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African countries have to balance their spending on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for education better. Skills development among teachers, which accounts for only 10% of most countries’ ICT budgets, has to be strengthened. Spending on costly hardware, which covers 90% of most countries budgets, should rather be reduced. This is one of the key recommendations of a communiqué released by participants in the Third African Ministerial Round Table on ICT for Education, Training and Development.
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eLA participants answered the call for personal conference stories and shared what they had experienced, learnt and observed in Lusaka. Their accounts range from catching a lift with a Zambian Minister and being given new opportunities and support to joining the organising team and being overwhelmed by an unexpected record number of registrations.
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The way to eLearning Africa is not always easy. Despite the organiser’s efforts to support as many African participants as possible through a scholarship programme, some education experts from the Continent face difficulties raising the money to cover their often high travel expenses. Fortunately, many of them still succeed and contribute to the eighty percent of African participants that make the conference a truly African event.

Adam Salkeld is Head of Programmes at Tinopolis, one of the UK’s leading independent television and new-media producers. Stephen Haggard is the company’s Head of New Media. Together, they are co-presenting and co-producing the African Digital Diaries session at eLA 2010. The session is on the morning of Thursday, 27th May.
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GeSCI, the Global e-Schools and Communities Initiative, will be participating in this year’s eLearning Africa conference, with three major meetings and a presentation. On May 26th, GeSCI, ICWE, and IICD will host the full-day Ministerial Roundtable, which focuses on leadership capacities in ICTs in Education. In the afternoon, GeSCI and the PanAfrican Observatory invite participants to join a research panel discussion, which serves as a knowledge exchange platform on African ICT Education. On May 27th, GeSCI will launch its Knowledge Partnership Fund and Patti Swarts will contribute to a Research and Findings session on May 28th.
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This year’s eLearning Africa conference will host the first-ever “Mobile GDLN Zambian Distance Learning Center”, brought to us by the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN), a partnership specialising in knowledge and learning for people working in international development with strong ties to the World Bank Institute (WBI). The virtual centre is a new concept from the Washington-based GDLN Global Secretariat and the Association of African Distance Learning Centres (AADLCs).
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High-quality education is the foundation for success and growth. There is a need for empowered teachers, strong school leaders, better curricula, and the ability for students to connect with one another and the rest of the world, says Anthony Salcito, Vice President, Worldwide Public Sector – Education, Microsoft. Through various highly successful initiatives, such as the Partners in Learning Network or the Innovative School Programme, Microsoft reaches out to more than twenty million teachers and students on the African continent, bringing access to technology and high-quality learning content. Anthony Salcito talked to eLearning Africa about the successes and challenges of their African activities.
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The role Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can play in building a peaceful, secure and stable society will be the subject of a major discussion session organised by the New Security Foundation at this year’s eLearning Africa conference in Lusaka, Zambia on May 27th, 2010.
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With a geographic base in nine southern African countries, financial underpinnings of about fifteen million Units of Account (1 UA = 1 US$1.48) from the African Development Fund, and a mature development strategy, the Open and Distance Learning Project launched by the Southern African Development Organization (SADC) secretariat in 2007 provides a paradigm for how a large-scale capacity-building effort should come into being. The project members are Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Madagascar, nominally a member, too, has been suspended from the SADC due to political uncertainties and is currently not actively involved. At eLA, Project Advisor Professor Richard Siaciwena from Botswana will provide up-to-date information on the project and put the entire process of development forward for discussion.
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Litsa Panayotopoulos, Managing Director of the OTEAcademy S.A, is a “global player.” Based in Greece, she received her academic training in London and has worked in the U.S. as well as in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for many years. Currently she is playing a major role in the fast growing sector of corporate training and distance learning in several parts of the world. Litsa Panayotopoulos has been appointed to the Advisory Committee of eLA. At this year's conference in Zambia, the OTEAcademy will present its specific business model.


