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Contributions from
the Column
InWEnt News
Environment in Southern Africa
“E-learning means more work”
Beyond the Washington Consensu
11/2004 |
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[ Knowledge network SANTREN ]
“E-learning means more work”
Enala Mwase is a biologist at the University of Zambia in Lusaka. As an InWent course author and teletutor, she was involved from the outset in the development of the e-learning activities of the SANTREN network (Southern African Network for Training and Research on the Environment).
What was the main reason for SANTREN developing e-learning courses?
SANTREN is an international network in Southern Africa. To enable our workshops to reflect that, participants in our courses should come from different countries. But the costs of travelling have always made that a very expensive business in the past. When we started SANTREN we thought e-learning could save us a good deal of money.
And has it?
Only up to a point. First of all, the course modules needed to be completely revised for e-learning and the teletutors required intensive training. When we offered the courses online, we did indeed make major savings on travel expenses and accommodation. But we also found that a certain amount of personal contact with participants was still necessary.
Why is that?
It takes face-to-face contact to make the learning experience complete. That sounds simple but it really is very important. What's more, we don’t just teach theory; people also need to gain practical experience. Our focus is the environment and participants can only gain first-hand, hands-on experience of environmental problems if they are actually on the spot. That is why we turned away from programmes based purely on e-learning and now offer courses in “blended learning” packages. However, e-learning enables us to keep the presence phase very short. Sometimes, just one or two days are enough.
Does e-learning reduce the workload for tutors?
No, the very opposite in fact. All our tutors do SANTREN work in addition to their full-time job at an university. So it is often quite hard for them to set time aside to attend to e-learners. With presence-based teaching, it is easier. The tutor takes time off, travels to another location and doesn't have to keep sorting out problems connected with his or her regular job. Teletutors' workloads are significantly heavier. Trying to cater to e-learners' needs in addition to doing their daily work, they constantly have to contend with distractions. Having to keep switching back and forth, they struggle to give participants their undivided attention. But if tutors don't respond swiftly to enquiries, participants feel neglected and become frustrated. With presence-based teaching, that cannot happen, of course, because questions are answered automatically.
Is e-learning set to become more important in Southern Africa?
I'm sure it is. When we started, we were the only ones offering e-learning courses with an environmental focus. Now, many of our course participants have had a taste of the method and they are very enthusiastic. Some are lecturers themselves and now want to launch their own courses online. That is also good for international cooperation because environmental problems do not stop at national borders. It is for this reason why it is so important that participants in our courses and tutors from different countries should work together. Technology is a boon in that respect. Even after a course is over, we can keep in close contact via the internet and email.
Interview: Dirk Asendorpf
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