Utilization of collaborative tools in enhancing research knowledge sharing at Gulu university, Uganda

Abstract

The changes brought about by collaborative tools are a clear signal for universities to move towards adoption of collaborative tools for research knowledge sharing. This is because research knowledge sharing widens knowledge bases, which promote reuse. Despite the aforementioned, Gulu university faces the challenge of transforming researchers’ activities using Information Communication Technologies such as collaborative tools to achieve the objective of knowledge sharing. Therefore, the study sought to establish strategies that would facilitate the utilization of collaborative tools in enhancing research knowledge sharing. The target population comprised of lecturers and postgraduate students totaling 232 that participated in quantitatively; while qualitative respondents’ librarians and staff from the Directorate of Information Communication Technology totaling to 20. It attempted to identify collaborative tools, their contribution, challenges and strategies. A case study design was adopted using mixed methods among lecturers and students; librarians and directorate of ICT staff at Gulu University. Questionnaires, interview guides and observation were adopted for the study. Questionnaires were administered amongst 96 lecturers and 136 postgraduate students using simple random sampling. The findings indicate that varieties of collaborative tools are utilized because of availability of technologies and internet access. It was further established that collaborative tools have helped in networking and achieving common goals among researchers in universities. The absence of adequate infrastructure such as internet bandwidth and power supply has limited connectivity. It was observed that establishment of an institutional policy basing on the national ICT policy helped individuals to seek collaborative tools in order to accomplish a specific task despite slow internet connectivity. The study concluded that providing policy strategy framework that enhances research knowledge sharing among postgraduate students and a lecture in universities is a right step in the right direction. The researcher recommended that universities should develop a policy that would promote and encourage use of collaborative tools by both graduate students and lecturers; to create and share research knowledge. Once the policy is put in place, it will aid in the proper management of collaborative tools and enable knowledge sharing