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Before the opening of the main conference at eLearning Africa, pre-conference meetings, seminars and workshops will be held on Wednesday, May 26th, 2010, offering participants the opportunity to learn a new skill, enhance their knowledge or gather information about a specific topic. Such activities are not only excellent opportunities in themselves, but are also valuable pre-conference networking activities in their own right.

The pre-conference workshops are either half-day or full-day events and aim to develop participants’ practical skills or build on their knowledge of a particular area. The emphasis is on activity and interaction, so the number of participants is limited. The first three eLearning Africa 2010 workshops have just been announced.
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By hosting the next eLearning Africa, Zambia is confirming its commitment to placing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) at the heart of its development projects and is highlighting the different plans and programmes in progress that incorporate ICT as an essential development factor. “We are very excited about this conference and see it as an avenue that can open up the country. It is a window of hope and a great opportunity for us,” says Professor Thomson Sinkala, Chair of the Zambia National eLA Committee.
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Receiving enigmatic text messages, looking for hints on a website every now and then, following a trace that leads to a particular book in a library – all this can happen when people play what is called an alternate reality game (ARG) together. This relatively new kind of collaborative gaming combines different media and real-world experience. As more and more gamers all over the world become fascinated with ARGs, educationalists are also trying to find out more about the games’ pedagogical impact. Steven Vosloo, Communication and Analytical Skills Fellow at the Shuttleworth Foundation, South Africa, is currently preparing to initiate an ARG project for twelve to fourteen-year olds in his country.
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Three conference days filled with action, excitement, passion, heated debate and even controversy – Christine Cayré, ICWE member of staff onsite at the venue in Dakar, shares her impressions, capturing both the atmosphere and voices at eLearning Africa 2009.
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“Education is the forgotten aspect of post-conflict humanitarian aid and aid for refugees”, New Security Foundation Chairman Dr Harold Elletson told delegates at a ground-breaking session on ‘post-conflict distance learning’ during eLearning Africa in Dakar, Senegal. With these words, he initiated a debate which should prove to be a hot topic at this year’s Security and Defence Learning Forum in Berlin.
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Inaugurated last year by Deutsche Welle, a radio project called “Learning by Ear” is reaching into parts of Africa where computers are yet to be seen. Today, more than 33 million people on the African continent are able to listen to this distance-education programme. Its popularity lies in its unconventional format and true-to-life stories that embrace diverse themes depicted in the form of features, interviews and even soaps. Deutsche Welle Journalist Susanne Fuchs presented the story of these African-made radio shows at eLearning Africa 2009.
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eLearning Africa brings people together to exchange ideas and create partnerships. The conference has been the birthplace of numerous fruitful collaborations, and at this year’s event, the ECDL Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation registered in Ireland, and the Senegalese Ministry for Technical Education and Professional Training signed a significant agreement for the development of IT skills and education in Senegal. Their joint venture will promote digital literacy by introducing the “International Computer Driving licence” (ICDL) in Senegal. Daniel Palmer, ECDL Foundation Regional Development Manager for the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific, talks about the project, the challenges it has to face and what we can expect from it.
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In a new feature at this year’s conference, highlighting eLearning Africa's innovative approach and setting the tone for future conferences, international guests were able to participate not only on-site in Dakar, but also via video conferences from other locations worldwide.
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For the first time, at this year’s eLearning Africa in Dakar, delegates from all over Africa and beyond will join leading international experts for a major debate on an issue of central importance for the future of education in Africa.
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Enabling flexible learning with mobile and wireless technologies is what mLearning advocate John Traxler is passionate about. There is probably no one who has a broader perspective on the issue than the author of widely known textbooks such as "Mobile Learning: A Handbook for Educators and Trainers" and "Mobile Learning in Developing Countries". With an analytical and discursive mind, John Traxler has investigated the African landscape for many years and developed a profound understanding of the role of technology in education. He will be one of the keynote speakers in the eLearning Africa Debate and here he examines some of the key issues surrounding it.
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As the chairman for Africa at Microsoft, Dr. Cheick Diarra is responsible for the company’s commercial and citizenship activities on the continent — of which education initiatives are a critical part. Since taking on the role in 2006, Dr Diarra has travelled throughout Africa talking to students, youth groups, teachers, universities, government leaders, Ministries of Education and the private sector about the role of ICT in enhancing the effectiveness of education in Africa. eLearning Africa cordially welcomes Dr Diarra as a keynote speaker in the plenary session on Thursday, 18:00 – 19:30.
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Over one thousand registered participants and speakers are looking forward to this year’s eLearning Africa conference in Dakar!

