http://ijhe.sciedupress.com International Journal of Higher Education Vol. 8, No.

5; 2019

Integration of Information and Communication Technologies in

Teaching by Female Academic Teaching Staff in the Higher Education
Sector in Mauritius
Noshmee D. Baguant1
1
PhD Student at University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Correspondence: Noshmee D. Baguant, PhD Student at University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Received: October 17, 2018 Accepted: July 29, 2019 Online Published: August 19, 2019
doi:10.5430/ijhe.v8n5p56 URL: https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v8n5p56

Abstract
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is increasingly being used to support the process of academic
teaching in the higher education sector. However, it is imperative to understand the causes for minimal utilisation of
ICT tools by female academic teaching staff in their teaching process, resulting in gender inequity in technology. The
research examined the correlation between ICT integration in the teaching process by female academic teaching staff
in the higher education sector in Mauritius and the factors that could improve such integration in line. Futures
thinking methodology was used for this study to address policy, strategies and actions to support appropriate futures.
It comprised an evaluation of the sources and causes of change to map a probable future and a preferable future. The
future thinking methods included signalling, horizon scanning, future wheel analysis, alternate futures framework
and determining scenarios. As a result of the research, recommendations were made to assist policy makers and
decision makers to develop evidence based policies to address gender inequity in the use of technology in higher
education.
Keywords: ICT integration, female academic teaching staff, higher education
1. Introduction
1.1 Introduce the Problem
ICT integration in teaching in a higher education institution is encouraged by a shift in paradigm in the teaching
process from chalk and talk to innovative digital content. The integration of ICT in teaching-learning processes
heightens the need to offer academic teaching staff the most enjoyable teaching experience. Kler (2015) identified
ICT as an effective channel with the ability to increase instructive communication between the academic teaching
staff and the student in a classroom equipped with appropriate educational technologies. The demand for ICT
integration in the curriculum has become a global concern and is of great significance towards achieving the
Millennium Development Goals and the goals of Education for All.
According to Muro and Gabriel (2016), the environment surrounding women, reduces the latter’s morale to engage
in ICT professions because since childhood girls practise soft tasks while boys do the hard and technical tasks.
Classroom activities like tutorials, presentations, discussions, laboratory projects and invited guest lecturers can
enhance the teaching processes of academic teaching staff by merging ICT with teaching (Prabowo, 2007). The
integration of ICT in the teaching process does not benefit only the teaching academic staff but the students as well.
ICT integration in the curriculum increases student exposure to digital contents, which has significant and positive
impact on student achievement, especially in terms of knowledge, comprehension, practical or technical skills and
presentation skills in subject areas such as mathematics and science. However, irrespective of the subject being
lectured (ranging from Humanities to Engineering subjects), the higher education sector in Mauritius can be one
where ICT cuts across all subjects of study and is implemented by each and every academic teaching staff.
Although most lecture theatres/classrooms in higher education institutions in Mauritius possess projectors for the
digital delivery of the lectures and even some higher education institutions offer the e-learning platform to students,
it is generally observed that female academic teaching staff make minimal use of ICT tools in their teaching process
and such integration is only the tip of the iceberg compared to developing countries. The research questions for the
study are as follows:

