MALAWI: Catholic University Trains Lecturers on E-learning in Response to Covid-19
By Luke Bisani
The Catholic University of Malawi on Wednesday this week, has trained its lecturers on platforms used to deliver learning materials online as the University plans to adopt e-learning in the wake of COVID-19 that has hit the world and affected on-site learning in many institutions.
During the training, the lecturers at the University were drilled on skills that can help them deliver content to students online.
In his opening remarks, Vice – Chancellor for the University, Rev. Dr. George Buleya said the plans to adopt e-learning as a way of providing quality education to students while schools are closed as a preventive measure to the spread of Coronavirus.
The Vice-Chancellor added that the training of lecturers would help students who have challenges in using platforms that support e- leaning.
He further said that some courses are not going to be on board with e-learning arguing that their nature demands physical contact between lecturers and students.
The University plans to start teaching its students online from 27th April this year temporarily, while the world continues to battle with Coronavirus.
Earlier on, the Registrar of the University Mr Francis Nkhoma commended e-learning saying school calendars are not interrupted with unexpected closure.
Two weeks ago, the University solicited views from students on the possibility of adopting e-learning while the school is closed.
Out of 1160 students who responded to a questionnaire that was set, 966 students indicated that they are comfortable learning online.
The University also reviewed challenges which students indicated that they are likely to affect e-learning at the Institution.
Among the challenges that students presented include, high cost of internet, poor internet network, frequent power cuts just to list some.
The Catholic University of Malawi has also considered other measures of maintaining its stand of being a centre of excellence for quality and holistic education while offering learning materials online.
