The COVID-19 pandemic continues to distress the world, however, governments have been taking drastic steps to stop the spread. Like the decision to close schools and higher learning institutions. For most, this is a severe interruption of the academic year as the bricks-and-mortar lecturing experience is shut down. But there are steps that can be taken to ensure that teaching and learning continues despite the lockdown. With the help of education experts, and students, this article suggests five ways scholars can develop their skills while home-schooling. Off campus library access A number of universities offer access to leading electronic resources, journals and databases through off-campus access Due to issues of licensing in accessing these resources, however, this privilege is usually for registered students and staff members, says Jules Gasore, a student at the African Leadership University of Rwanda. “From the comfort of my home, I can access the physical library through the use of technology without being in public contact,” he says. Such features, Gasore says, are key in forming online learning communities. Use of Skype and WhatsApp audio and video for meetings “I’m constantly in touch with my students, offering direction on their research projects, and helping others complete theirs through these platforms, says Innocent Nsanzubuhoro, a teacher at Nu-Vision High School. “I also use them for meetings with colleagues and other stakeholders.” Nsanzubuhoro points out that such tools are used because of ease and convenience. “Skype and WhatsApp are easily available and are already popular. Which means that when you consider performance expectancy they are more favourable. Again, there is the need for a reliable internet connection.” Another example, is the recently launched YouTube Channel by the Rwanda Education Board (REB) to facilitate students to continue their studies at home as the uncertainty of when schools will be reopened lingers. The new YouTube channel that was launched Monday, March 30, consists of primary and secondary courses that were usually taken in physical classrooms. So far, students can access English lessons, elementary science lessons for primary pupils as well as advanced sciences such as chemistry, mathematics and biology among others. According to the director general of REB, Irene Ndayambaje, the platform will also facilitate peer learning among teachers. “We want to help students. Instead of spending time watching useless content on YouTube, they can now watch videos that help them study and revise,” he says. Keep informed, watch out for misinformation Amidst the current era where information has become more and more critical, it’s important to watch out for misinformation. As it has been in recent years, a common source of misinformation could be posts usually shared through social media that are not verified. “In their quest for information,” says Diannah Daisy Uwonkunda, a teacher at Excella School, “Students should watch out for information and avoid spreading unverified information.” Put recordings of classes online Maurice Twahirwa, an education expert, says teachers and educators should also feel challenged to turn to different ways through which they can deliver their work. A number of free online platforms, he observes, can be useful to host learning content in both audio and video format. “Some of these platforms also allow for recorded learning content to be downloaded online onto a device and then played later by a user at no cost. This can fit well, especially if data costs are very high. Some students find YouTube and Sound Cloud helpful because they offer the convenience of presenting a class either in video or sound format. Students can select which they prefer,” Twahirwa says. Conferences According to Dominiques Mvunabandi, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation Unit at UNESCO, academic conferences offer opportunities for networking and collaboration with leading scholars locally and internationally. “An alternative is web-conferencing. This allows multiple users in different locations to meet in real time over the internet or intranet. This has also led to the growing use of web seminars or webinars.” Mvunabandi points out, “I have found web-conferences useful and often cheaper than physical attendance. The drawbacks here are the need for a reliable internet connection.” Nevertheless, he highlights that there are opportunities for both academics and students to further develop their skills. This requires the use of technology in their daily lives.