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a) What is the relationship between ICT integration in teaching and female academic teaching staff in the
higher education sector in Mauritius?
b) How does ICT integration in teaching by female academic teaching staff in the higher education sector in
Mauritius influence a knowledge society?
c) How can Government improve ICT integration in teaching by female academic teaching staff in the higher
education sector in Mauritius?
For the successful development of Mauritius as a knowledge society, gender must not be a blocking factor for the
usage of ICT. The development of an ICT culture in Mauritius would be the key to attain the knowledge society
and gender equity especially in the field of ICT. In the same manner, ICT integration in the teaching process will
not be a matter of gender issues. All academic teaching staff will be in a position to operate a variety of ICT tools,
which will help them to improve their teaching process. The study has as objectives to offer the possibility to
examine the relationship between gender and ICT integration in teaching by female academic teaching staff in the
higher education sector in Mauritius and to understand how gender influences such integration given that ICT is an
important enabler towards developing a knowledge society.
1.2 Significance of the Study
As education is an important pillar of any economy, ICT integration in the teaching process is critical to make
Mauritius shine across the globe in terms of its technological advancement. The conclusion and the
recommendations of this study could assist as a guiding tool for effective implementation and use of ICT tools in the
teaching process in the higher education sector especially for female academic teaching staff. This study could also
help the Government of Mauritius (including curriculum developers and policy makers) to make informed decisions
on how to effectively implement ICT integration in a classroom milieu for female academic teaching staff. This
study elaborates on the challenges facing female academic staff in using ICT in classroom when delivering lectures
as well as in other administrative processes. Furthermore, this study focuses not only on the strengths and
opportunities of ICT integration in the teaching process in the higher education sector by female academic teaching
staff but also on its weaknesses including challenges hindering ICT integration particularly from a gender
perspective. ICT integration in teaching by female academic teaching staff in the higher education sector is
considerably under-researched in the Mauritian context and the study will contribute to this body of knowledge.
1.3 Literature Review
1.3.1 ICT and Education
Education is the backbone for progress of any country and is one of the most important indicators for developing
countries to achieve sustainable growth. Education is seen as the main input for a society to be considered a
knowledge society (Demir, Genc, Alp and Yildirim, 2015). Ciolan, Petrescu, Radulescu and Bucur (2014) defined
a knowledge society as a learning society with knowledge and competences evolving continuously. ICT has
profoundly changed our society and are the basis of today’s knowledge society (Almerich, Orellana,
Suárez-Rodrí guez and Díaz-Garcí a, 2016). According to Almekhlafi, Ismail, and Al-Mekhlafy (2017), all teachers
regardless of gender perceive technology as a tool that can promote language teaching and learning environment ICT
is well on its way to being an important engine to boost the higher education sector in many countries. ICT plays
an important role in building a knowledge society when taking into consideration its social, cultural and economic
contribution to the country. Major changes in education are required to enable Mauritius to respond to high quality
education of international standard and ICT can be used to merge technological innovation, information and
communication to the development of the knowledge society.
1.3.2 Academic Teaching Staff and ICT Integration in Teaching
ICT has a fundamental role in nearly all phases of the educational process, especially in higher education (Achimugu,
Oluwagbemi and Oluwaranti, 2010). Higher education institutions have to transform their academic structures to
adjust to the new communicative dynamics of access to information and knowledge and of social relationship (Durat
and Mengual-Andrés, 2014). Bauer and Kenton (2005) stated in their study that although academic teaching staff
was having sufficient skills to integrate ICT in their teaching, they were innovative and easily overcome obstacles,
they did not integrate technology consistently both as a teaching and learning tool. Gülbahar (2008) indicated that
although the majority of instructors believed that technology usage was important for teaching, they lacked
confidence and understanding during the integration process. The technologies of information and knowledge,
especially the Internet, are encouraging many institutions to transform their processes in order to enable access to
information and knowledge and thus, institutions are able to adapt themselves to new development and new

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professional profiles (Durat and Mengual-Andrés, 2014). Laabidi (2017) stated that the use of ICT in higher
education institutions has faced several challenges related to the attitudes of academic teaching staff. Academic
staff may want to explore using ICT in their teaching through online tests/quizzes, calendars, attendance records,
portfolios, online polling/responsive systems, virtual office hours, as well as the possibility of simulations or virtual
experiments, in both science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the social sciences fields (Fichten et al.,
2018). According to Blau and Shamir-Inbal (2017), the more frequently teachers made use ICT in classroom, the
more were their beliefs about the benefits of ICT; making the teachers felt digitally more competent. ICT has the
power to widen educational opportunities but most academic staff does not use technology as an instructional
delivery system as many educational institutions fail to integrate technology into the existing context.
1.3.3 Gender and ICT
While women continue to do well in acquiring the general forms of human capital that can be learnt in formal
education, they do less well in acquiring the specific technical skills that appear most relevant to science, engineering
and technology (SET) (Walby, 2011). The gendered composition of SET might be a consequence of the gendered
culture of science and technology (Walby, 2011), thus resulting in the under-representation of women in SET.
Galyani Moghaddamp (2009) reported that women considered themselves as being less confident and capable to use
computing equipment; women assumed that they were less experienced than their male colleagues in information
technology (IT) related skills and had generally negative attitudes towards the use, importance and relevance of IT to
their academic studies and future careers. Women felt that there are obstacles, which prevented them from
acquiring ICT skills in the educational system (Caprile and Pascual, 2011). Gender plays a crucial role in the actual
computer integration in educational institutions (Sang, Valcke, Van Braak and Tondeur, 2010). Kay (2007)
indicated that males tended to have more positive attitudes and higher abilities towards the use of computers.
Markauskaite (as cited in Galyani Moghaddamp, 2009) reported that major differences between males and females
were observed for technical ICT skills. ICT is viewed as a social creation which is not gender neutral thus resulting
in a gender gap in accessing and using ICT among all nations in the world (Galyani Moghaddamp, 2009). Studies
have shown that socio cultural beliefs created a gender bias, which influenced the relationship between gender and
ICT.
1.3.4 Gender and ICT Integration in Teaching
According to Tabassum and Shehzadi (2018), academic teaching staff of public universities, were aware of the
importance of ICT in the education sector but due to their age, their competence level of using computers was low
and most of them never had the opportunity to attend any training. Training is a basic requirement for women’s
participation in the global information economy (Olatokun, 2017). A research by Rather and Kuraishy (as cited in
Lentilalu, 2015) attributed the slow rate of ICT integration in the curriculum to the gender aspect where the female
academic teaching staff fails to access computers due to inadequate time and lack of technical skills. In their
research, Ahmadi, Keshavarzi and Foroutan (2011) stated that male teachers generally have more self-confidence
than female teachers to use ICT and to communicate with students in the process of teaching and learning.
1.4 Theoretical Framework
This study was based on the theory of Technological Acceptance Model, developed by Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw
(1989) as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Technology Acceptance Model

