E-LEARNING INITIATIVES AT

THE UNIVERSITY OF JOSBy the DI Team

INTRODUCTIONTwo important realities of our age are globalization and increasing availability and use of ICT across the African Continent. Hence, it is important for African Countries to acquire and deploy technologies that will enable them keep pace with global developments in their areas of need. Investment in relevant ICT technologies is also important to enable African countries share contemporary issues, challenges and developments on the continent with global communities of learners.

The policy on Education in Nigeria prescribes that education be used at all levels to promote national development. Hence, investment in ICT at the tertiary level of education to facilitate and support teaching, learning, research, service delivery and overcome challenges is a welcome trend which is consistent with government plan and intention.

THE BEGINNING

The seeds of e-learning were planted in the 1980’s by the University of Jos Administration.

An adhoc committee was put in place to examine and document “The ability of Computers to facilitate learning, teaching, research and administrative services” at UNIJOS.

While deliberating and acting on the Commitee’s report in subsequent years, successive UNIJOS Administrators clearly demonstrated a shift from the TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER paradigm to a SUSTAINABILITY model.

ICT Infrastructures in some African Universities were developed by foreign investors. This strategy involves heavy initial investment, rapid integration of technologies, short-term training and periodic maintenance. Subsequently, such Universities experience difficulties in sustaining the infrastructures when such investors leave.

However, at the Unijos, we acquire technologies to meet our needs. Our experience shows that this approach to ICT technology acquisition may be proceed at a slow pace. However, the loss of speed often translates to a gain in sustainability.

With an emphasis on needs assessment, relevant technology acquisition, sustainability and linkages with the Carnegie Corporation, NeTel @ Africa, African Virtual University Initiatives and other organisation, the University of Jos has been able to initiate and sustain the following emerging centres of excellence in e-learning:

1. e-Learning Initiatives at Unijos LibraryFrom 1984 to 1988, the library applied

computers at the Faculty of Social Sciences to produce serial lists.

In 1989, UNESCO donated a software which the library used for bibliographic services.

About 26,000 volumes of library stock had been retroconverted.

A dedicated server had been acquired for the library to make her services very efficient.

A substantial progress in library retroconversion will make possible the deployment of the already acquired OPAQ software to crown efforts at fully automating the library.

In addition, Unijos Library staff train the University Community to carry out research processes using many databases accessible on CD-ROMs, the e-granary, intranet and internet.

2. Faculty of Law e-Learning ExperimentThe faculty mobilised the efforts, resources of

both students and staff while collaborating with JOS-Carnegies Partnership Committee to establish and run one of the most successful computer labs on Campus.

The faculty also runs a web-based research lab from where resources from heins-on-line and Westlaw... databases can be accessed.

Recently, the faculty embarked on an initiative focused on digitizing the 25 volumes of the faculty’s and students’ journals and uploading these on the net to facilitate access at home and abroad.

Another initiative on digitizing and uploading land-mark High Court judgements in the Central Zone of Nigeria is at an advanced stage.

Today, the facilities at the web-based research lab are being used to train law students, faculty staff, lawyers and High Court Judges across Nigeria.

3. Faculty e-Learning InitiativesIn a response to the challenges of overcrowded

classrooms , under achievement and content assessment, some departments, notably, the Department of Mathematics, Anatomy and the Institute of Education are taking steps to digitize some of the heavily subscribed courses in these departments and upload them on Moodle, the LMS of the University. Teaching and learning with Computers is often complemented with interactive CD-ROMs to enhance students’ access at the Department of Anatomy.

At the Faculty of Natural Sciences, the Maths Department has introduced e-learning activities to standardize content delivery and monitoring of students progress in Maths 101, Maths 103. This initiative was recently extended to a course in Computer Sciences.

4. The Sustainability StrategyDuring the second tranche of the Jos-

Carnegie Partnership, the JCPC put in place the Decentralization and Dispersal and the Departmental Initiatives not only to foster ownership of ICT at the University but also to further empower staff, students and the Administration to use ICT effectively to enhance teaching, learning, research and administration.

5. Objectives of the Departmental InitiativesThe main Goal of the Departmental Initiatives

program is to promote the adoption of e-learning by staff and students for effective teaching, learning and service delivery at the University of Jos. To achieve this goal, four objectives were formulated.

To stimulate staff and students to use existing ICT facilities.

To propose and implement departmental initiatives.To equip academic staff to improve the quality of

teaching and learning by enhanced research through the use of ICT.

To encourage female participation in ICT departmental initiatives.

6. Sensitization WorkshopsTo achieve objectives 1 and 4, four sensitization

workshops were organised for various categories of the female population in the University of Jos, while the Moodle Training was held for both male and female staff. These were:

A one-day sensitization workshop for New Female Students

A one-day sensitization workshop for Returning and Postgraduate Female Students

Two sets of one-day workshops for Female AcademicsA three-day Moodle Training Workshop

Audience for the sensitization workshops comprised; new female students, returning and post-graduate female students and female academic staff. For Moodle, Academic Staff (both male and female) in the faculties across the University.

7. Key MessagesKey Messages at the workshops centred on

the following topics: ICT Infrastructure at the University of Jos: Their Uses and how to Access Them; Career opportunities in ICT; Women Role Models in ICT Within and Outside; E-Services (e-granary, e-library); Moodle; and Capabilities of Women in ICT.

