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Gebby Nswanamumi Post 1

• 21 July 2020, 8:44 AM

On line teaching

Online teaching has been very unpopular especially for tertiary education. I want to appreciate covid that is making this kind of learning popular.


Blessing Namonje Post 2 in reply to 1

• 21 July 2020, 3:02 PM

You are definitely right,let us just hope that Covid or no Covid online teaching/lecturing will continue. It is so effective and interactive.

Sandra Amos Post 3 in reply to 2

• 27 July 2020, 1:07 PM

Online teaching has advantages and disadvantages. It's important that we recognise both. What are some of the disadvantages do you think?

Blessing Namonje Post 4 in reply to 3

• 30 July 2020, 8:36 AM

Sandra,disadvantages are there yes,for example; 

_ powers cuts, there are a lot of load shedding in our area.

_ some students can not manage to have access to smart phones and in order for online teaching to be effective students are expected to have gadgets to access the on line teaching and contribute effectively. 

_ connectivity in some read is equally a problem

_ limited technical know how,can lead the teacher to incline always to the same way of teaching because of lack of technology in using other gadgets, for example, the way you were making us break in groups for discussions during webinars, can really stimulate our students but to be frank I really do not know how you were doing it.

Sandra Amos Post 5 in reply to 4

• 31 July 2020, 9:14 AM

You are right to point out the problems with connectivity and power cuts. These things mean that technology cannot be relied upon. Teachers would need to have back up plans. And technology does not mean a teacher uses it well, as you say. The ZOOM webinar had a host. The host can so all sorts of things, such as the break out groups. 

Jacqueline Korir Post 6 in reply to 4

• 1 August 2020, 5:42 AM

The biggest challenge with online teaching and learning is the absence of peer interaction which is good for social development. A blend of face-to-face and online is the best option especially for the youth. In addition, physical presence can help lecturers identify students behaviour and provide guidance for those straying.

CHINWE Ihuoma Post 8 in reply to 6

• 1 August 2020, 7:52 AM

I agree with you because socializing is a major function of Education. i also think that a combination of online and Face-to-face sessions will bring about the needed balance in Education.

Sandra Amos Post 9 in reply to 6

• 1 August 2020, 9:54 AM

Good points. Due to COVID 19 a lot of children in the UK have been learning online, but there have been problems. It is much harder for teachers to interact and give attention to a child who needs it. In a face-to-face class, a teacher will walk around as the pupils work to check they understand and will intervene if they notice a problem. This is missing from remote learning. 

FLORENCE KISIRKOI Post 21 in reply to 6

• 14 September 2020, 7:58 PM

The break up meetings felt almost like face to face but after bye byes people left not to be seen again and gave a feeling of  loneliness.

CHINWE Ihuoma Post 7 in reply to 1

• 1 August 2020, 7:47 AM

I work in an Open and Distance learning Institution and we have been teaching our students online. So the idea is not completely new though the Covid-19 pandemic has made it more or less compulsory and efficiency is required

Sandra Amos Post 10 in reply to 7

• 1 August 2020, 9:59 AM

The Open University operates on the same principle Chinwe. It can be hard for some learners who are social and like working with others. Feeling isolated is one of the possible drawbacks. That's why a lot of effort is put into reducing student isolation through things like the forums and face-to-face events.

Michele Deane Post 12 in reply to 10

• 9 August 2020, 2:10 PM

I wholeheartedly agree, Sandra, the social aspect of learning just cannot be overlooked - rubbing ideas together through speech is so important to promote learning. It is therefore crucial that when teaching online, we do reflect on how we are going to provide spaces for learners to interact, experiment with each other ideas / hypotheses / theories / practical experiences so that they can spark more ideas and learning among themselves, supported by us, their teachers / educators.

FLORENCE KISIRKOI Post 22 in reply to 12

• 14 September 2020, 7:59 PM

I agree

Felix Olakulehin Post 11 in reply to 1

• 8 August 2020, 12:49 AM

Truly, nothing defines the new normal more than how online teaching and learning has become the order of the day. Even senior academics who are traditionally opposed to this scheme have now taken up the gauntlet and even the academic staff Union in Nigeria just this morning touted their support for online learning. They had previous rejected the notion of online learning in schools before now. But the reality is that the days of 100% face-to-face teaching are over!

Michele Deane Post 13 in reply to 11

• 9 August 2020, 2:15 PM

Great news, Felix! 

I am nonetheless going to play devil's advocate here. Would you say our senior academic colleagues are equipped to take their teaching online and take advantage of it? 

Many a time, I have seen colleagues post the text of their lectures online. Very often great sources of academic content. I have often wondered though how these wonderful texts engage the students.

Ruth Walioli Post 14 in reply to 13

• 11 August 2020, 5:46 AM

The lecturers role in virtual classes is critical especially when teaching student-teachers who have other competing priorities such as demanding jobs and family... my experience is that such students easily drift away. It is my role as a lecturer to set the pace especially inthe first two weeks. I also make followups of  those not responding. This has helped a great deal.

Michele Deane Post 15 in reply to 14

• 11 August 2020, 1:59 PM

Good point, Ruth. When teaching on-line, it is important to have strategies that help everybody feel they matter and their progress is important to us.

Bonface Nabwoba Post 16 in reply to 1

• 13 August 2020, 5:20 PM • Edited by the author on 13 August 2020, 5:21 PM

Exactly, in Kenya, I have been helping organise online secondary and primary school French language lessons for most learners who are at home at Kenya Association of Teachers of French(KATF). This course has come in very handy. It was scary at the beginning but enjoyable as at now given that this course tackles most of the issues I encounter in the project

Michele Deane Post 17 in reply to 16

• 14 August 2020, 8:38 AM

Félicitations, Bonface! What in this course would you say has helped you most for this project?

Adenrele Afolorunso Post 18 in reply to 1

• 14 August 2020, 5:26 PM

Exactly! Even organisations that had been frowning at certificates obtained from online courses are now preaching online teaching.

PETER Gathara Post 19 in reply to 1

• 26 August 2020, 10:51 AM

On line teaching has not been disliked  by every body. However there is a group of academics especially some of the old lot who have been against it and instisting it is of low quality. It is at this point that we need to produce courses that meet the required quality threshold so that they can be acceptable to all. The main question that has come on bond is the issue to do with the assessment where due care should be put in place. My observation for the last 17 years in a public university has  been that the young scholars are more tech savvy and ready to em brass technology compared to the old generation groups.

Ignatius Dambudzo Post 20 in reply to 19

• 9 September 2020, 8:55 PM

People are conservative hence do not like change. unfortunately online teaching and learning are here to stay. We should be more concernend about how those in remote areas can be reached with the new technology.

Nancy Mayoyo Post 23 in reply to 20

• 30 September 2020, 1:22 AM

Governments need to invest in ICT so that no part of the country is left out. Interactive online activities in learner centred teaching will make online learning more fun than just the sharing of notes and other resources


Discussion tags: online teaching