Virtual learning and teaching could be fully adopted by between 60 and 70 per cent of university students within the next few years if the development of EduTech continues at its present pace.
Most Kenyan universities already have institutes of Open, Distance and E-Learning (ODEL) set up to complement the Open University of Kenya (OUK) launched recently.
Leading scholar Professor Lumala Masibo, Director of the Institute of Open and Distance E-Learning at Moi University, says that e-learning ensures that students complete their studies in case of disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and others that may curtail face-to-face teaching.
Prof. Masibo noted that embracing requisite technology remains paramount in ensuring that virtual teaching and learning is successful and that institutions of higher learning need to invest in the required equipment.
The lecturer, who also undertakes part-time lecture work across international universities, disclosed that in the US, the transition from face-to-face to online teaching took merely a week at the start of COVID-19 because universities were prepared with requisite technology.
She said that applicants seeking placement in virtual learning programmes were on the rise in universities noting that last year, 60 to 70 per cent of applicants sought to be placed under virtual learning programmes.
The lecturer revealed that he successfully started a programme with all Deans at Moi University to ensure that all postgraduate and undergraduate content was on offer online.
Most universities in Kenya have started virtual learning at all levels while at the same time adopting blended learning and teaching with most of those seeking Master’s degrees choosing to undertake their learning online to curtail travel costs.
According to Prof. Masibo, the adoption of Information Communication Technologies remains key in streamlining education at all levels in both academic and administrative departments.
To support that, Moi University operates the Musomi Platform and University Resource Planning where students and lecturers engage online while students’ admissions and varsity operations are managed respectively.
The presence of young graduates at various universities’ teaching staff has also been known to boost quick adoption of information communication technologies with the paper notes slowly becoming a thing of the past.
By Robert Nyagah
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