About eLearning
e-Learning: A New Way Forward
e-Learning is the innovative use of technology to deliver interactive, differentiated learning; to any student whatever the location, age, ability, discipline, quality of physical resources or whether there is a teacher present or not… anytime, anywhere
The Advantages of E-Learning for Africa
• All students throughout the country will be using the same material. It will be high-quality blended learning that is differentiated, mapped to the Zambian national curriculum and tailored to the students’ needs; no matter where they are or what resources they have available. The learning material is self-paced, even in a class of 100, and the quality of the material is the same whether delivered in the village or in the most deprived parts of the city. • It promotes enquiry-based learning and real understanding. It encourages (even forces) exploration and discovery both off and on screen. Students are encouraged, through the learning materials to ask questions, to seek answers for themselves through investigation and hands on experience. • Each learning object contains the learning objectives for the students, lesson plans for the teachers and is mapped to an overview which contains lessons for use both on and off the computers. There are also suggestions for other ways to use the learning objects as starting points for other related lessons. In this way, there is built in professional development in each learning object. • Those who have left education early, be it through lack of money, or girls who have left for family needs will be able to be brought back into education while still working and honouring the needs of the family as e-learning enables learning at any time, in any place, anywhere. This enables early leavers to gain new skills and knowledge, develop critical thinking skills and to become enquirers and lifelong learners. • It creates adaptable ‘graduates’ able to be flexible and ready for change. They will learn2learn – not just pass exams. They will be ready for the new knowledge economy (to which the Government is committed).
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• Teachers throughout the country will have the same high quality, differentiated interactive resources – even in deep rural areas. They can communicate with other professionals, share best practice and professional concerns. They will receive, through the use of the learning objects, professional development and they will be much more likely to stay in challenging locations.
• Teachers will be able to use the power of the internet to enable the students to have experiences well beyond their locations thus extending the horizons, expectations and aspirations of the students. Teachers will be able to share ideas with counterparts both locally and internationally.
• It brings differently-abled students, often excluded from education, back into the system, able to proceed with their own materials at their own pace.
• It will create a new generation of ICT-literate schools leavers ready to ‘break the mould’; to solve their community problems; to create new jobs; to improve their lives; to take part in democracy; and build the economy.
• The Internet will bring with it the opportunity for new jobs (attracting services to Africa that have previously gone to India and elsewhere) and new ways of doing traditional jobs.
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