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The theory presents a basis for mapping out the effects of external variables on internal beliefs, attitudes and
intentions of the user towards a new technology. Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw (1989) formulated two more theories
under the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM): Perceived Usefulness and Perceived Ease of Use. The Perceived
Usefulness is seen as a potential user’s personal probability to understand the benefits and value of an innovation.
The Perceived Ease of Use refers to an extent to which the potential adopters expect a new technology to be easy to
use and to integrate it in daily classroom practices. Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw (1989) theory of TAM was used, as
it is relevant to the study.
The relevance of Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw (1989) theory of TAM to this study is as follows:
i. External variables: Predict concealed behaviours, motivation and intentions of the female academic teaching
staff toward adoption and use of ICT in the teaching process. As ICT has been predominantly considered
as a male field, the social belief makes some women still believe that ICT is not meant for women.
ii. Perceived usefulness: ICT is a powerful tool, which can enhance the teaching process of female academic
teaching staff. The female academic teaching staff are not making effective use of the ICT tools, which
can make their teaching process interesting.
iii. Perceived ease of use: Female academic teaching staff believes that the integration of ICT in their teaching
process can be cumbersome and complicated. Such academic teaching staff prefer not to integrate ICT in
their teaching process and they stick to their old-fashioned teaching methods.
iv. Attitude towards using: Gender bias in attitudes towards women using ICT is a cultural aspect which
prevents female academic teaching staff from using ICT, compared to their male colleagues.
v. Behavioural intention to use: Female academic teaching staff is not interested in integrating ICT in their
teaching process. They do not intend to innovate their teaching methods.
vi. Actual system use: The infrastructure provided by higher education institutions does not allow the maximal
use of ICT tools in the teaching process. In this regard, most female academic teaching staff continue to
use their old teaching methods that they have been using for years.
The Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw (1989) theory of TAM enabled to unleash some factors that prevent the integration
of ICT in the teaching process of female academic teaching staff in the higher education sector and by providing
ways on how to combine gender, ICT and knowledge society and to be able to make recommendations so that
Mauritius can aim in becoming a knowledge hub.
2. Methodology
Futures thinking methodology is known as a vast range of methods, theories, and findings (Miller, 2003) which, aids
persons to reflect helpfully about the future (Codd et al., 2002). The futures thinking has been used as a
methodology in this study to enhance the development of the future through scenarios of possible and probable
futures of ICT integration in teaching by female academic teaching staff in the higher education sector in Mauritius.
The thrust of futures thinking methodology in this study is to precisely and carefully improve national decisions
through the exploration and creation of preferable as well as probable futures. The methodology encompasses the
analysis of how those circumstances or situations may alter consequently the development and implementation of
Government policies, and the causes that these policies may have on the society. Many organisations make use of
futures thinking methodology to improve and understand future markets. Policy makers use the future methods to
widen, develop and test possible as well as desirable future visions. Futures methodology can facilitate the
development of policies (long-term), strategies, and procedure. Collection and gathering of data for this study were
from both primary and secondary sources. Primary sources included journal articles and published national and
international reports from Governments and other renowned organisations. Data collected from the different signals
and trends in ICT was put under political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental in a PESTLE
analysis. A ‘Futures wheel’ for the ICT integration in teaching by female academic staff in Mauritius was drawn
from the signals and trends identified. The PESTLE Analysis has allowed combining the political, economic, social,
technological, legal and ethical factors that influence ICT integration in the teaching process of female academic
teaching staff in the higher education sector in Mauritius. The PESTLE analysis has proved to be an effective tool for
futures thinking and identifying alternative futures of the country. PESTLE analysis together with effective
brainstorming helped to answer the research questions of this study.

