by Zara Mustapha

In May 2014, Kampala the Ugandan capital played host to the 9^th edition of the largest gathering of eLearning professionals on the continent when the eLearning Africa 2014 conference held under the title “Opening frontiers to the future”.

The main focus of the eLearning Africa conference was to discuss the latest innovations, ideas, opportunities and challenges of using electronic media together with information and communication technologies (ICT) to drive development and education.

Nigeria took center stage when the OAU eLearning solution was exhibited to the over 1,000 participants from 68 countries across Africa and the world in attendance at the event.

The Center for Distance Learning, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in April 2014 launched the first eLearning solution of its kind in Africa. This eLearning solution is projected to increase the University’s student base drastically and give more than 50,000 people the opportunity to receive certified undergraduate and post-graduate degrees each year.

What is eLearning? – eLearning is learning conducted through electronic media, such as laptops, tablet devices and mobile phones, typically on the internet. With e-learning, learning has moved beyond the 4 walls of the classroom to your home, office, car and any location you may be.

Why OAU embraced eLearning? – According to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in Nigeria, a total of 1,629,102 candidates applied to sit for the Paper Pencil Test (PPT), while 15,008 candidates applied for the Dual Based Test, bringing the number of candidates that sat for the 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) to 1,644,110. Out of this number, there is space for only 500,000 students to be admitted, with the implication that over 1million candidates were denied admission. This is the category of candidates OAU hopes to give an opportunity to get a University degree. You can get admission into OAU today if that is your desire via the newly launched OAU eLearning degree program which is officially approved by the National Universities Commissions (NUC).

Upon admission, each student will be provided with a customized tablet device, the ‘Vigitab’; this would allow them watch video lectures, interact with their lecturers and classmates, download and upload assignments, and have access to an endless collection of books from the e-Library. The ‘Vigitab’ is built specifically for Africa and its peculiar needs – power supply and data access. It has incredible battery power and are designed to allow access to lectures with or without internet provision so that no matter where you are, LEARNING NEVER STOPS!

Following the official approval by NUC, OAU-CDL has now begun receiving applications for the 2013/2014 academic session in four B.Sc. Degree programs: Accounting, Economics Education, Social Studies Education, and Nursing.

Lectures are delivered by the same Lecturers teaching the on-campus students, using the same lecture materials. An eCommunity of Lecturers, Tutors and Students ensures that a higher level of interaction is achieved since members are always within reach 24/7. Assignments are submitted online, while practical sessions and examinations are taken on Campus. Successful students are awarded the same certificate as the on-Campus students.

On the OAU eLearning platform, the admission process is fully automated, from application to payment to registration and lectures. It is the eLearning Revolution where learning is brought to the comfort of your room or office space. For more details visit http://online.oaucdl.edu.ng

Application is strictly online and closes soon.

 

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