E-learning is not ZOOM or Skype! Here is a tip if you struggle with connection problems.

"What learning management system do you use at your school?" This question was asked during a meeting of different heads of schools. Different responses were given - "ZOOM", "Whatsapp", "e-mail", etc. There was clearly much ignorance about what constitutes a learning management system (LMS).

Last month I had the priviledge to facilitate a workshop at a school which desired to implement an LMS. As I always do, my first task was to make the audience understand that LMS is not just an application or an item of hardware but a well planned system which consists of standard operating procedures, people, and equipment. Software or hardware is only a component of equipment. 

To be successfully implemented focus should not just be on the equipment part of the LMS; all elements - standard operating procedures, people and equipment - ought to be well defined.

1. Standard operating procedures

Before your teachers or lecturers can start using a system there should be procedures in place that should ensure:

• Uploads of learning materials are regulated by deadlines and a quality assurance policy.
• Learning materials (content on the system) conforms to a specified standard.
• Accountability for abrogations of rules. If a system is to be successful there should be rules that compel everyone to correctly use the system and there should be penalties for those who don't adhere to rules. 

2. People

Introducing a new information system often comes with creating new roles. For the school I mentioned earlier we recommended having a Content Editor who would ensure all notes and other learning materials have a standardised format and are free of typos or formatting erros; E-learning Support Officer, a person who will be available to assist users whenever they encounter a technical or usability challenge, and Production Room Officer to maintain a schedule of 'who produces content and at what time'; he or she should manage the room selected for content production. 

3. Equipment

Under "people" above I mentioned a production room. This room can be equipped with basic facilities such as an Internet router for unlimited Internet connection (I recommend ZAMTEL's Velocity), a video camera or phone with a good camera, and a white board! It should be understood that ZOOM, SKype, or Email are not e-learning systems. These are simply minor tools that can be used in a learning management system. An LMS is bigger than any of these apps. A learning management system has extensive features that enables lecturers to deliver training, carry out assessments, manage student records, and monitor each learner's progress. A well known LMS equipped with all these facilities is Moodle. It is used by about 65% of universities around the world. Guess what, it is open source and can be used for free! Another platform you may consider using which is readily accessible is Google Classroom. 

Tip if you Struggle with Connection problems

May I share an experience I had some two months ago. I hired a teacher of IT to teach computer lessons to my son via an e-learning platform. The lessons didn't go very well because of intermittent internet connections. Much of the time was getting wasted on "Can you hear me now? Hello... are you there?" Such experiences waste time and they demotivate the learner. 

Here is my suggestion: You dont have to do live recordings for it to be e-learning. A more effective approach is to take your whiteboard and marker and make short videos of your lessons. Such a video will be far more effective and reusable than a live session. Yes, you can use live sessions if your connection is reliable and more importantly when giving feedback on certain tasks you gave your student. But if it is delivering a lesson, a more effective approach is uploading pre-recorded videos. Such videos enable a learner to rewind, pause, and play again for full comprehension of a concept. Many universities use this approach; live sessions are reserved for taking questions from students over items they may never have fully understood.

I hope you found this useful. Enjoy your day.

The digital era has dawned in Zambia!

I just realised that  my car insurance, road tax, and fitness test of my car would expire the following day! A busy day awaited me and I constantly feared the horror of those long exasperating queues at RTSA. I  immediately stopped what I was doing to rush to any nearby RTSA outlet. 

I went to a mobile insurance seller where I found a conversation about the option of buying road tax online. The lady selling insurance answered, "Dont try, it takes a month to be ready!" 

After buying the insurance I rushed to RTSA for the road tax. Arriving at the  RTSA Ridgeway offices I found a long snake of a queue, but more worrying was the congestion which completely disregarded the COVID-19 rules of social distancing. There were quite folks, loud talkers, and laughers. I spotted a number of people with facemasks but which were pulled over the chin area. The horror began for me: the queue was moving at a snail rate of about one hour for a distance of not more than 30 centimetres! There were intermittent episodes of outbursts of anger and shouting at officers manning the door: "Why is the queue not moving? You are letting in some people who never stood on the queue". I cannot tell the total number of saliva droplets that would splash out on the different people around.

I simply wasn't ready for this nightmare. Words of that man asking about buying the tax online echoed into my mind. I grabbed my phone and looked up RTSA using Google and there it came. Its a user-friendly and intuitive interface I must say.

I quickly entered details of my car. When I tried to enter my insurance details the system couldn't confirm them but advised me to contact my insurance provider. I pulled the insurance receipt and located the company's mobile number. It was quick and efficient: the lady on the phone requested for my receipt number and car details and within a short time she uploaded my details. I went back to the RTSA page, entered the insurance details and all was set! I transacted using my visa card details and hooray, my disk was ready! I gracefully excused myself from the long queue, rushed to the office and printed my disc. Next I transacted for the fitness test and printed the required document. I again rushed to RTSA's Makeni Mall test centre. I found another long noisy queue! "Sir, you've already done the work online , you dont have to be on this queue!" Wonderful, I said to myself as I handed my signed paper documents and in a few minutes my test certificate was ready.

If all people quickly embrace the digitisation of systems, this is how RTSA outlets will be looking like:

I dream of a queueless RTSA!

At the end of this exciting day the biggest question on my mind was this: Almost everyone I saw on that queue had a smart phone, and a number of people were chatting on Whatsapp or were strolling through Facebook. Why couldn't they transact online? And what about that lady who gave misinformation about how long it takes to process the RTSA requirememnts online? Well, I can only say, what RTSA has done is great but as always, there is always not only resistsance to change but much misinformation that can hinder or delay a system from effectively taking off. The introduction of e-learning systems is no exception. If you are planning to introduce one, you will need a robust team with enough thick-skin to resist the resistance and to re-educate teachers or lecturers, and in worst case scenarious, to convince managers who may not favour the idea. However, it doesnt take very long for people to realise that much of the hardwork when transitioning from a brick-and-mortar education system to an electronically supported one is only during the initial stages. Later on, after the transition, lecturers start to work less; much of the content of subsequent intakes would have already been uploaded and only minor edits would be taking place.

From my RTSA experience here is what I learnt. When change occurs, there will be three kinds of people: 

• The ignoramus: that person who hardly knows anything about the transition taking place; the person seems completely unaware of new systems being introduced and so they continue to suffer doing work the hard way when there is actually a smarter way which has been introduced.

• The misinformer: that person who knows something about the system but hasn't dedicated enough time to practise and learn how the system works. He or she will make loud noise about the supposed errors or inifficiencies he enocountered when using the system. Beware of the misinformer; he or she can jeorpadise efforts of implementing a good system. It is important to provide enough information and training about the system, and more importantly to set-up a user-support mechanism for assisting those encountering challenges.

• The willing to try and learn: This person is ready to try and use the system. When they see that there are more benefits to be enjoyed from using the system than demerits, they are quick to encourage others to use it. For the RTSA system, I belong to this category and I am now trying to encourage you to use it. Apart from saving you time, you will contribute to a healthier greener planet: less cars on the road going to RTSA, and less paper getting printed.

If you have already transitioned to e-learning or are in the process of doing so, I can't wait to hear what your experiences have been. Would you care to share?