Innovating Higher Education in Africa (original) (raw)
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International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research, 2024
The digital revolution has reshaped the landscape of education, offering unprecedented opportunities for knowledge dissemination and acquisition. This study presents a comprehensive exploration of innovative e-learning approaches implemented at the University of Botswana, which represents a remarkable case study in the evolving global educational context. The research leverages a rigorous mixed-methods approach, including case studies, surveys, and qualitative interviews with educators and students, to investigate the multifaceted strategies adopted by the university to transform traditional pedagogy. The study explores how the University of Botswana has embraced diverse e-learning methodologies, such as blended learning, gamification, and virtual labs, to enhance its educational delivery. Blended learning, combining in-person and online instruction, has not only expanded access but also yielded positive impacts on student engagement and performance. Gamification strategies have reinvigorated learning by incorporating game elements, fostering motivation, and increasing knowledge retention. Virtual labs have enriched the student experience by enabling hands-on, remote experimentation, overcoming geographical constraints. The findings underscore the University of Botswana's dedication to utilizing digital technology to democratize and elevate education in an African context. Moreover, this research delves into the institutional challenges and successes in integrating e-learning, highlighting the significance of faculty development, technological infrastructure, and student support systems in achieving transformative educational outcomes. The experiences and strategies documented in this study offer valuable insights and best practices that can inform higher education institutions globally as they navigate the ever-evolving digital realm. This research contributes to the broader discourse on the global transformation of education in the digital age, with implications for enhancing access, equity, and educational quality. In an era marked by dynamic technological advancements and changing educational paradigms, the University of Botswana's innovative e-learning initiatives serve as a beacon of inspiration and a source of valuable lessons for academic institutions committed to unlocking knowledge in the digital savanna.
Online Education In Sub-Saharan Africa.
Recently, online learning has become ubiquitous. This has led many to argue that this model of learning is the most viable way of solving the inequality present in the traditional classroom-based education. Although online learning initiatives have enjoyed early success among early adopters –mostly from developed countries, little is known about the effectiveness of such platforms in developing countries. This paper analyzes past efforts made to increase access to education in developing nations –specifically, nations in Sub-Saharan Africa and their efficacy and current challenges in education provision and steps being taken to overcome them. The paper then considers the viability of online learning as a model for democratizing education in Sub-Saharan Africa. This analysis reveals that, Sub-Saharan Africa, – and by extension other developing regions– lack the socioeconomic conditions necessary for online education to thrive. In summary, online learning, in its current form, won't enjoy the same success it has in the developed world.
“Another Year Lost?”: A Novel Approach to the Online Learning in Ghana
Academia Letters, 2021
Although the COVID-19 primarily threatened global health, it adversely affected diverse aspects of human life. One major spillover effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is the disruption in the status quo of education delivery. The pre-pandemic mode of delivery in Ghana was mostly onsite, where students and teachers have physical interactions in constructed lecture halls. The emergent nature of the COVID-19 crisis caused a paradigm shift in higher education (HE) institutions in Ghana. The lockdown measures and social distancing norms forced universities to adopt online learning. However, the transition from the traditional face-to-face (F2F) instruction to online learning has not been smooth (Aboagye, 2020; Adarkwah, 2020). Over a year after its discovery, many institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa are still struggling to ensure progressive and lifelong education. The paper narrates the plight of tertiary students who experienced the online learning in Ghana and propose innovative ways to continue the online learning in Ghana in this pandemic era where the educational careers of most students are in jeopardy. Statistical report indicates that over 91% of the world's student population across 188 countries were fatally affected (UNESCO, 2020). The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) lamented on the online learning in Ghana and referred to it as a "challenge-ridden" online learning. Qualitative data gathered from fifteen (15) buttressed this claim of the NUGS who called for a halt in the online instruction in Ghana (Anyorigya, 2020). The major challenges of the students included; high cost internet data bundles, poor internet connectivity, glitches in the online platform, inadequate electric power supply, lack of technical know-how on using the online platform, and limited ICT infrastructure/tools. The unique challenges affected some of the interviewed students' ability to upload assignments and complete class quizzes on time. Although students considered the adoption of the online modality of instruction as the best way to continue education in this
The new literacy of learning to learn online: Shaping the future of education in Africa.