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3. Data Analysis and Result

3.1 PESTLE Analysis
There are various enabling and restraining factors that are influencing ICT integration in the teaching process of
female academic teaching staff in the higher education sector in Mauritius as elaborated in Table 1.
Table 1. Factors Influencing ICT integration in teaching by female academic teaching staff in the higher education
sector in Mauritius
PESTLE Domains Enabling Factors/ Opportunities Constraining Factors/ Challenges
Political - Development of incentives to - Lack of support provided to
usage of ICT tools in teaching academic teaching staff using
- Recruitment of qualified academic technology at the higher education
staff institution
- Increase access to tertiary - Lack of help from parents and
education technical persons supervising
children when using computers
- Promotion of science through the and the Internet
Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre
(Mauritius) - Lack of technical resources such
as insufficient number of
- Creation of knowledge hub for computers in computer laboratory,
sustainable development unavailability of specific software
- Development of training - Insufficient time dedicated outside
programmes in ICT usage and the teaching hours to successfully
benefits integrate technology into the
curriculum
- Lack of digital content
(curriculum)
Economic - Enhance the development of the - Lack of financial support
knowledge hub as a new pillar of
the economy
- Globalisation
Social - Disseminate and inculcate the ICT - Lack of teaching experience with
culture in the Mauritian society to ICT especially the female
transform same into a Knowledge academic teaching staff
Society and to reduce the digital - Lack of on-site support for
divide academic teaching staff using
technology
- Lack of ICT specialist academic
teaching staff to teach students
computer skills
- Resistance to organisational
change
- Time management problems
- Lack of support from the
administration
- Female academic teaching staff’
attitudes towards ICT usage
- Personal and psychological
factors
- Innate beliefs by female academic

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PESTLE Domains Enabling Factors/ Opportunities Constraining Factors/ Challenges

teaching staff with regard to ICT
usage
Technological - Adequate use of ICT tools and - Lack of teaching experience with
Internet by academic staff to ICT
facilitate improve teaching by - Lack of on-site support for
making it more interesting and academic teaching staff using
enjoyable technology
- Ability to use social networks for - Lack of ICT specialist academic
teaching teaching staff to teach students
- Innovative teaching methods for computer skills
academic staff - Lack of computer availability
Legal - National Gender Policy - Long and expensive processes for
Framework to extend the product patenting
framework to female teaching
staff (Ministry of Gender
Equality, Child Development and
Family Welfare, 2009)
Environmental - Globalisation - Lack of sufficient experience in
- E-learning platform teaching which integrates ICT
- Lack of on-site support from
administrative and technical
persons for academic teaching
staff using technology
- Lack of help from technical
persons to supervise students
when using computers especially
communicative tools such as
Facebook and Twitter
- Lack of ICT specialist academic
teaching staff to teach students
computer skills
In the study, the future thinking methods (signalling, horizon scanning, future wheel analysis and alternate futures
framework) produced some detailed findings, conclusion and recommendations. Signals were identified and were
used to develop future changes in ICT integration in the teaching process of female academic teaching staff in the
higher education sector to address the digital divide.
3.2 Signalling and Horizon Scanning
In line with the signalling and horizon scanning analysis, the signals and trends have been identified in Table 2 for
higher education related to ICT, gender and higher education in Mauritius.

