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In November 2010 Saide facilitated a workshop on
supporting online learning. This course was run at the
request of the SADC Centre for Distance Education (CDE)
in Gaborone and was attended by ten participants from
the Botswana College of Open and Distance Learning (BOCODOL)
and the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL).
Ephraim Mhlanga provides an overview of the workshop.
The course was part of capacity-building initiatives
planned by the CDE in order to improve the quality of
Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in the region. With
increasing penetration of technology into the economic
and social fabric of our society, some ODL institutions
in the region are beginning to make use of technology
in course development and delivery to improve the quality
of teaching and the student learning experience. One
of the biggest challenges faced by many institutions
in the developing world is lack of sufficient human
resource capacity to develop online courses and support
learners online. This is the gap that ODL institutions
in Southern Africa are trying to address. Unless a critical
mass of people with expertise in this area is in place,
the dream of expanding ICT- enhanced ODL offerings in
the region might never be realised. BOCODOL and NAMCOL,
both shining examples of ODL institutions in Southern
Africa have already started planning to offer some of
their programmes through e-learning, hence the importance
of the workshop.
The course
As preparations for the workshop, the Saide online course
on supporting distance learners was adapted for this
group of participants. Participants worked through the
first three units of the five-unit course. These units
were considered core in terms of inducting beginners
to online teaching and learning and they consisted of
the following elements:
Unit One: The Lifelong Distance Learner
Unit Two: Open learning, E-learning and E-learning
2.0
Unit Three: Supporting Learning.
The course is activity-based and participants followed
a carefully designed learning pathway in the learning
process. In every unit learners went through activities
that required them to:
- Appreciate the challenges of the activity, which
is centred on the essence of the course unit
- Engage in exploration of pertinent issues relating
to the unit, by reading the relevant articles uploaded
on the platform and doing some activities based on
the articles
- Share ideas with other participants online
- Reflect on insights gained through reading and interacting
with other participants
- Negotiate and preserving ideas/ knowledge mastered
in the learning process.
Click
here to view more detailed information on the course
and the online learning theories to which participants
were introduced.
Participants’ views of their experiences
Throughout each of the four days, participants were
engaged in activities that involved them working with
the tools of the Moodle learning management platform.
They posted ideas in general discussion forums and maintained
personal journals in private blogs. At the end of the
workshop participants felt that they had immensely benefitted
from the workshop experience. However, they felt they
should have had more time for the workshop. The following
are some of the comments that were sent by participants
from Namcol after the workshop:
The group felt that the objectives of the workshop
were fully met and the participants had learned a
lot; the workshop was very stimulating and well-organised.
Though the knowledge imparted was dynamic, we received
massive information in a very short period of time
and it was a bit overwhelming. However, we managed
to master some skills in using Web 2 tools and technologies
like blogs and forums. I appreciated the use of tools,
supporting learners on line.
Apart from the above positive comments, participants
highlighted some challenges they face in implementing
online learning in their institutions. These include
lack of Elluminate software (an interactive web conferencing
platform) which they were exposed to during the workshop,
lack of dedicated computers and Internet facilities
which prevents participants from practising what was
learnt at the workshop.
Participants also gave the following recommendations:
- Laptops must be available for officers to practise
e-learning skills on Moodle
- Another workshop should be planned for early 2011
for at least two weeks
- ODL institutions should buy Elluminate software
for use by tutors and online learners
- Our institutions should think about piloting e-learning
- More training workshops on e-learning should be
budgeted for
- Another workshop should be planned for coordinators
- Saide should introduce an accredited programme for
learner support on e-learning, possibly at Diploma
level as a way of empowering ODL providers through
e-learning.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that the workshop gave both participants
and Saide facilitators new insights on good practice
in support for online learning. The workshop enabled
Saide to identify dimensions of this very important
course that need to be refined. At the same time participants
used the course as a lens for assessing the e-readiness
of their institutions. It is hoped that the recommendations
made by the participants will taken forward so as to
promote good practice in this mode of delivery in the
region. We encourage individual institutions to take
the baton from SADC-CDE and plan for more intensive
capacity building workshops for their staff.
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