukoba Secondary School, Bukoba Cyber Centre, Modern Secretarial Services, Scientific Business Training Centre, the proprietor of Bona Bana Café, and several students

October 2001-August 2002

Instructional Design and Teaching

Taught university-level Computer Maintenance certificate course (included creating and organising materials and lesson plans) for 7 students including a University staff member, provided 60 classroom hours of teaching, October 2001-January 2002
Facilitated and created materials for 9 one-week workshops in computer basics, word processing and spreadsheets for staff members of the Bukoba District Council, the Tanzanian Association of Women Entrepreneurs, and the University, provided 135 workshop session hours, issued 44 certificates, and generated about Tsh 2 000 000 (Ł1 500) for the University, March-May and July 1-5, 2002
Further developed a curriculum of future course modules, including basic syllabi for 14 courses and detailed course outlines for six of those courses (Computer Applications I and II, Introduction to Programming, Object-Oriented Programming, Computer Maintenance and Computers in Education)
Provided about 10 lecturers and staff members with varying levels of computer assistance
Created two Java computer programs to assist Kiswahili and English speakers with learning vocabulary and grammar in the other language (http://gvogl.tripod.com/swahili/index.htm)

Information Technology Infrastructure

Inventoried, organised, installed, configured, repaired and maintained all University Information Technology equipment (hardware, software and files on 14 working computers); set up a temporary computer laboratory
Wrote instructions and sketched floor plans to help the building contractor with renovations of the future University computer building, January 2002
Purchased a computer, photocopier, two printers, and related peripherals and supplies for the University using funds from the Dutch District Rural Development Programme, January 2002
Obtained 6 donated computers for the University from Computers for Africa, June 2002
Obtained about 50 donated computer books from the US
Revised a proposal and related planning documents to obtain computer equipment from donors
Contacted 7 embassies in Dar es Salaam requesting information about funding for the University
Submitted forms with details for the University's inclusion in the UNESCO Study Abroad university catalogue and the International Handbook of Universities
Created a temporary University logo and staff identification cards
Created a prototype Access database of students, courses and grades, which could be used in creating class lists, mailing lists, course catalogues, transcripts, etc.
Created a temporary web site for the University (http://uobtz.tripod.com/) and enhanced a temporary web site for the IT department (http://gvogl.tripod.com/uobit/uobit.htm)

Information Technology Research and Services

Created a survey to assess the information technology uses and needs in the region, listed contact information of 70 education and development organisations, distributed 50 copies of the survey, and received 26 completed surveys, April-June 2002
Assisted the Scottish charity Computers for Africa in visiting about 20 organisations in the Kagera region and distributing and configuring 31 computers for 11 of those organisations, June 2002
Provided informal computer maintenance and consultancy services to local organisations (Regional Administrative Secretariat, Dutch District Rural Development Programme, Huyawa, Modern Secretarial Services, Scientific Business Training Centre, Danico Training Centre, Emmanuel English and Computer Training Centre, Open University of Tanzania, Bukoba Lutheran Teachers' College; and Hekima, Ihungo, Rugambwa, and Bukoba Secondary Schools) and several individuals (especially former students, volunteers and expatriates)

August 2002-January 2003

Designed, developed and documented a large monitoring and evaluation database for the Kagera Agricultural and Environmental Management Project (KAEMP), generating Tshs 3,000,000 for the University
Provided 55 hours of computer basics training for 7 Kagera Co-Operative Union (KCU) staff members and the Regional Commissioner's secretary, generating Tshs 1,000,000
Worked with four others to organise and facilitate a day-long workshop on computer networking at Ihungo Secondary School which was attended by 35 representatives of 15 local schools and organisations
Helped configure and network 19 computers at Ihungo Secondary School
Set up a local area network in the University computer laboratory and inventoried, configured and maintained all University computer equipment, including 12 working computers
Added to basic content outlines for 14 syllabi for a diploma in IT
Obtained information about IT programmes at several universities and training centres in Uganda and Tanzania
Obtained information about five computer donors in the UK and the US
Added content to a proposed University of Bukoba website (uobtz.tripod.com)
Kept Computers for Africa informed about the use of some of their donated computers
Provided informal computer maintenance and consultancy services to local organisations (including Open University of Tanzania, Bukoba Lutheran Teachers' College, and Ihungo Secondary School) and several individuals (especially former students, volunteers and expatriates)