Top eLearning Tools for African Higher Education
Greig Krull
Cloud Computing in Higher EducationSunninghill, Johannesburg28 August 2014
Agenda
Context – Drivers and Constraints
Key Trends and Challenges
Technology Outlook
Top Free Learning Tools
Principles for Success
Discussion
Context: Motivation and Constraints
Take a quick poll: What motivates and constrains
you?
Trends and Challenges
Global Trends and Challenges
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Growing Usage of Social Media
Integration of Online, Blended & Collaborative Learning
Expanding Access
Low Digital Fluency of Staff
Keeping Education Relevant
Moving to the cloud?
Image: Vanguard Visions [CC-BY]
• Driven by end of useful life of current solutions
• Hosted vs buying hardware & maintenance & support
• Monthly cost vs time to achieve ROI
Stern (2014)
Constraints for Cloud Computing in Africa
Ghandi (2014)
• Rural areas still outside coverage areas• Cost of access is high• Energy still a problem
Rapid internet access growth, but
• Comparatively low speeds• Costly
Mobile broadband readily adopted, but
Lack of available local content
Technology Outlook
Institution Strategy
Programme & Course
Design
Staff & Student Digital Literacies
Staff & Student Support
Applications
Hardware / Devices
Network
Physical Spaces
Educational Technology Stack
Adapted from Marquard (2013)
Consumer Technologies
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Digital Publishing
Mobile Phones
Tablets
Wearable Technology
3D Printing
Social Media
Internet Technologies
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Cloud Computing
Internet of Things
Quantifiable Self
Digital Strategies
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
Flipped Classrooms
Gamification
Digital Identity
Digital Storytelling
Learning Technologies
The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition
Badges
Learning Analytics
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
Open Educational Resources (OER)
What are your top learning tools?
Take a quick poll: What is
your TOP learning tool?
Top 20 Tools for Learning in 2013© 2013 Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies
Top 20 Tools for Learning in 2013© 2013 Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies
Need for Internet Access
Use of Non-Educational
Apps
Rise of Social Media
Open Technologies
Free and Open Source Software
Strandberg [CC-BY-SA]
• Lower-cost technology options
• Able to use and/or modify the code
Free and Open Learning Tools
Watson (2014)
Benefits
• Free • Familiar• Easy to Use• Automatic upgrades
Drawbacks
• Lack of integration• Record of data• Lack of institutional
support• Privacy Concerns
Platforms
Content Curation
Polls / Quizzes
Collabora-tion
Blog & Microblog
Social Networks
Multi-media
Sharing
Virtual Meeting Rooms
Free / Open Source Learning Tools
Adapted from: Cavazza, Social Media Landscape [CC-BY-NC-SA] http://www.flickr.com/photos/fredcavazza/2564571564/
1. Virtual Learning Environment: Moodle
• Access to resources• Submit assignments• Discussion forums• Tracking & reporting • Alternates: Sakai, Canvas,
Edmodo, ClassroomImage: Unknown (PD)
2. Blogging: Twitter
• Keep up to date• Share links /
resources• Communicate • Feedback• Alternates:
Blogger, Wordpress
Image: Search Engine People Blog (CC-BY)
3. Social Network: Facebook
• Create groups• Join groups• Interact• Share links &
resources• Alternates:
Google+Image: Simon (PD)
4. Multimedia: YouTube
• Watch how-to videos
• Create own tutorials
• Alternates: Vimeo, Slideshare, Soundcloud, Flickr
Image: Schäfchen (CC-BY-SA)
5. Virtual Meeting: Skype
• Live meetings• Presentations• Screensharing• Alternates:
Google Hangouts, Zoom
Image: Jones(CC-BY)
6. Collaboration: Google Drive
• Share documents
• Collaborate• Create forms• Alternates:
Dropbox
7. Curation: Scoop It • Bookmark sites or articles• Categorise information• Share• Alternates: Diigo, Delicious
Image: Coelho (CC-BY)
Principles for Success
Do you have a plan or strategy for using learning technologies in your learning?
Fryer (CC-BY)
Academics - Where to start?
Start slowly
Select tools best aligned to outcomes & activities
Become familiar with the tools before use
Allocate sufficient time to orient students
Provide ongoing supportWatson (2014)
ICT Infra-structure & applications
Connectivity / Internet Access
Programme& Course Develop
(Open) Licencing of Resources
Capacity Building
Quality Assurance
Change Manage-
ment
Leadership areasto address In alignment with: Vision / MissionStrategic Plan
Quiz: Best Learning Tools
Test your knowledge in a quick online
quiz
Thank you
greigk_za
Greig Krull
Discussion
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
www.saide.org.za
References• Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies (2013)
Top 100 Tools for Learning 2013• DHET (2014) White Paper for Post-School Education and Training.• Ghandi, E (2014) ICTs, public access and the African Internet Governance Forum.
Association for Progressive Communications.• Isaacs, S and Hollow, D (eds) (2013) The eLearning Africa 2013 Report, ICWE:
Germany.• Johnson, L, Adams Becker, S, Estrada, V & Freeman, A (2014) NMC Horizon Report:
2014 Higher Education Edition. Austin, Texas: The New Media Consortium.• Marquard, S (2013) Educational Technology Stack.• Saide (2013) Considering Mode of Delivery in Education• Stern, A (2014) The Pros & Cons of Cloud Server Hosting in Education Verticals • University of New South Wales (nd) Selecting Technologies • Watson, K (2014) Learning To Teach Online Videos College of Fine Art, University of
New South Wales.
