Delivering Agricultural Training Programs Using ICTs: Reflections Ms NODUMO DHLAMINI Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel, Entebbe, Uganda 16 October 2013

1.RUFORUM ICKM Program & Theory of Change , 2009, 2011 & 2012 ICT Gap Analyses in the RUFORUM Network 3.Status of ICT Infrastructure in Africa 4.Voices on Potential Impact of ICT on agriculture & education 5.Why Agricultural Colleges / Faculties Must Be Innovative About Delivering Training 6.Options for Using ICTs 7.Key Recommendations Outline of Presentation

Since 2009 Objectives of the RUFORUM ICKM Program – Inspire Agricultural Faculties – Support the Secretariat RUFORUM ICKM Prog important for realizing the RUFORUM Theory of Change: Quality Graduates, Quality Research and a Vibrant Network RUFORUM Information, Communication and Knowledge Management Program

focused on 4 universities – MUK, LUANAR, UNZA and EMU – universities aware of the potential benefits of e- learning. E-learning initiatives driven by the availability of specific project funds. Limited technical infrastructure planning, limited supportive policy frameworks, limited on-going and institutional policy-driven re-tooling of academic staff Analysis of Existing ICT Infrastructure & Readiness for E-Learning in RUFORUM Universities

21 RUFORUM universities had campus backbones, 20 were active in National Research & Education Networks, 14 had ICT Policies in place and 15 had central ICT units to manage and monitor ICT projects. Colleges of Agriculture were lagging behind in use of ICT for teaching, learning & research compared to others in the same university. 2009: ICT Situation Analysis of 25 RUFORUM Universities

17 had placed the rationale for e-learning within an explicit institutional plan, 13 had distinct e-learning policies compared to 6 in 2009 and 9 had specific e-learning units to implement e-learning. However teaching content from the Colleges of Agriculture was almost negligible on institutional learning management systems. 2011: The E-Learning Maturity Analysis of 29 RUFORUM Universities

A review of 30 RUFORUM member universities revealed that 12 universities had institutional repositories (41%). The repositories of the 12 universities contained very small percentages of agricultural information and knowledge  E.g. Makerere University Dspace Repository  42 Theses shared by Agriculture  220 Theses shared by CIT  13 Theses shared by Veterinary Sciences 2012: Status of Sharing & Publishing of Agricultural Information & Knowledge

RUFORUM IR

November launch of the UbuntuNet network- high-speed Internet network connecting scientists & academics throughout ESA to peers in the region & to the pan-European GÉANT network, providing access to 40 million users in 8,000 institutions. ITU statistics published in Feb 2013: Mobile- cellular penetration rates stand at 96% globally; 128% in developed countries; and 89% in developing countries. ICT Infrastructure in Africa Will Soon Not be the problem

How Bad is Africa’s Internet? Problem is the last mile / bridging the final gap Predicted that Africa will 'leapfrog' need to install hard-wired cables – to wireless 4G Solutions

BBC News June 2013 Ushahidi Universal Modem Launched Backup generator to the Internet Versatile Ethernet, Wifi, and 3G or 4G mobile phone networks. 8-hour battery Accessible from anywhere

Studies done by the World Bank, UNESCO, USAID, ITU and others – World Bank ICT Source Book of November 2011 profiles a number of case studies where ICT has been used to improve smallholder agriculture UNESCO (2013) policy guidelines for mobile learning to guide educational institutions integrate mobile technologies for teaching and learning. Global Voices on Potential Impact of ICT on agriculture & education

Dialogue on E-learning in Africa SINCE 2006

Early Initiatives: e.g. African Virtual University: Since 1997

Volonnino (2010) confirms that online tools do facilitate increased opportunities for collaborative learning. E-learning has the potential to: i.Improve access to quality education ii.Increase teaching content that is contextualized for African settings iii.Increase flexible access to learning, iv.Improve student centered learning solutions and v.Improve monitoring, evaluation & quality assurance mechanisms for teaching and learning. Why Agricultural Colleges / Faculties Must Be Innovative About Delivering Training

The Traditional Architecture for HE: No longer works The Learning Revolution: Fundamental shift in knowledge creation; The Open Culture; Need for new skills The New Architecture for HE: Digital Content Markets; Engaging the learners; Classrooms without walls; Adaptive university policies and systems; Shifting standards for measuring quality Why Agricultural Colleges / Faculties Must Be Innovative About Delivering Training

Draft your materials in e-format and make them accessible to students via: – CD’s, – – your blog Create a LinkedIn/FB/Twitter discussion group to engage your students Point your students to quality online resources Integrate training in web/information literacy (I) Options for Using ICTs to deliver agricultural training

Blended approach – Upload your teaching resources on the university Learning Management System – Find relevant existing OERs and integrate them – Use existing OCW, – Use Webinars, Record your lectures for sharing later Use online Survey Monkey to elicit feedback from students (II) Options for Using ICTs to deliver agricultural training

Fully online – Learning Management System – Champion delivery of specific courses / modules fully online in collaboration with regional / international experts based elsewhere – Participate in an online course to understand what it means (III) Options for Using ICTs to deliver agricultural training

1.Need to implement bold strategies for remaining relevant in the changing Agricultural Higher Education space 2.Encourage experimentation and innovation in the African Agricultural Higher Education ecosystem 3.Reflect on how the Agricultural Higher Education arena will look like in the next 50 years and whether we will we still be relevant 4.Establish partnerships for implementing e-learning / online learning: universities, technology companies and NRENs Key Recommendations

access-launched-by-ushahidi culture.pdf Volonnino, D., (2010). 'Is e-Learning Inferior to Face-to-Face Instruction? ', Peace and Collaborative Development Network [blog]. 6 Dec, [online] Available at: BlogPost%3A383658&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_post, [Accessed on 8 March 2011], p.3. References

Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) Plot 151 Garden Hill, Makerere University Main Campus P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. Tel.: URL: