Determination of Viable Connectivity Technology for E-Learning in Tanzania - Case Study of Rural Secondary Schools

Abstract

In response to different development challenges, Tanzania is striving to 
achieve her fourth attribute of the National Development Vision, i.e. to have a 
well educated and learning society by the year 2025. The earmarked approach is 
to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education system 
(e-learning), in order to improve teaching and learning processes, hence 
provision of quality education. However, Tanzania is challenged by lack of ICT 
infrastructures in rural areas, which affects integration of ICT in education. 

This thesis presents a research work to determine a cost-effective and 
performance efficient connectivity technology for rural secondary schools to 
access e-learning resources. The research surveyed wireless technologies, in 
order to identify potential broadband access technologies suitable for rural 
areas of the developing countries. Because ICT is a very dynamic sector, the 
identified technologies were compared by using conceptual framework to study 
their sustainability and thereafter, analyzed by using techno-economic approach 
to determine a feasible and cost effective option. Results show that, a third 
generation (3G) Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) operating at 
900MHz is a feasible and cost - effective connectivity technology for rural 
areas of Tanzania. 

Furthermore, the research employed a simulation modelling approach to study 
traffic differentiation and priority scheduling mechanisms in providing Quality 
of Service (QoS) for e-learning applications in UMTS networks. A simulation 
model of the UMTS network is developed and used to study performance of 
e-learning applications as perceived by users. Simulation results showed that, 
UMTS network configured with traffic differentiation and priority scheduling 
can guarantee delivery of e-learning services with the required QoS. The Public 
Private People's Partnership (PPPP) model is proposed by this research as an 
implementation strategy for sustainable broadband rural connectivity solution.