IPS TO ADOPTS E-LEARNING SYSTEMS

Lecturers of the Institute of Professionals Studies are to start Lectures, receive
and mark student’s assignments and proposals as well as interact with their students
online. The initiative begun as part of efforts being made by the School Of Research
and Graduate Studies, (SORAGS), of IPS, to partner Duquenes University based in
Pittsburgh, United States of America, to exchange lectures with IPS online.
In line with this initiative, Lecturers and administrators of the Institute have
been taken through a two day thorough training on some online applications and
security systems necessary for the implementation of an E-learning system namely
Moodle, Moodle Mobile Sheet, Data Security, and Data Encryption.


Moodle, an open source (free/almost free) E-learning system, enhances conventional
classroom teaching and learning. It has features that will give lecturers the
ability to upload course material, as well as gather and review assignments from
students. It will also help them design their courses and course outline in a way
that could be used both online and in the traditional classroom setting. Lecturers
can also mark assignments, keep records of grades and quizzes, chat with students
online and create their own websites with the Moodle application.
Students on the other hand can upload their assignments, proposals etc for the
attention of their respective lecturers. They can also access course information
which will be uploaded by lectures, end engage in online group discussions with
their colleagues.
Briefing participants at the workshop, systems administrator of IPS, Mr. Edwin
Ayenor said Moodle enhances freedom since it has unlimited user access once there
is a server and will encourage peer review among lecturers and students alike. He
added that a survey conducted on weekend student has proven that an E-learning
system will be beneficial and will appeal to them more, since most of them are
workers who have internet access but less studying time.
Dean of the Research and Graduate school, Rev. Mrs. Goski Alabi also took
participants through some practical aspects of Moodle namely the E-learning course
preparation, using standardized applications such as Bloom’s Taxonomy that will
enable lecturers prepare their courses online by following a template which seeks to
standardize courses as well as make their work less difficult. Rev. Mrs Alabi who
also lectures in a solely online master’s programme in Global Leadership ran at the
Institute’s graduate center, introduced participants to the Moodle Mobile Sheet.
This mobile application will enable lecturers capture assessment details of students
such as internal assessment results and class work results, offline (i.e. on their
mobile phones) and upload them later on to the IPS Online Student Information
Systems.
To prevent tampering of results and other information that will be uploaded, they
were also taken through data security and encryption systems.


Mr. Ayenor noted that there has been numerous requests for further and a more
detailed training as well as several follow- ups from participants which is an
indicator of their readiness for such a system. According to him, the next move
will be the provision of additional training for lecturers on how to set up their
own courses and a massive awareness creation. There will also be the organization of
a onetime workshop for students on networks that could be used to support the
initiative such as facebooks, yahoo messenger, twitter and the likes. Meanwhile,
lecturers are being encouraged to spread the word to their students as well as
encourage them to send their assignments, proposals etc via email to prepare their
minds.
Currently, IPS has three certified module trainers who can and will assist in the
take-off of the system. The cost involved and internet interruptions were however
mentioned as some challenges that may come up. Nonetheless, facilitators of the
workshop, Mr. Ayenor and Rev. Mrs Goski Alabi were optimistic that it will be a
success should the system be adopted since the advantrages it has, far outweighs its
disadvantages.

Source: Gifty Andoh Appiah.
giftdot@yahoo.com