Taking place from May 27th – 29th, this conference is THE event in the field of ICT-supported learning and training! High-level participants from ministries, organisations and companies from all over the world are coming to Dakar. Don’t miss out on this unique conference and the chance to network and share the latest on learning and technology. Find out here what will be happening ...
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The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), an international association with the mission to develop open standards for the web, is inviting the general public to its Senegal Office Launch at eLearning Africa 2009 in Dakar. By launching a new office in Senegal – W3C’s first in West Africa and 17th facility worldwide – the consortium seeks to work with regional web communities to promote W3C technologies in local languages, broaden its geographical base and encourage international participation in its activities. The W3C Senegal office launch is timed to coincide with ‘eLearning Africa 2009,’ Africa’s biggest conference on technology-assisted learning. Click here for registration.
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eLearning Africa 2009 will welcome nearly 300 speakers from 50 countries to Dakar, Senegal. The programme, which is now available on the eLA website, will feature state-of-the-art presentations and interactive workshops, together with practical demonstrations and cutting-edge debates on key issues in the field of eLearning for the African continent. A range of new initiatives will also be presented.

This newsletter gives a sneak preview of some of the seminars and events scheduled for the day before the conference’s official opening.
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Le ministre sénégalais de l'Enseignement Secondaire, des Centres Universitaires Régionaux  et des Universités, le Pr Moustapha Sourang, exhorte les chefs d'Etat africains à « s'approprier » les Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication (TIC) pour la réussite de l'Université Virtuelle Africaine (UVA).
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A new UN eLearning initiative was launched during this year’s ONLINE EDUCA BERLIN, which was held from December 3rd – 5th. It aims to establish a UN-wide network on technology-supported learning, with a special focus on the work of UN agencies at the country level.
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À la Case des Touts Petits à Dakar, les enfants sont accueillis dès leur plus jeune âge. L’endroit est à la fois un nid protecteur et un tremplin vers la vie pour les petits Sénégalais défavorisés. Ils y reçoivent des soins, de l’affection et ils s’ouvrent au monde à travers des activités d’éveil variées. Ils ont entre autre accès à des ordinateurs comme moyen de jeu et de familiarisation avec l’outil informatique. Cette initiative fait partie des différents programmes mis en place au Sénégal autour des Technologies de l’Information et de la Communication pour l’Enseignement (TICE). Christine Cayre dresse un bref portrait du pays. D'un autre côté, le boum de la téléphonie mobile et l'envolée du nombre des opérateurs du secteur de la télécommunication sont des facteurs pouvant aider le Sénégal à mettre en place une politique TIC dans un futur proche.
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A team from ICWE visited Kempshot Grammar Academy, a school in a fishing village around 50 kilometres from Accra, after this year’s eLearning Africa conference. ICWE donated to the school, which is currently struggling to find suitable solar-powered computer equipment to supply the mandatory ICT education to its students.
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Han Fraeters, WBI, USA and Mike Trucano, infoDev, the World Bank, USA led a highly participative session at eLearning Africa this year in which they tried to predict - with the help of about sixty participants - what would be on the agenda for eLearning Africa 2020. According to them, the future of eLearning on the Continent will be mainly open source, mobile and focused on the learner.
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Microfinance is recognised as an effective development intervention in improving the livelihoods of poor and low-income people. In order to help disseminators and to improve essential qualification, in 2005 the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) of the World Bank and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) jointly established a blended-learning programme called Microfinance Training of Trainers (MFTOT).

