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Internet as a Tool for Higher Education and Research in Agricultural Sciences

M. A. Zaman
Department of Farm Power and Machinery, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

S. M. Iqbal Hossain
Faculty of Agriculture, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study was conducted to explore the role of internet on higher education and research at two selected public universities in Bangladesh, which offer courses on Agricultural Sciences. One hundred and fifty eight teachers and 79 post-graduate students were interviewed based on questionnaires. It was found that 90.8% teachers had internet connectivity and they used internet on regular basis to search relevant websites and download the selected course contents. All the teachers agreed that adequate and reliable information on different topics of Agricultural Sciences can be obtained through internet, which can be used for academic and research purposes. Use of internet by the students is being gradually increased in public universities. The universities are expanding the internet facilities to increase services to the teaching and learning communities. Digitization of libraries and internet links between the public university libraries are in progress. It is expected that the use of internet would bring significant changes in higher education and research systems of developing nations and the institutions of higher education would attain a global standard. Development of education in these countries are badly influenced by limited resource and poor finance.

Keywords: Internet, Higher education, Agricultural sciences

Location: Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Gazipur.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Knowledge Management

Non-commodity: ICT

Objectives:

To explore the role of internet on higher education and research at two selected public universities in Bangladesh, which offer courses on Agricultural Sciences as well as conduct research.

Methodology:

A study was conducted in 2010 to explore the role of internet on higher education and research at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU). Both are public universities and offer courses on Agricultural Sciences. Teachers and post-graduate students were interviewed based on questionnaires. During this study there were 512 teachers in BAU, of whom 457 had internet connectivity. In BSMRAU all of 84 teachers had internet connectivity. One hundred and thirty (130) teachers and 58 post-graduate students from different disciplines of BAU and 28 teachers and 21 post-graduate (PG) students from different disciplines of BSMRAU were randomly selected for interviewing. A total of 158 teachers and 79 post-graduate students were thus sampled for this study. Data were collected on the status of internet connectivity in selected universities; extent and type of internet use by the teachers and students; skills in internet use; comments on the availability, relevance, authenticity and quality of course contents found on the websites.

Source of Information: Asian Federation for Information Technology in Agriculture; World Conference on Computers in Agriculture; September 3-6, 2012, Taipei, Taiwan

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Tremendous development has taken place in the field of ICT sector during the last 10 years. These changes demand adjustments in the process of teaching and learning in higher education. It is critically important that the students would acquire global competencies and capacities to work in any nation of the world. The universities should, therefore, strengthen the use ICT tools to keep pace with global technological advancement. The public universities, in spite of their financial and resource constraints, are trying to develop internet facilities and thereby increasing the proficiency of teaching and learning. International collaboration is essential for substantial development of higher education in developing countries including Bangladesh.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings