eLearning Africa 2008 Themes
eLA 2008 will address sixteen themes, covering all aspects of technology-enhanced education and training.
1. Unleashing the Capabilities of Universities Through Information and Communication Technologies
Higher education is seen as the intellectual backbone to lead Africa into the digital age and as a driving force in creating Knowledge Societies. Universities in many African countries are at the forefront in implementing eLearning projects and in transforming them into services.
- Higher Education positioning for building African knowledge societies: How can universities become the intellectual backbone to lead the whole of Africa into the digital age? National policies and implementation initiatives.
- ICT-based collaboration, competition and co-opetition: Ways to strengthen continental and intercontinental relationships between universities and universities, universities and development partners and, universities and industry.
- African ICT infrastructure development and the networking of universities: Ways to exploit national, regional, Pan-African and global infrastructure programmes for educational sector.
- Benchmarking for the right learning platforms: What are the lessons that have been learnt in selecting eLearning platforms and which selection criteria and processes have been established?
- Organisational development for establishing new, sustainable educational services on and off campus: How is change management and capacity building for academic staff being conceptualised, implemented and maintained? What kinds of service organisations have been developed?
- Content production and delivery: Lessons learnt from implementing content strategies. How is faculty being enabled to become engaged in course production and delivery and to apply instructional design, electronic publishing and delivery of courseware?
- Costs and budgets for the new eLearning services: How are costs and budgets frameworks defined? What kind of financing and business models are established and maintained?
- R&D as the engine for achieving excellence in academic institutions: The status and the actors of ICT supported R&D and knowledge building; new strategies, such as the development of local and sectoral innovation systems and the pooling of regional resources; cooperation among African researchers and ICT-related research programmes in China, Europe, India and the USA; research results on eLearning from all continents; current programmes for supporting African R&D and how eLearning researchers and practitioners can benefit from them. ^top
2. Corporate eLearning in Africa and Beyond
Economic growth requires access to international knowledge and the ability to learn, master and adapt information and knowledge rapidly. The corporate sector in Africa has gained valuable experience using eLearning and ICTs to provide training and to improve workforce performance.
- The status of the up-take of ICT-supported learning in the workplace: Examples of best practices and company-wide take-up.
- The impact of eLearning on African businesses: How does eLearning contribute to technological progress and a knowledge-based economy and provide the means to link innovation with economic growth?
- eLearning for SMEs: How can eLearning support small and micro businesses? Implementation examples of robust eLearning models aimed at meeting the needs of SMEs; best practice in Africa and on other continents.
- The African market for learning service providers: What kinds of services are available? Who are the providers? Which business models have proved to be successful? What are their perspectives?
- Making the business case for eLearning: Measuring cost and return on investment; case studies from the Continent and abroad. ^top
3. Introducing eLearning into the School System
The introduction of PCs into school systems and the building of school networks are happening all over Africa. How is the significant investment being matched with the necessary accompanying measures for capacity development for teachers, students and parents, as well as with the transformation from projects to services and the establishment of partner networks?
- The status of the up-take of eLearning in African schools: Nation-wide overviews and examples of eReadiness of the school system; national policies, best practices and success factors for introducing eLearning to teachers, students and parents and to the entire curriculum, both in-service and pre-service; integration of ICT into the curriculum.
- Capacity development for teachers: Benchmarking of eLearning capacity development programmes; how teachers are trained on ICT; media use and technical support in the classroom, maintenance and everyday troubleshooting – both in-service and pre-service; how teachers become content producers and content service providers as well as tutors and mentors online.
- Services for schools: What services are provided or initiated, be it for refurbished computers, setting up computer labs or technical maintenance? Capacity development with regard to the integration of ICTs into the instructional processes, content development, national curricula and delivery.
- The partnering with and outreach of ICT-enabled schools to local and international communities: Creating synergies in school networks; how ICT-enabled schools become centres for community development and improve collaboration and services in partnerships with international school networks. ^top
4. Designing and Delivering eLearning
A precondition for sustainable eLearning services is the enabling of teachers and administrators to use learning media efficiently and to plan, produce and deliver courses as well as sustainable services.
- Planning: Case studies of establishing the project and business development plan; addressing the technical feasibility; benchmarking learning platforms; considering constraints in ICT infrastructure.
- eReadiness both in the organisation and the target group/market: How is eReadiness of both the delivering organisation as well as the targeted market assessed and further developed?
- The business plan: How are costs of content development and delivery calculated? How is a business plan for course development and delivery set up and negotiated among all stakeholders in the institution to become part of the institution’s planning activities?
- Getting the financial resources: What have been the successful inroads into acquiring funding and support? Which agencies, associations and donors are relevant? What are their policies, and how do they fund?
- Technology benchmarking: How are relevant Learning Content Management Systems evaluated, selected and implemented?
- Content: What are effective content strategies and instructional design models? What is the approach in pedagogy and course methodology? How is content structured and its African relevance, quality and contextualisation for real-world competencies ensured? Which media applications and development tools need to be selected? How are student evaluation and assessment embedded? How are reuse, quality assessment, digital rights, privacy and standards ensured? How are interactivity, motivation and aesthetics integrated into the course design? How is online tutoring and moderation incorporated?
- Localisation and customisation: Case studies of good practice in localisation and customisation. How is the cultural and language dimension in the design of eLearning integrated and managed?
- Organisational development: How is the institution further developed and change management being initiated so that eLearning becomes embedded as a service within the organisations’ portfolios? ^top
5. Building the Infrastructure for Education in the 21st Century
Access and connectivity in Africa are key issues and pre-conditions for unleashing the potentials of ICTs as a development accelerator.
- eReadiness in infrastructures provision: What is the actual status of building the networks in Africa and linking them to other continents?
- ICT infrastructure development should serve educational systems: Best practices in inter-ministerial cooperation; lessons learnt in harmonising national infrastructure programmes with requirements coming from the educational system within a country, a region, and between Africa and other continents.
- Initiatives in the field for overcoming network and power constraints: Case studies with lessons learnt on which low-cost and innovative solutions proved to be successful.
- Examples of new solutions on the horizon, such as the “One Laptop per Child” project, mesh networks and portable pull-string power micro-generators. ^top
6. Open Source and Open Content
There is an emerging trend toward the promotion and adoption of Open Source educational technologies. Universities and learning providers from around the world offer Open Content resources and important experiences have been gained.
- The status of Open Source for eLearning in Africa: Who are the actors? Which alliances have been established? What are the achievements and perspectives?
- Lessons learnt and best practices: Overcoming the bottlenecks for Open Source in emerging markets; positioning against and/or with commercial offerings; benchmarking for the best-fit solution; rollout of projects and developing services.
- The status of the “Open Educational Resources” and “Open Access” movements in Africa: Who are the actors? Which alliances have been established? What are the achievements and perspectives?
- Lessons learnt and best practices: Reducing costs, achieving independence, developing national and regional capacities, security and autonomy; fostering local and contextual knowledge bases and services; addressing the issues of intellectual property rights. ^top
7. eLearning in Medical Education and the Fight Against HIV and AIDS
The use of eLearning as a mass intervention tool against HIV and AIDS is on the increase throughout Africa. eLearning can improve the teaching of clinical skills, better prepare students for their first patient encounter, and provide a learning environment that is accessible independent of time and place for all medical staff.
- The status of eLearning in medical education and training in Africa: Who are the actors? What are the programmes? Which alliances have been established? What are the achievements and perspectives?
- ICT supported cooperation between medical institutions in Africa and with institution on other continents: How do institutions and already-established medical networks from abroad support African medical systems via electronic means? What are the programmes, success stories and perspectives?
- Access to resources: How do specific eLearning initiatives bring high-quality and well-researched HIV, AIDS, TB, malaria, nutrition and anti-retroviral information to all levels of the community in Africa?
- The impact on medical education and training: How does eLearning improve the teaching of clinical skills, better prepare students for their first patient encounter, and provide a learning environment that is accessible independent of time and place for all medical staff, especially in rural areas?
- Ensuring African contextualisation: How are cultural influences that limit the dissemination of information and the efficient building of capacities overcome by technology-enhanced medical education and training? ^top
8. Advanced Technology Developments
How can the latest technologies have an impact on making learning available for all and on finding ways to overcome the digital divide?
- The status of the introduction of advanced eLearning technologies: Which institutions and providers are the forerunners in Africa and on other continents? What works and what doesn’t, both in the North and the South?
- What are the experiences with innovative enabling devices, systems and services based on mobile and wireless technologies, mesh networks, power generation, streaming, collaborative and conferencing technologies, virtual environments, and systems supporting ambient or contextual learning?
- Impact: How can the latest technologies have an impact on making learning available for all - especially in rural regions - and on finding ways to overcome the digital divide? ^top
9. eLearning Supported by Development Partners
Technology-enhanced education and training in Africa have received significant support from international development partners.
- The status of eLearning in programmes of development organisations: Who are the actors? What is their strategy? What are their landmark projects in the field, the lessons learnt and perspectives?
- Providing funding: What do development partners offer to their African partners? What are the processes to obtain funding and best practices in requesting financial support for the field?
- Managing diversity: How are multilateral programmes being coordinated and harmonised? What are the mechanisms and achievements so far?
- Getting to the transformation stage: Best practices in transforming projects to sustainable services.
- The new actors in the field: How are China and India positioning their offerings on the development cooperation market place? What has been achieved so far? What are the perspectives? ^top
10. Empowering Women Through ICT and eLearning
How can gender mainstreaming be fostered through eLearning and how is gender balance established within technology-enhanced education and training?
- The status of gender mainstreaming: Who are the stakeholders and their organisations? What are their achievements and the lessons learnt?
