Kenyan universities urged to embrace online learning

Online Education Concept over the shoulder view of black man using computer with educational website, ready to sign up for virtual classroom. [FILE]

University leadership have been urged to embrace collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).

COIL is a virtual technology whereby students and staff from universities across the world come together in virtual classrooms.

Currently, university leaders from; Dedan Kimathi, University of Nairobi ,Maseno and Kibabii are holed up in a workshop in Kisumu to discuss how to utilize and incorporate the online learning program in their institutions to boost learning in collaborative approach.

According to Dr Ezekiel Mecha, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi (UoN) and in charge of collaboration and linkages at the Faculty of Science and Technology, COIL technology is new in Africa but it is already being practiced in other parts of the world including the US and Europe.

"The technology came into prominence during the covid -19 pandemic. I was invited to two international universities where I learnt this technology and on return, I vowed to apply what I had learnt. This technology is important especially to internationalize our universities or higher learning of institutions," he explained

Dr Mecha said there are two ways to internationalize institutions namely physical mobility of students and staff, and the second one is internationalization at home where COIL comes into play, and this is where we have virtual exchange of staff and student

Dr Mecha said the workshop in Kisumu is the second one after the one which took place in February in Nairobi.

This new program creates opportunities for intercultural exchange and international learning environments without the need to travel abroad and enable students understand what happens in other parts of the world.

"This is a new program in our country here and we are trying to cascade it to all higher learning institutions so that we will be able to internationalize our structures in higher learning institutions and also attract international collaborators," he noted.

Prof Florence Indende of Maseno University and one of the COIL experts said among the challenges they are facing in incorporating the program in the institutions is internet connectivity, finances, development of content of teaching and identifying relevant partners.

However, she noted that through collaborations they have navigated through the challenges because they partner and benchmark with those with knowledge and best institutions that have this kind of programs.

"To ease the financial challenge, we bring in networks that are able to sponsor us through partnerships and with this then you realize that we are able to advance our technological understanding and practices within our local universities. We will continue partnering so that our students are not left out," she noted.

She added that virtual exchanges can facilitate collaboration among geographical distant participants particularly in post covid reality where physical mobility is limited.