8. Moodle TrainingA three-day Moodle Training workshop was held for

academic staff from August 13 – 15, 2008. This was the second such Moodle Training Workshop. The first was organised earlier in the year by DDT. The objective of the second Moodle training Workshop was to sensitize and train an additional 60 academic staff to be able to upload and teach their courses on the learning management system. Consequently, those who took part in the first Moodle training were not included in the second. It was felt that if more academic staff became trained in the use of Moodle, some would eventually wish to use it in teaching some of their courses, while others would indicate some interest in participating in the e-fellowship program.

9. ICT Basic TrainingDI set up a team that worked on a basic ICT Training

Package. This package which has been restructured to involve Microsoft Partnership and Curriculum is now finalized and will soon be uploaded on Moodle for use by members of the University Community. The objective of this program is to bridge the technology gap for those who would like to adopt e-Learning but are reluctant or afraid because they lack basic computer skills. When uploaded on Moodle, the package will provide training in basic computer skills and will be open to e-fellows of the DI sub-intervention as well as members of the University Community. The course is designed in such a way that participants can be self-taught, but the content can also be used by an instructor to train.

10. To achieve objectives 2 and 3, which is aimed at promoting the use of ICT effectively through the Departmental Initiatives, Stakeholder Consultations were held.

In collaboration with the Decentralization and Dispersal Team (DDT), DI met with all Faculty Boards in the University except the Faculty of Social Sciences. In order to sensitize Faculty Boards about the e-Fellowship and Departmental Initiatives programmes; to brief them on ICT infrastructures available in the University and how to access them. Between May and June, 2008 the course outline template was developed by DI and this was also shared with Deans of Academic Faculties and solicited their input. Following this, the course outline template was modified and sent back to Deans and Directors of Academic Faculties. They were also invited to the lunch-time forum on the presentation of the course outline template on July 3, 2008, where they were encouraged to make further contributions on the template before it was finalized. Following feedback on the course outline template, DI would now see to it that staff begin to use this, especially following the Moodle Training.

11. Departmental Initiative ProjectsFollowing the one-day Proposal Writing Workshop jointly

organised by DDT and DI, a final call for proposals was sent out to participants and a timeline for submission given. Some had already sent in their proposals which received inputs and refinements during the proposal Writing Workshops. The received proposals were screened by DI along with consultants Dr. Tanko and Dr. Oti using criteria already outlined by DI and JCPC. Proposals which showed potential were selected following the screening exercise and award meetings were held with the JCPC. Since even the selected proposals still needed adjustments and refinement, post award meetings were arranged with the awardees to guide them in making the required changes and facilitate implementation. In all, 9 proposals were received and 7 were eventually awarded. Projects will run for 9 – 12 months and each project will cost between N350,000 to N500,000. Progress reports will be submitted by March 2009. Out of the 7, women headed two of the project teams.

12. E-Learning Fellowship ProjectsThe e-Learning Fellowship (henceforth e-Fellows)

programme refers to a Community of Academic Fellows who can innovatively use ICT for teaching and learning. The e-Fellows programme allows the university to deepen its level of support and commitment to academic staff by supporting enhancements in e-learning and teaching with technologies.

Following the face-to-face sensitization of faculties at their Faculty Board Meetings on the e-Fellowship programme, DI advertised the programme on the University website using the survey monkey software and laid out the requirements for enrolment. An e-Application form was also posted. In addition, an e-mail was sent to all members of the University Community who have a Unijos e-mail address alerting them of the advertisement and the application online.

13. Women in ICTThe purpose of the proposed website for women in

ICT in the University of Jos is to motivate women within the community to embrace ICT in learning, teaching, research, administration and career development. The website when it becomes operational, will showcase practising women in ICT on the site as role models to stimulate the female community to follow their challenges and breakthroughs with respect to the use of ICT.

Approval has been sought and obtained for the website to be designed for women in ICT in the University of Jos. The website is under construction. Data are already being obtained from women in ICT within the University of Jos Community.

14. Challenges Faced and Plans to Overcome the challenges

Although DI was scheduled to start implementing her activities by the 1st October, 2007, these activities did not take off until 1st April, 2008. The delay was occasioned in part by the University Academic Calendar which caused the DDT sub-intervention to conclude her activities later than had been scheduled. However, detailed planning of DI’s activities actually climaxed at the University of Hull Meeting and Workshop on Project Management with the ICT Consultants in December 2007, through the facilitation of JCPC and Dr. Tanko Ishaya.

Armed with a detailed plan of activities for the year 2008 and the skills learned at the Project Management Workshop at Hull, it was easy and fast to implement the planned activities. The implementation of DI’s activities was further facilitated by the close collaboration with the Gender Intervention (GIT), UJNet, PWS and the DI Team during the implementation process.

Secondly, there was pressure on the only functional computer lab for DI’s hands-on workshops because of competing demands. However this challenge was overcome through a combination of DI’s flexibility in re-scheduling some of their activities and the kind understanding and cooperation of the ICT directorate which accorded priority to DI’s activities when schedules were tight. The Directorate also ensured that the computers and accessories were in good working condition during DI’s hands-on sessions.

15. Lessons LearnedHands-on and minds-on ICT sensitization

sessions, if properly planned and implemented can motivate women academics to embrace ICT.

Collaboration between interventions helps to strengthen and facilitate the delivery of DI’s activities. Hence, more areas of collaboration will be explored, especially between e-Fellows and the Departmental Initiatives awardees for the delivery of the two projects.