Awareness Building Lectures on eLearning in Kenya and Zambia

In anticipation and as part of eLearning Africa 2007, the eLA Organising Committee initiated a number of lectures on “eLearning Service Development“ at academic and vocational training institutions in Nairobi and regional centres up-country. The lectures have been given by Leopold Reif from Hoffmann & Reif Consultants in Nairobi at the “Water Institute” of the Ministry of Water and Irrigation, the “Kenya Technical Teachers College”, the Kenyatta University, as well as at the centres of the Kenyatta University “Institute of Open Learning” in Nakuru, Nyeri and Mombasa. More than 300 Kenyans participated, 50% academic staff and 50% students.

The 90 minutes lecture consisted of a powerpoint presentation, a structured discussion and was based on a paper on “eLearning Competence Centres – The Organisational Framework for Sustainable eLearning Services”, to be published in the “Staff and Educational Development International” journal in its summer 2007 issue. The lectures have been appreciated by all concerned and by all attendees, and a lively debate and “questions and answers” took place at each location, documenting the great interest and expectations that stakeholders nationwide have with regards to the access and outreach potentials of eLearning.

In Lusaka, Zambia, the lecture was given during the first “eLearning Zambia” conference on March 15, 2007. “eLearning Zambia” (http://www.elearning-zambia.com) was launched by the Zambian national “eLearning Committee” under the patronage of the Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa, Minister of Education, and was attended by more than 180 stakeholders of ICT in education and training, representing all major and many grassroots initiatives in the country. The conference was further supported by 13 one-hour moderated live TV sessions, each focussing on a different eLearning topic presented and discussed by experts. On March 16, pupils from secondary schools and students, who had been participating very actively at the “eLearning Zambia” plenary sessions with questions and comments, joined the one-hour live TV session and answered call-ins from all over the country.

 

Photos:

Kenya Technical Teacher Training College, 22 February, 2007	Kenyatta University, 23 February 2007
Kenyatta University „Institute of Open Learning Center“ in Nakuru, 24 February 2007	Kenyatta University „Institute of Open Learning Center“ in Nyeri, 3 March 2007
Kenyatta University „Institute of Open Learning Center“ in Mombasa, 10 March 2007
The first national „eLearning Zambia“ conference in Lusaka took place from 15 to 17 March 2007. The event was described by the Hon. Prof. Lungwangwa, Minister of Education, in his keynote as a landmark in the history of education in Zambia.
„eLearning Zambia“ was accompanied by a series of 13 one-hour moderated live TV sessions with call-ins from all over the country.
Maseno University, Maseno/Kisumu, 30 March 2007 (photos soon to be posted)