e-Learning and COVID-19
The term e-learning which is believed to have originated in the 1980s with the inception of online learning is generally defined as the delivery of instruction on a digital device such as computer or mobile device that is intended to support learning either online or offline 1.
The use of e-learning for instruction is arguably as effective as or more effective than face to face learning. In blended learning as a way of supplementing the traditional teaching methods, eLearning can increase learner engagement, is learner-focused, is easily updated as new knowledge emerges, and increases access through the removal of geographic barriers2.
Further still, there is an increase in number of free and open-source e-learning platforms such as MOODLE and Open edX that can be used to deliver learning electronically. Such platforms are not only highly customizable and scalable supporting large numbers of learners, but also provide functionalities like live classes (Zoom plugin integrations), quizzes, and chats, among others making learning very interactive and enjoyable.
In this ever-changing world, it has become nearly impossible to deliver or receive formal education without the use of advanced technologies, hence the increased application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in the delivery of education. Covering a wide range of technologies for gathering, storing, retrieving, processing, analyzing, and transmitting or presenting information, ICTs are indeed vital in the delivery of education2. Subsequently, there is a steady rise in investment by various entities including governments, education institutions, and individuals in these ICTs in order to keep up with the current trends.
In Low- and middle-income countries, one rapidly growing aspect of e-learning is mobile learning which focuses on the use of mobile devices to aid learning. This steady rise in the use of mobile technologies has been realized due to the increasingly falling prices of mobile devices leading to increased ownership.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of e-learning has further been emphasized. Many entities, including governments, agencies, and institutions of learning have resorted to e-learning to enable continuity of learning for their staff and students from the safety of their homes where they are not exposed to the virus. There has also been an increase in free online courses from various platforms such as Coursera, Udemy and audacity. In April 2020, UNICEF and Microsoft Corp announced the expansion of a global learning platform to help children and youth affected by COVID-19 continue their education at home.
The Learning Passport which started as a partnership between UNICEF, Microsoft and the University of Cambridge and its departments Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment, designed to provide education for displaced and refugee children through a digital remote learning platform, was expanded to facilitate country-level curriculum for children and youth whose schools have been forced to close due to COVID-193. In Argentina, the Ministry of Education launched Educ.ar an educational portal aimed at providing curated digital resources for teachers, administrators, students, and families. The program “Seguimos Educando”, developed by the Ministry of Education and the Secretariat of Media and Public Communication, began broadcasting educational content from April 1, 2020, airing 14 hours a day of television content and 7 hours a day of radio content specially produced for students as a result of school closures4.
In June 2020, the Ugandan Ministry of Health launched the MOH Uganda Capacity Building mobile application supported by the Community Health Academy- Last Mile Health in collaboration with Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Uganda Chartered HealthNet. This is a health worker learning/training app aimed at closing the gap in capacity building caused by the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines that prohibit the traditional capacity building efforts5. e-learning is therefore poised to play a critical role in the advancement of health education in the future or post COVID as the saying goes. The sudden global shift in learning away from traditional face to face due to the pandemic leaves a question of whether electronic learning will persist post COVID and how this is likely to impact learning world-wide.
REFERENCES
1. Trump A, Carr C. Assessing the Feasibility of Utilizing eLearning Content in Midwifery Schools in Ghana. 2014.
2. Gyambrah M. E-Learning Technologies and Its Application in Higher Education: A Descriptive Comparison of Germany, United Kingdom and United States. Policy. 2007. http://edoc.ub.uni-muenchen.de/archive/00007358/.
3. UNICEF and Microsoft launch global learning platform to help address COVID-19 education crisis. https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-and-microsoft-launch-global-learning-platform-help-address-covid-19-education. Accessed July 2, 2020.
4. How countries are using edtech (including online learning, radio, television, texting) to support access to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/edutech/brief/how-countries-are-using-edtech-to-support-remote-learning-during-the-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed July 2, 2020.
5. MOH Uganda Capacity Building App – Apps on Google Play. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ug.go.health.mobile.covid19. Accessed July 2, 2020.
Article by: Balirwa Priscillah,
Health Informatician,
Living Goods Uganda.
https://livinggoods.org/