At eLearning Africa 2008, Dr Jiping Zhang from TDLC will show how the MFTOT courses are designed and delivered, as well as what development impacts have been observed so far.
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Teacher in primary
school in northern
Laos,© Wikimedia
Commons

Wikiversity is organising an online course “Composing free and open online educational resources”. Starting on March 3, 2008, the course is designed for teachers and teacher-students who do not have prior knowledge or skills related to free and open education resources.
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More than 380 high-quality proposals have been received for the upcoming eLearning Africa conference. Amongst the applicants are universities and education institutions, renowned development organisations, grass-roots project leaders and corporations from 61 countries worldwide. This edition of the newsletter offers a sneak preview of some of the seminars and events that precede this year’s conference.
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eLearning in Zambia has taken awhile to get off the ground, but progress has been made and the future certainly holds promise. Two recent developments, an eLearning cooperation pact with India and the convening of eLearning Zambia, the first major conference of its type to be held in the country, appear to augur well for the country’s eLearning community and prospects. Brenda Zulu reports from Lusaka...
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© UNESCO/
A. Wheeler

Building upon two preceding discussion groups from 2003 and 2005, a ministerial round table on education and economic development was held at UNESCO headquarters during a two-day meeting at the 34th Session of the General Conference. Along with key issues at the interface between education and economic development, the round table focussed specifically on the equity and ethical dimension of economic growth.
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The Republic of Ghana, celebrating its fiftieth birthday this year, is known as one of the most stable countries on the African continent. Not least because of international investors’ trust in its democracy, Ghana has a flourishing economy. According to World Bank numbers, Ghana’s Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector has registered one of the most significant growth rates in Africa.

Ghana also has made good progress in preparing the ground for further proceedings in eLearning, and eLearning Africa takes great pride in the country’s willingness to host the next edition of the Conference in 2008. Delighted with the result of eLearning Africa 2007, Ghanaian presenters like Daniel Nettey, International Institute for Information Technology (INIIT), have already signalled their enthusiasm in contributing to the upcoming event: “eLearning Africa 2007 has been a step in the right direction for Africa. Keep up the good work, and you can count on my team anytime to assist in any way to bring ICT to a complete realization in the African continent.”

In the following, eLA provides a general introduction into the country’s educational successes and future challenges.
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In Kiswahili, Harambee means “Let’s all pull together!” It was Kenya’s first President, Jomo Kenyatta, who introduced an informal self-help movement based on this concept. His shouts of “haaa-ramm-bee” motivated many people to undertake community action. eLearning Africa 2007 wanted to continue with the original idea – to provide conference attendants with a flexible, interesting, and fuss-free platform to get things started.
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The Midlands State University Zimbabwe is looking for academics who can review articles on technology in education in a university publication…
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Reliable data on eLearning in African organisations are rather rare. ICWE, in cooperation with the Swedish Programme for ICT in developing regions (SPIDER) and the ICT4D Collective/UNESCO Centre for ICT4D at Royal Holloway, University of London are conducting an international survey on the take-up of eLearning in African organisations and educational institutions.
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Although Rwanda has only 8.6 million inhabitants and an area of 26 338 km², most of which is devoted to agriculture, the country can nonetheless be regarded as a little giant in terms of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT): On the basis of its farsighted strategy, Rwanda has already managed to establish itself among the leading e-countries on the African continent. eLearning Africa 2007 is going to highlight some of the country’s lighthouse projects in the fields of education and medical training.
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The objective of this open platform is to provide users with training and capacity-building resources on literacy and other subjects. It will also provide a space to share training material.

Developed by a variety of stakeholders worldwide in co-operation with UNESCO, the platform advocates open content in non-formal education. Most of the training programmes have open licenses which make them accessible to all for teaching and learning. Besides literacy, the subjects covered include computers, business, environment and community development.
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