Diallo, B., Richards, G. and Dubien, D. (2014 in press). The new literacy of learning to learn online: Shaping the future of education in Africa. In J. O’Meara & A. Cree (Eds.), Pathways to Literate Worlds. Oxford University Press. , 2014
Higher education institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa are overwhelmed by the soaring number of secondary school graduates seeking access to post-secondary education. To help meet this demand, the African Virtual University, in collaboration with partnering institutions and through funding of the African Development Bank, is enhancing the capacity of African universities to design, develop and deliver Open Distance and eLearning Courses. To be successful, these materials need to be accompanied by additional skills in the ICT literacy of both instructors and learners. This chapter describes the approach the AVU is taking to assist its partner institutions in developing new literacy skills for ICTs and for online learning and teaching. The chapter explores new areas of challenge such as ICTs for Teacher Education, and Applied Computing, and discusses non-traditional approaches to new literacy skills for a continent where most internet users connect through mobile technologies.
A Case of Online Learning System to Teach Students in Africa
2023
The lessons learned from Appadurai will be applied to approaching the culture of online learning specifically for a Filipino professor teaching students in Africa. In addition to the said articles, the researcher will also integrate the lessons from Wright Mill's, Sociological Imagination and Mariella Combi's, Culture and Technology.
Online Learning Challenges in Academia: The Case of Uganda
Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Computer Supported Education, 2020
Online learning is the access of learning experiences by the use of technology and internet, making the learning experience more convenient and accessible. Despite the wide adoption of Information and Communication technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning, ICT integration in teaching is still ad hoc and a lot more work has to be done to realize the full potential of online learning. This study was carried to establish the challenges that were hindering the wide adoption of online learning in universities in Uganda. It was discovered that internet connectivity and power supply were not reliable most especially in universities situated in rural areas. Teachers also lacked the required skills for designing online courses even in universities where infrastructure was not a problem. Therefore, we argue that for online learning to be widely adopted, teachers need to be adequately trained in online course design and mechanisms put in place to motivate the teachers to teach online.
Massive Open Online Courses for Africa by Africa SNn
2014
Africa is known for inadequate access to all sorts of human needs including health, education, food, shelter, transport, security, and energy. Before the emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs), open access to higher education (HE) was exclusive of Africa. However, as a generally affordable method of post-secondary education delivery, MOOCs place the developing countries at the centre of universal access to HE. This paper provides the strategy for MOOC implementation in the context of limited resources in Africa. The strategy is clustered under five baseline requirements: national accredited MOOC curriculum, electronic content development, development of an online and offline eLearning platform, establishment and funding of MOOC coordination units at public HEIs, and establishment of MOOC access hubs at strategic locations. Emerging from this paper is the insight that a new era of universal access to HE in Africa is achievable through MOOCs only if initial requirements are ...
Massive Open Online Courses for Africa by Africa
International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning
Africa is known for inadequate access to all sorts of human needs including health, education, food, shelter, transport, security, and energy. Before the emergence of massive open online courses (MOOCs), open access to higher education (HE) was exclusive of Africa. However, as a generally affordable method of post-secondary education delivery, MOOCs place the developing countries at the centre of universal access to HE. This paper provides the strategy for MOOC implementation in the context of limited resources in Africa. The strategy is clustered under five baseline requirements: national accredited MOOC curriculum, electronic content development, development of an online and offline eLearning platform, establishment and funding of MOOC coordination units at public HEIs, and establishment of MOOC access hubs at strategic locations. Emerging from this paper is the insight that a new era of universal access to HE in Africa is achievable through MOOCs only if initial requirements are ...