Open Source LMS for Management and E-Business Applications

Abstract

Advances in computer technology have led to the increase in the use of information technology in business (Barron, 2002). Computer-mediated communication in the form of the Internet offers unprecedented avenues for the exchange of information and the delivery of instructional materials globally and locally (NHDP, 2003; Robey, Boudreau, & Rose, 2000). Through the Internet and related technologies, people are able to acquire skills and knowledge, adapt learning experiences to their own needs, and assimilate information faster (Azad, Erdem, & Saleem, 1999; NHDP). An organization that is making use of such e-technologies for the advancement of e-business is the Advance Information Technology Institute’s Kofi Annan Center of Excellence for Communications and Information Technology (AITI-KACE), established in 2003 in Ghana. The center is a collaborative initiative between Ghana and India, and is aimed at bridging the gap between education and industry. This initiative was in response to Ghana’s recognition of the social and economic benefits of information and communications technologies. The center is considered part of a national initiative to educate Ghanaians and unleash their creative potential in the use of digital communication technologies for business and education. It is a major skills-development and training institution whose graduates can transition into industry immediately as employees or employers. Ghana’s main challenge is that computer education at all levels is inadequate, and businesses are struggling to incorporate computer applications in their operations. Despite the relative advances made in the adoption of e-technologies in businesses and education, the greatest challenge lies in the fact that a greater part of the adult population does not have adequate knowledge and skills in computer software applications or hardware in order to explore their use in everyday activities or at their workplaces. It is therefore expected that by enrolling in the programs at AITI -KACE, a participant1 can either be employable or have skills to venture out into self-employment. AITI -KACE targets adults—at least those who have completed high school.