On Wednesday,\n10 June 2020 at 11:00AM (WAT), Godfrey Okoye University hosted its first Zoom\nconference on e-learning. This was the institution\u2019s contribution to the future of\neducation in Nigeria and Africa in the face of the challenges posed by the\nCOVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conference\nfeatured experts from universities and institutions within and outside Nigeria\nto share their wealth of experience on e-learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The host and\nVice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University, Rev. Fr. Prof. Dr. Christian\nAnieke, welcomed the guest speakers in the order of their presentations. The\nspeakers were: Rev. Msgr. Prof. Obiora Ike, Executive Director of Globethics.net Geneva; Prof.\nDr. Christoph Stuckelberger, President and Founder of Globethics; Prof. Dr. Am\u00e9l\u00e9 Adamavi-Ahuo EKue, Academic Dean of Globethics; Meggy Kantert,\nInternational Liaison Officer of Godfrey Okoye University; Andreas Gebauer,\nHead of GO University International Projects; Sr. Dr. MarySylvia Nwachukwu,\nDirector of Academic Planning of Godfrey\nOkoye University and Mr. Chinedu Chibuzor, ICT Manager of Godfrey Okoye University.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first\nspeaker, Rev. Msgr. Prof. Obiora Ike, spoke on the topic \u201cChanging the Face of\nUniversity Education and its Challenges in Africa\u201d. He described the\nrestructuring of the world as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic which\nhad made many people face existential threats caused by environmental and\nunethical conducts at all levels. He further explained the agenda of Globethics: \u201cour agenda is\nto strengthen the ethical compass especially in education which has become much\nmore relevant than ever.\u201d\nHe commended\nGodfrey Okoye University for hosting the\nfirst e-learning conference in Nigeria. \nHe also mentioned some key points\nin changing the face of higher education institutions globally, particularly in\nAfrica. The scope and role of education should be centered on the formation of\nall-round personalities. He described the university \u201cas a lab where\nthe young student enters to find his space and orientation in a world beyond\nhim\/her.\u201d Also universities should give students models for\ncharacter formation and an orientation for life. To solve the grave problems in\nthe world today such as climate change, population growth, environmental\ndegradation and extinction of species, etc., Prof. Obiora Ike said that knowledge must be integrated to\nserve the human being. He concluded by explaining the acronym ETHICS as\nprescribed by Gloethics: E for\nempowerment, T for transformation, H for holisticism, I for integrity, C for\ncompetence and S for sustainability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The President\nand Founder of Globethics, Prof. Dr. Christoph St\u00fcckelberger, spoke on the\ntopic \u201cEthics in E-Learning\u201d. He described his experience during the lockdown\nas \u201ca new experience of humanity\u201d and the huge discovery of being connected with one\nanother over the net. He looked at the ethical challenges and benefits of\ne-learning. From the definition of the acronym ETHICS, he picked out the \u2018I\u2019\nfor integrity\nand buttressed the need to strengthen integrity and have character education\nthrough e-learning. He further stated that education was not just about acquiring\nknowledge but about building character. He described one of the limitations of\nonline learning as not seeing those you are interacting with physically.\nFinally, he said it was possible to have integrity in online learning. He also\nurged students to have self-discipline in learning online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The third\nspeaker, Prof. Dr. Am\u00e8l\u00e9 Adamavi-Ahuo Ekue, who spoke on the topic \u201cLet\u2019s Stay Connected: E-learning, Ethics and Global\nKnowledge,\u201d described the current situation as an \u201cintensifier\nand accelerator for the way, with whom and where we engage with knowledge.\u201d She also listed the key areas for refocusing the\npedagogical space as: human life in relation to other life, how to think\noutside of mastery and dominion and how to organise life together based on\nreciprocity and vulnerability. Next, she looked at the re-arrangement of the\nengagement with knowledge in e-learning, taking note of space and time,\nbelonging-becoming and imagination\/future-knowledge. On e-learning as emancipating learning around\nknowledge critique, she took into consideration reflection and grappling with\nexternal and internal critique. In her last slide, she highlighted the\nimportance of ethics in e-learning. She described ethics as a theoretical and\npractical field of experimenting with the arrangement of spaces for the\ndiscovery of learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fourth\nspeaker, Ms. Meggy Kantert, spoke on the topic \u201cProspects of E-Learning\u201d. Like\nthe previous speaker, she also shared some slides. She described online\nlearning as a \u201ccrisis-driven experiment.\u201d She looked at the shift from the industrial era to the\nknowledge era with technological advancement. She further described the\nprospects of e-learning for universities: close the \u201cdigital divide\u201d through the development of\ne-literacy, save cost and resources, reach more students, lower cost of\neducation and customize training of staff and students. She also looked at the\nprospects of e-learning for teachers and how they would need to \u201ctransition\nfrom a teacher-centered approach to a balanced interactive e-learning and FtF\nlearning concept.\u201d She described the task of the students as even more\ntedious: keeping themselves motivated, keeping discipline, dealing with\ndisappointment and frustration, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Director\nof Academic Planning, Rev. Sr.\nProf. Dr.\nMarySylvia Nwachukwu, spoke on the topic \u201cSustaining Online Learning in the\nPost Covid-19 Time\u201d. Her speech revolved around two issues. The first\nwas on Covid-19 as a challenge and an opportunity. The second was on making\ne-learning a culture in higher education. She looked at the pandemic ravaging\nthe world as an opportunity and the African response to the pandemic. She\ndescribed \u201creframing the challenge\u201d as the first response to the challenge. In sustaining\ne-learning in higher institutions, she prescribed that the push for e-learning\nmust come from top management officials. Also the culture of e-learning must be\nupheld and strengthened. Online resources and technological tools should be\nharnessed and an e-learning domain should also be created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ICT\nManager of Godfrey Okoye University and its group of institutions, Mr. Chinedu\nChibuzor, who spoke on the topic \u201cPractical Guide to Online Learning Platform\nImplementation,\u201d looked at online learning as \u201cthe prevailing\ncustom with various teaching techniques being undertaken on diverse digital\nplatforms\u201d. He further added that\nstudying online had helped to improve technical skills in students while\nlearning on various platforms. He examined \nthe necessary digital skills for educators such as the ability to use\nsmartphones, tablets and computers, proficiency in key applications (Microsoft\nWord, Excel, PowerPoint, Zoom, amongst others), the ability to use the internet\nfor academic and business purposes, the ability to compose, attach documents\nand distribute electronically, etc. He further added that to teach effectively\nonline, the following would be needed: a good recording device, a decent camera\nor webcam, microphone, good lighting, a quiet environment and a strong internet\nconnection. He concluded by explaining the things to consider when setting up\nan online learning platform and also the methods of implementation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Israel\nRosales, an operator for Brightspace Online Management Platform, rounded of the\npresentations. He explained that the platform was aimed at transforming the\nlearning process of the world. He further added that education had ripple\neffects and would increase the quality of life for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reported by\nthe GO University ICT Team <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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