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Table 2. Signals and trends identified

Signals Trends
Signal 1: Enhancing quality of higher 1. Introduce Wi-Fi facilities in all campuses
education Most higher education institutions offer Wi-Fi
Description: The Tertiary Education Strategic facilities on campus.
Plan 2013-2025 emphasises a lot on enhancing 2. Capacity Building
quality and importance of higher education in
Mauritius as one of its main objectives, in - Academic teaching staff holds a Postgraduate
relation of the development of a Knowledge Diploma in Higher Education;
Society. Teaching and learning in higher - ICT training is a compulsory element of
education is linked to the quality aspect of the teacher training.
programmes being offered in higher education
institutions. Quality encompasses reviewing
regularly the curriculum, teaching and learning
methodology, integrating new developments and
technology in line with the current trends in the
country, especially in terms of labour market
demands.
Implications:
Good integration of new developments and
technology into the teaching process will lead
to:
 Improved efficiency in the higher
education institution at all levels if
effective use of ICT is made.
 Improvement in communication
channels as email, discussion groups,
Facebook, Twitter and chat rooms are
used
 Frequent use of ICT across different
curriculum subjects ranging from
Humanities to Computing, can
motivate students’ learning process
thus resulting in better results
ICT can be an excellent driver to improve the
quality of higher education. ICT integration by
academic staff (especially female academic
staff) can motivate students, as most students are
generally fond of this digital world. This can
also be an encouragement for female academic
staff to come out of this so called gender gap in
ICT and appreciate how ICT can enhance and
facilitate the teaching process.
Exciting to learn: ICT tools such as videos,
television and multimedia computer software
which mix text, sound, and colourful, moving
images can be very interesting for the academic
staff to provide motivating and real content that
will help the student to have an effective
learning. Such use and integration of ICT in the
curriculum will empower all academic staff in

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Signals Trends
their teaching process, thus compelling female
academic staff to enjoy using such tools. This
will provide female academic staff the
opportunity to connect with their male
colleagues and as well as to participate in real
world events. This will help in diminishing the
gender gap barrier, which exists between ICT
and female academic staff.
Facilitating the acquisition of basic ICT skills:
The communication of basic ICT skills and
concepts that will help in innovative thinking
skills can be facilitated by ICT. Female
academic staff will be encouraged to acquire
ICT skills, which can be implemented in their
teaching process, rather than using ICT for only
administrative purposes.
Enhancing academic teaching staff training: ICT
have also been used to improve access to and the
quality of academic teaching staff training.
This will be an incentive for the female
academic staff to acquire technical and practical
skills.

Signal 2: The Gender Policy Statement for 1. Improve the teaching backbone in higher
the Education and Human Resources Sector education institutions
Description: Girls and boys, men and women A measure that has been taken by Government is
need to enjoy equal opportunities to achieve that thirty experienced international lecturers
outcomes, based on their individual talents and will be recruited and posted in state universities
efforts. to foster greater research and improve teaching
standards (MoFED, 2014). This will help
academic staff to gain exposure in terms of
Implication: It will build gender sensitivity and teaching practices.
incorporate gender equality objectives in all the
strategic goals, objectives and activities of its
human resource development subsector. It will
ensure a more robust Human Resource
Development value chain linking education,
training and employment by taking into account
gender-based differences in opportunities and
barriers and where both women and men are
able to use state of the art technology.
3.3 Future Wheel Analysis
The future wheel analysis has been carried out to come up with the findings. The outcome of the future wheel
analysis is depicted in Figure 2.
The first direct impact of the Tertiary Education Strategic Plan 2013-2025 (Improving quality of higher education)
would be an increase in incentives for integration of ICT in teaching in the higher education sector. The incentives
can also apply to different sectors and their consequences will also vary across the different sectors. Increase the
funding in ICT equipment and tools in higher education institution would be one such incentive. This will
automatically increase capacity building and improvement in ICT infrastructure in the country and especially in
higher education institution. This will change Mauritius from a consumer of ICT to a creator of ICT.

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In addition, the development of ICT culture in Mauritius will encourage the academic staff to integrate ICT in their
teaching process. As such, less time will be spent on chalk and talk during lectures and multimedia technologies
will be the new teaching practices.
ICT will be perceived as a tool that academic teaching staff uses to help students to be more productive. The usage
of ICT would enable the lectures to be more innovative, captivating and more lively for the academic staff as well as
the students. This will also increase motivation amongst students by making learning enjoyable and interactive.

Figure 2. Futures wheel diagram

The most probable and preferable future is developed based on futures thinking methodology. The probable future for
Mauritius is elaborated as an island where ICT is integrated in the classroom and the preferable future is the
implementation of a National Open Source Policy and Strategy. The trends/signals found in the probable and
preferable scenarios reveal that the Mauritian Government is putting a lot of emphasis in building the Mauritian
economy by developing ICT as an important pillar.

