Venue: KICC

1st International Conference on Emerging and Future Information Communication Technologies

(ICEFICT, 2011)

Venue: KICC

Dates: 11 - 12 August 2011

Theme: Convergence, Connectivity & Collaboration

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E-Learning as a Tool for enhancing

Knowledge Sharing in Kenyan Universities

ByBy

Murumba, Joan WakasaMurumba, Joan WakasaMurumba, Joan WakasaMurumba, Joan Wakasa

Assistant LibrarianAssistant Librarian

Kenya Methodist UniversityKenya Methodist University

Nyeri CampusNyeri Campus

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Outline

• Definitions

• E-Learning in Kenya

• Justification for eLearning and eLearning Theory

• Knowledge Sharing

• Advantages and Principles of eLearning

• Conclusions and Recommendations

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Overview• Demand for university education in Kenya has

significantly increased.

• Pursuit of technological transformation in higher education has also become widespread

• The internet and related technologies and the • The internet and related technologies and the perceived advantages to higher education.

• According to Nycz and Cohen (2007) e-learning is important for building a technologically literate workforce

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Overview• The purpose of this paper is to highlight some

of the Elearning enabling components/toolsthat promote knowledge sharing in ouruniversities

• It is also important to note that we need to• It is also important to note that we need tomove eLearning beyond learning managementsystems.

• An overview on Elearning theories shall also bereviewed – WHY?WHY?WHY?WHY?

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Definitions

• Kiravu and Mothibi (2004), define eLearning asthe appropriate organization of ICTs foradvancing student oriented, active, open,collaborative and life-long teaching-learningprocesses.processes.

• KnowledgeKnowledgeKnowledgeKnowledge SharingSharingSharingSharing:::: An activity through whichknowledge (i.e. information, skills, or expertise)is exchanged among people, friends, ormembers of a family, a community, aninstitution or a company/organization, etc.

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Definitions

• Social networking tools : Social networking tools : Social networking tools : Social networking tools : Aid in the process & practice of individuals, institutions, businesses & other types of organizations to interact with each other through common web sites & each other through common web sites & specialized areas within those websites for the purpose of sharing, gaining, propagating & sharing, gaining, propagating & sharing, gaining, propagating & sharing, gaining, propagating & discussingdiscussingdiscussingdiscussing all manner of information.

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Social Networking Tools Include:

• Wikis,

• Blogs,

• Social bookmarking,

• Twitter, • Twitter,

• Face book,

• MySpace,

• Cyworld, etc.

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Introduction

• Modern ICTs, educational models and

information professionals.

• What then is E-Learning?

• eLearning integrates various Internet • eLearning integrates various Internet

and web technologies to create,

enable, deliver, and/or facilitate

lifelong learning.

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E-Learning in Kenyan Universities

�Universities have been on the forefront in embracing this modern method of delivery.

�They have e-learning portals, how how how how successful are they?successful are they?successful are they?successful are they?successful are they?successful are they?successful are they?successful are they?

�These portals in most university websites are not active though (Wanyama, 2010).

�KU - use a Moodle platform, which provides access to a variety of different e-Resources 10

E-Learning in Kenyan Universities

�At SU, KeMU also Moodle platform at some

level.

�SU - utilized eLearning by the use of video

conferencing for visiting professors

�USIU - Blackboard 9.1 platform. �USIU - Blackboard 9.1 platform.

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Elearning Efforts at KU & KeMU• The main campus, Parklands, Ruiru, Mombasa

campuses are on fibre optic

• 250 modules online

• 460- staff already trained on Elearning

• 20,000 eJournals already available (Mugenda, • 20,000 eJournals already available (Mugenda,

2010)

• eMBA – collaboration - KEMU

• eHealth

• Over 20, 000 eJournals, ebooks, ePast papers

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......

• University of South Africa (UNISA) and

Nigeria Open University (NOUN) are

the largest institutions in Africa that the largest institutions in Africa that

have fully developed into centres of Distance and eLearning.(AVU, 2005)

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Justification – Why eLearning?

� Information overload - complexity.

�There exists a technological gap

�Knowledge and skills that compose eLearning education involve much more than just computer skills. Who else is involved?

Over 50% of the 200,000 students enrolled in �Over 50% of the 200,000 students enrolled in Kenyan universities are non-residential ...

• Digital library services are, therefore, an essential component of a quality eLearning system.

• DO YOU AGREE?14

Learning Theory• Learning is a process which pulls together:

- Emotional,

- Cognitive, and

- Environmental factors and experiences in

order to acquire, enhance, and make changes order to acquire, enhance, and make changes

to an individual's skills, knowledge, values,

and views.

• A Learning Theory is therefore an attempt to

describe how people learn.

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Learning Theory

• Helps us understand the inherently

complex process of learning & how to best

structure instruction, teaching, training

and other education processes – KS.

