Distance Learning students at the University of Education, Winneba; have embraced introduction of technology transformation geared towards easing teaching and learning. Students who enroll onto the programme will take lectures on a programmed tablet to avoid the usual hustle and tussle associated with conducting work in the lecture halls.
Vice-Chancellor of UEW, Prof. Akwasi Ameyaw- Asabere believes technology this is the way to go in any forward looking institution.
The initiative by the Institute Of Education Development And Extension of the university is to practically express education from distance.
Distance learning education was instituted 15 years ago at UEW to enable workers and other persons who, for various reasons, cannot attend the regular school period.
In contrast to its name, however, people have had to travel from far and near to access what the school authority claims is the best distance learning programme in the country.
The institution has however introduced the new system known as the Hybrid Master of Education to offer education by distance and on tablet.
Students on the programme are given a tablet which contains all requisite teaching and learning materials, including library books, lecture notes, assignments and even group discussions.
Prof. Ameyaw Asabere tells says the initiative is to scrap the conventional way of learning.
“The conventional way of doing things are changing and easier ways are now with us through technology. If you don’t use technology you will be left behind. We thought that as pace-setters in distance learning in the county, the only way to stay at the top is to do things differently from the others.
“University of education was instituted to train teachers and we always want to do this in the best of approaches to do that. Before now, we were writing manuals when you read you understand as if there is a teacher before you. So we thought if technology will help us, why not put these manuals into ICT tools to make learning easier and that where everyone is heading now.
“I expect that IEDE programme will be friendly to users and by this we can provide education to the masses at their door step,” he explained.
The programme begins with graduate students for English, Mathematics and Science.
Prof Ameyaw Asabere explains teaching of the EMS as it is called in the education sector is something worth working on.
Students who sit for BECE and WASSCE have often been victims of what they describe as bad tuition in these subject areas.
The reason it has started the masters programme in this direction.
Some of the pioneer students on the programme are positive the development will bridge the gap between the student and lecturers.