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3.4 Probable Scenario

A probable scenario is illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Matrix for Probable Scenario
The probable scenario analyses the future where Mauritius has effectively implemented the integration of ICT in
teaching in higher education sector. ICT has been a facilitator to the economic growth of the country although
Mauritius is scarce of natural resources. This growth has been possible as a result of an empowered population who
is able to understand and grasp the ICT irrespective of age and gender. Mauritius has been able to produce a myriad
of ICT specialists as a result of development of ICT infrastructure and increased investment in ICT. Moreover,
capacity building of academic teaching staff and continued professional development have helped in the teaching
process, which have been possible from maximised investments in ICT. Although academic teaching staff remain
central to the learning process, the implementation of National ICT polices has led to a shift in the role of academic
teaching staff utilising ICT to that of a facilitator rather than serving as leaders in the classroom. With the support
of school administrator, ICT has enabled academic teaching staff to transform their teaching practices, given a set of
enabling conditions. Academic teaching staff’s pedagogical practices, attitudes and reasoning have influenced their
uses of ICT.
ICT is seen as a tool to help academic teaching staff create more 'learner-centric' learning environment. The
effective use of ICT in teaching has challenged pupils’ understanding and thinking, either through whole-class
discussions or individual/small group work using ICT. ICT has enabled the move from traditional 'teacher-centric'
teaching styles to more 'learner-centric' methods. The use of ICT as presentation tools (through overhead and LCD
projectors, television, electronic whiteboards, guided web-tours) has been seen to be of mixed effectiveness. ICT has
promoted class understanding of and discussion about difficult concepts (especially through the display of
simulations), such uses of ICT have strengthened traditional pedagogical practices and diverted focus from the
content of what is being discussed or displayed to the tool being utilised.
Academic teaching staff has extensive, on-going exposure to ICT, which has enabled them to evaluate and select the
most appropriate technologies. However, the development of appropriate pedagogical practices to include ICT has
been seen as more important than technical mastery of ICT. The use of ICT in teaching and learning activities
appears to be more useful to students than specific instructions in ‘computer classes’. ICT tools are now ubiquitous
and fully being used by academic staff in the teaching process.

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3.5 Preferable Scenario

Figure 4. Matrix for Preferable Scenario

The preferable scenario in Figure 4 analyses the future where in order for Mauritius to prosper, it is promoting open
data. The effect of globalisation on Mauritius has resulted in the implementation of open data, which enables the
release of information by public and private organisations thus allowing the sharing of information/data.
The most crucial benefit of open data for higher education is that it allows higher education institutions to improve
efficiency. Consequently, efficiency is improved by enhancing the way teaching is taking place through more
effective teaching strategies. Overall students’ performance can be viewed by parents and students which will in turn
provide information on choices of schools, grades, discipline and so on. When using open data, privacy and ethical
issues about academic teaching staff, non-academic staff and students are taken into consideration.
When using open data in education, the following has taken place:
(i) High utilisation of ICT tools by academic teaching staff particularly given that data on the impact of these
tools and Open Educational resources are published regularly;
(ii) Improved instruction/digital content: making use of data on performance of student and learning techniques
of the students to personalise lectures.
Furthermore, the implementation of the National Open Source Action Plan and the operationalisation of the National
Open Source Policy and the National Open Source Strategy, have created the right environment for the adoption,
development and use of Open Source Software in the educational sectors, public and private organisations as well as
the civil society. The Open Source Software has been used as a lever for the development of the information
society to enhance the competitiveness of the economy and to lower financial and technical barriers to access new
ICT technologies, through e-learning, transparency and student achievement.
4. Discussion
4.1 Major Findings
Based on the signals and trends identified in this study, it can be observed that the Government of Mauritius is
leaving no stone unturned to develop the ICT sector. The two signals identified were namely Enhancing Quality of
Higher Education (which forms part of the Tertiary Education Strategic Plan 2013-2025) and Gender Policy
Statement for the Education and Human Resources Sector. The Government through its public institutions directly or
indirectly related to ICT is shaping the priority fields for intervention in the education sector, so as to create a
conducive environment (physical infrastructure, capacity building) that will accommodate ICT in classrooms.
The main objective of the research was to make ICT a part of the teaching tool. In that effort, the ICT sector was
explored based on the documentation available such as Government policies and national as well as international
reports from public and private organisations, using futuristic tools. The gaps were identified and situation of the
higher education sector has been explored by employing the alternative futures thinking methods such as signalling,
horizon scanning and future wheels analysis.
Using futures wheel techniques, the trends and signals of both the probable and preferable scenarios have been
developed. The scenarios proved quite reasonable based on the trends and signals of the scenarios and policy

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recommendations have been proposed to integrate ICT in the higher education sector particularly for female teaching
staff in Mauritius. The answers to the research questions for the study were answered.
4.2 Recommendations
The following recommendations will assist to construct an effective ICT integration by female academic teaching
staff in higher education institution in Mauritius:
a) Enhance capacity building for academic teaching staff
More emphasis should be put on the ICT skills of academic teaching staff. Higher education
institution should design a specific training programme for academic teaching staff. Such training programme
should cover presentation skills, communicative tools and use of software that would enhance the teaching
process and make the teaching process exciting. Upon completion of such a training programme, an academic
teaching staff would be issued a Certificate. As the Government has decided that all academic teaching staff
should possess a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education, the above mentioned Certificate should also be a
requirement to the post of academic teaching staff. To encourage women to consider ICT as an interesting and
enjoyable tool and to make women realise that ICT does not belong to men only, special training programmes
especially for women academic teaching staff should be organised. Such training programmes will be
beneficial to women, especially those who lack ICT skills, to enable them to be more confident when using ICT
during the teaching process.
b) Achieve high quality higher education
With effective use of ICT in the teaching process, the quality of higher education offered in the local
institutions will increase. All academic teaching staff will integrate ICT in their teaching process. This will
give rise to more effective learning by the students as the delivery of lectures will be enjoyable and up-to-date
with the digital content, and such strategies concur with the concept of globalisation. Moreover, when the
students will do well in their studies, this will encourage female academic teaching staff to continue their
teaching process using ICT tools.
c) Promote the ICT culture amongst female academic staff
In order to promote the ICT culture amongst the target group of this study that is female academic teaching
staff, Government should promote awareness programmes for the use of ICT and its benefits and extend such
programmes to women across the country irrespective of age. Awareness programmes could be conducted at
the first instance in community centres across the island and female academic teaching staff could deliver such
programmes. This will enable the female academic teaching staff to meet other women who may be less at
ease with the use of ICT and they will be able to share their experience and thus increase their confidence.
d) Strengthen financial support to higher education institutions (both public and private)
Government should increase the fund granted to public higher education institutions. This will enable them to
improve ICT infrastructure (well-equipped lecture theatres or classrooms with all the latest technologies and
software; well designed digital curriculum content without any gender bias, Internet as a necessity, computers
to all teaching academic staff, special technical support provided to female academic staff who feel less
confident when using ICT in the teaching process). On the other hand, private higher education institutions
could be granted funding, based on the size of their student population, so as to encourage them to invest in ICT
infrastructure. In order for Mauritius to become a knowledge society and a knowledge hub in the Indian
Ocean, it is imperative that the private higher education institutions make full use of ICT.
5. Conclusion
A number of institutions/organisations, both public and private, is making a lot of effort towards the development of
ICT in Mauritius. As proposed in the Tertiary Education Strategic Plan 2013-2025, the Ministry of Education and
Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research is providing various incentives to academic teaching
staff and encouraging them to integrate ICT in their teaching process. Another critical component is the capacity
building at national level; there should be more ICT specialists, technologists and innovators who would help in the
design of innovative teaching techniques and tools. Adequate investment should be done on the ICT infrastructure in
higher education institutions to help to improve teaching. Mauritius should have collaborative linkages with
organisations/institutions in developed countries whereby funding could be sought from. The collaborative linkages
with developed countries will enable Mauritius to learn from those countries in terms of ICT implementation in
education. Mauritius aspires to make ICT one of the pillars of the knowledge society. To make this a reality,
measures such as, implementing evidence-based national ICT policies, building human competency in ICT related

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fields, enhancing ICT infrastructure, promoting the role of ICT in society and increasing investment in ICT are
required.
5.1 Way Forward
ICT can unlock doors of opportunity long closed by the geographical location of Mauritius, by enabling education
beyond the classroom through e-learning. This can increase access to higher education and attract international
students who wish to study at a higher education institution in Mauritius. Furthermore, ICT can provide new
approaches for academic teaching staff to contribute in positioning Mauritius on equal standing with advanced
economies.
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