• Within the eLearning situation, we have 3 • Within the eLearning situation, we have 3

learning theories (Cooper 1993):

1. The Behaviourism

2. The Cognitivism

3. The Constructivism16

Information that does not flow is like stagnant

water which will eventually not be fresh. Is this

the case with our eLearning systems?

Making information flow between

people/institutions/organizations/s

ociety is fundamental for

collaboration and knowledge

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collaboration and knowledge

exchange to happen

Knowledge Sharing1. Digital Library

• Academic library – transformed/changed

• A library website - information gateway,

HOW?

• UL’s need to collect, create, develop, maintain • UL’s need to collect, create, develop, maintain and promote digital IS’s.

• Expand access to information resources & services

• DL’s help to reach new learning markets scattered far from campuses.

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...Digital Library

• Scholarly communication, collaboration andsharing is also enhanced.

• Establishing and nurturing customer servicesvia technology provides quality services,increases productivity and efficiency inincreases productivity and efficiency ininformation work.

• 24/7 hour access to information services isparamount in university libraries.

• Law is clear “Save The Time of The User”.

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Knowledge Sharing2. Librarians

• Librarians locate, select & describe quality

internet resources & provide access to journal db’s & e-book collections

• Librarians collaborate with faculty to plan • Librarians collaborate with faculty to plan course content delivery & suggests relevant resources for use.

• Trouble shooting• Information Literacy programs• Librarians are important stakeholders in KS

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Knowledge Sharing3. E-Learning Platforms

a) Moodle,

�This is an abbreviation for Modular Object-

Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment

� It is a free source e-learning s/w � It is a free source e-learning s/w

platform/Course Management System/ Learning

Management System or VLE.

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Features of Moodle

• Assignment submission,

• Discussion forum,

• Files download,

• Grading, • Grading,

• Moodle instant messages,

• Online calendar,

• Online news and announcement,

• Online quiz and Wiki (http://moodle.org/)23

b) Blackboard

�Blackboard is a web based course-management

system which increases interactivity between

students and faculty.

�The program provides online course materials �The program provides online course materials

and quizzes, discussion boards, and virtual

chat, and also allows professors to upload their

syllabus and handouts.

(http://www.onlinedegrees.org).24

Knowledge Sharing4. Social Networking Tools

• Many people using the internet are familiar with

online interactive social networking

applications.

• What are we using these applications for?• What are we using these applications for?

• The social web knows no boarders (anywhere,

anytime, anyone, anything)

• Face book generation – consumers of Web 2.0

technologies

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Benefits – Social web• Improve retrieval and discovery of information

• Increase capture and sharing of (tacit) knowledge

• Collectively organize and maintain information and knowledge

• Build collective intelligence• Build collective intelligence

• We need to look at how the principles and technologies from the social web can improve our institutional performance by simplifying and encouraging communication, sharing and collaboration.

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Advantages of e-learning

Easy to

manage

learning

envmt.

Require no

physical

infrastructureCost

effective

Eliminates

Increases

access to

higher educ.

Provides unified

information

Provides

updated

information

Advantages

May remove

stigma

associated with

learning

Eliminates

distance

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Principles of eLearning

1. Interaction: This is the capacity to

communicate with other people interested in

the same topic or using the same online

resource.

2. Usability: The website must teach the user 2. Usability: The website must teach the user

how it functions as the user uses it. Simplicity

- speed.

3. Relevance: It is the principle that learners

should get what they want, when they want it,

and where they want it.28

Conclusion• E-Learning provides the necessary

environment & appropriate tools for task

oriented, up to date and continuous learning.

• It also makes institutions capable of training

their geographically scattered workforce and

make them eligible with the dynamic

knowledge and skill demands with greater

efficiency but at less cost.

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Conclusion

• Elearning needs to be progressive, i.e. from

single user - behaviourism

• Multi user – cognitivism –socio

constructivism (VLE)constructivism (VLE)

and

• Finally a community of learners – communal

constructivism (blogs, wikis)

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Recommendations for Institutions of

Higher Learning�The education system in our universities should:

�Provide improved and sustainable platform for

e-Learning

�Open ICT departments to enhance ICT based

knowledge

�Present an integrated framework for e-Learning

�Introduce ICT as a tool for improved teaching

and learning experience

�Develop curriculum and content for e-Learning

by using local content31

Recommendations for Institutions

of Higher Learning

�Arrange training for teachers/lecturers/

instructors and students

�Recognize the importance of librarians and

library facilities in knowledge sharinglibrary facilities in knowledge sharing

�Design standard for evaluation of e-Learning

systems.

�Realize the use of social networking tools in

promoting knowledge sharing

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Recommendations for Society

�Social motivation should be positive towards

education

�Positive attitude to adopt innovating

technology

�Activities should be taken to increase self-

awareness

�Understanding the need of current

competitive world

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ANY LESSONS LEARNT?

• THANKS FOR YOUR

AUDIENCE

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