- eLearning and the empowerment of women: strategies and programmes, lessons learnt. How are ICT skills of women improved? What are the strategies, programmes and best practices?
- Fostering women knowledge networks: How do ICTs help to nurture the effectiveness of women’s organisations and to connect them with resources, learning opportunities and other networks in Africa and beyond?
- How does eLearning become a tool to develop these capacities? ^top
11. Improving the Quality and Outreach of Technical and Vocational Education (TVET)
The impact of technological capability on competitiveness and economic growth in developing countries has recently been re-emphasised. TVET, with its focus on enterprise-related learning and especially ICT-enhanced TVET, has the potential to become a key component in the development of productive capacities and productive employment opportunities.
- The status of the up-take of ICT supported TVET: Who are the stakeholders and pioneers in the field? Examples of best practices and success factors.
- Strategies and implementation: TVET as an engine for technological progress and economic growth. How can “TVET for All” and “TVET for Communities” become further implemented?
- The benefits of eLearning for TVET: Which subjects and branches benefit most from it? What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in relation to the use of eLearning in TVET?
- South-North and South-South cooperation programmes: Results and perspectives. What are the lessons learnt on other continents, and how can those be applied to Africa? What specific recommendations targeted at the African, national, and institutional levels can be provided? ^top
12. Libraries as Access Providers to Resources and Expertise
Libraries are often in the forefront of providing access for education and research and provide ICT-enabled services not only for universities but also for entire communities.
- The status of ICT-enabled libraries: Who are the actors and their organisations? Case studies and lessons learnt in conceptualising, implementing and managing an ICT-enabled library for faculty, students and the local as well as national community.
- Creating synergies: How do the actors cooperate within Africa and with institutions and development partners on other continents? What are their achievements and the lessons learnt?
- The management of the ICT-enabled library: How do libraries lead, negotiate, support and advocate for a wider availability of electronic resources in the country and abroad?
- Costs and budgets: How do libraries achieve affordable access to electronic scholarly resources? How is combined purchasing organised so that it leads to affordable and sustainable access to electronic information on the Continent? ^top
13. Quality Development and Quality Assurance
Quality development and quality assurance have become key issues in virtually all aspects of education, both traditional and ICT enabled.
- The status of international quality concepts, strategies and methods: Who are the actors and alliances? What are the achievements and perspectives?
- Achievements in quality management: Meeting the needs of the African eLearning community; the development of quality assurance in projects and services. ^top
14. Achieving Inclusivity Through eLearning
The further development of emerging Information Societies in Africa requires bringing the benefits of ICTs to all population segments, including people who are disadvantaged due to disabilities and age.
- The status of “Design for All” and eInclusive educational initiatives in Africa: Who are the actors? Which alliances have been established? What are the achievements and perspectives?
- Concepts, models and implementation for “special needs” education and training: How is eLearning used to enhance teaching and learning for disadvantaged and handicapped people? What are the landmark projects? Which services are provided, and what lessons have been learnt?
- ICT-supported cooperation between institutions in Africa and with institutions on other continents: How do institutions and already-established networks from abroad support African special needs programmes via electronic means? What are the programmes, success stories and perspectives? ^top
15. eLearning for the Public Sector
eLearning for government employees and politicians increases the impact of existing public-sector training programmes and fosters the overall capacities in the ministries to formulate and implement ICT-enhanced sectoral programmes nationwide.
- The status of eLearning for the public sector: Who are the stakeholders in both up-take and in service provision, and what are the lessons learnt?
- Cooperation between African governments, programmes of development partners and support from governments from abroad: Scope, achievements and perspectives.
- Impact: What have the results been on the administration and service delivery, community access, sector-programme development, private initiatives, the overall development of a knowledge society, regulatory frameworks and the development of standards? How does eLearning contribute to the improvement of management skills and the flow of information at all levels of the economy and the society? ^top
16. Policy Issues and Large-Scale Take-Up of eLearning
Technological progress as a key source of economic growth demands a systemic approach and the development of knowledge ecologies. African governments and large international institutions increasingly follow this approach.
- The status of large-scale programmes and the development of educational innovation systems for the informatisation of education and training: Which African countries and which institutions are the forerunners, and what are their programmes?
- Policies: How are policies and initiatives from governments and international institutions established in order to stimulate a sustainable take-up? Which organisational and systemic frameworks have been established? How is a national consensus with all stakeholders ensured?
- Cooperation: How can public-private and international partnerships, brokerage services and social-partner ICT-enabled programmes become efficient catalysts?
- International organisations from different sectors: How can the impact of large-scale sectoral programmes be increased through eLearning? Examples from sectors such as environment, labour, trade, human rights, peacekeeping interventions and health.
- Reality check: How are strategies and policies being put into practice, and what is the reality on the ground? How can bridges between planning and implementation be gapped? How can success indicators be established and quality management implemented? ^top
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