Date and Time: Thursday, 8th February 2024, 14:00 – 15:30 SAST

Session Description:

Join us for this panel discussion with: Dr. Janet Salmons, SAGE Publications (US), Dr. Nicola Pallitt, Rhodes University (South Africa), Andy Nobes, INASP (UK) and Tony Carr, e/merge Africa / University of Cape Town (South Africa).

Researchers need to keep learning new approaches in order to study a changing world. How can we keep learning once we have completed our degrees and are busy with our careers? We go online, of course! In this webinar we will discuss the kinds of opportunities and resources available for new and experienced researchers who want to sharpen skills and develop new ones. This webinar will be valuable to researchers, as well as to those who want to offer information, consultation, or learning opportunities to others.

Please join us by signing up via Zoom here

Resources:

6 Ways to Teach and Learn Methods with Videos: http://tinyurl.com/3zzt82h7

Panellists Bios:  

Dr. Janet Salmons is a free-range scholar and methodologist. She serves as the Research Community Manager for SAGE Publications’ research community, www.MethodSpace.com. Recent books include: Doing Qualitative Research Online 2^nd edition (2022), What Kind of Researcher Are You? (2021). She will be a fellow at the Center for Advanced Internet Studies in 2024.

She seeks to expand critical perspectives on educational technologies in Higher Education.

Dr Nicola Pallitt supports academics to use technologies effectively for teaching and learning. She supervises postgraduate students and co-teaches on formal courses and professional development offerings in Higher Education. She values contextual and culturally responsive approaches to learning design and educational technology usage.

Andy Nobes  Joined INASP in January 2014. His work is focused on helping researchers develop their research writing and communication skills through online resources, courses, mentoring and peer learning. He currently manages the AuthorAID website and has been instrumental in the development of the AuthorAID online courses in research writing and proposal writing, which have evolved into Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Andy has also been involved in training journal editors in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka in digital publishing practices.  He previously worked for an academic publisher in journal e-marketing and library marketing.

Tony Carr is an Educational Technologist in the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching at University of Cape Town and the convenor of e/merge Africa. His professional interests include online conference design, online facilitation and online professional development networks.

Date and Time: Tuesday, 20th February 2024: 15:00 – 16:00 SAST : 16:00 – 17:00 EAT

Leading the Session: Dr. Esther Gacicio, Edtech Consultant & CEO of eLearning Solutions (eLS) 

To join this session please sign up via Zoom here 

Description of the session:  

This session will look at the importance of  integrating soft skills in higher education to ensure graduates are thoroughly equipped for the labour market. 

What does the course entail and its deployment and accreditations from Kenyan universities.

Many young individuals, despite their academic achievements, find it challenging to excel in real world situations. They lack the essential soft skills that employers and life demand. To unlock this potential https://elsat.elearningsolutions.co.ke/ created the 21st Century soft skills program targeting Tertiary Institutions including Universities in Kenya.

Lead Bio:  

Dr.Esther Gacicio is an Edtech Consultant & Co-Founder and CEO of eLearning Solutions (eLS) (www.elearningsolutions.co.ke; www.elsat.elearningsolutions.co.ke ), a company leveraging on digital technology to design, deliver and deploy learning and training solutions, across the spectrum; to the youth, institutions and corporates. Dr. Esther Gacicio is an Edtech Consultant & Co-Founder and CEO of eLearning Solutions (eLS), a company leveraging on digital technology to design, deliver and deploy learning and training solutions, across the spectrum; to the youth, institutions and corporates. She is a member of the Specialist Network of the EDTEch Hub. GIZ Sports for Development Course, Siemens-Stiftung “How to become a paramedic” course, AUCDC Surveillance course, STEP Ethiopia project and most recently, the ELSAT Hub 21^st Century Soft-Skills Course

Dr. Gacicio previously served as a Senior Assistant Director at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).  Dr. Gacicio was recognized for being the best PhD student (Thesis), Faculty of Education,2021/2022 academic year at the University of Nairobi. She led ELS to receive “Most Preferred MOOCS Solution” of the Year Award 2021 at the Kenya EdTech Summit and Awards inKenya. She was awarded the Excellence in eLearning Award at the World Education Global Awards  2015 in Mumbai, India. She was also a finalist for the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation 2017/2018 a program ran by Royal Academy of Engineering United Kingdom and the subsequent Pitch@Palace under the patronage of HRH The Duke of York, KG in 2018 as well as awarded the Technology in Government in Africa Awards (TIGA) in May, 2011.

Dr. Gacicio is currently serving as a Director in the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TVETA) board since June 2020. She serves as a Board Member and currently the Chair of the Finance and General Purpose committee of the Technical and Finance and General Purposes committees. 

Presenter: Professor Moustapha Diack – Doctoral Program in Science/Math Education, College of Sciences and Engineering, Southern University Baton Rouge (SUBR) & Executive Director, Digital Education Consulting (DEC) Group – Diackresearch.net 

To join this session please sign up via Zoom here

Session Description:

This exploration delves into the myriad implications of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) within higher education. Central to our study is understanding how AI reshapes traditional educational dynamics. We engage in a critical reflection and theoretical inquiry, addressing evolving pedagogical models, matters of equity and social justice, as well as ethical concerns like algorithmic biases. The objective is to provide guidance for reimagining learning and assessment modalities in African university settings which are  increasingly influenced by disruptive technologies against a backdrop of resource and human capacity constraints.

Professor Moustapha Diack is a former Associate Vice President of Online Learning Services for the Southern University System (SUS) in Louisiana and currently associated with the doctoral program in Science Math Education (SMED), College of Sciences and Engineering (CSE), at Southern University in Baton Rouge. At Southern, Diack oversees the development and implementation of integrated digital library services, the Southern University Online Library for Education, to facilitate quality online programs development and college affordability through the adoption of OER and Open Textbook. Diack is a member of the Louisiana Board of Regents Task Force on Electronic Learning and Past President 2003-2006 of the Louisiana Academy of Science.

Presenter Bio: 

Professor  Diack has extensive experience in the areas of online learning design and delivery and has played a global leadership role in the areas of Open Education Resources (OER) and Open Education Practices (OEP). He is recipient of the International MERLOT (Multimedia Educational Resources for Learning and Online Teaching) eLearning Innovation Award 2009. He is member of the MERLOT Faculty Development Editorial Board and Co-Founding Director of the MERLOT Africa Network (MAN), a network of African higher education institutions and digital scholars engaged in the research and implementation of OER. He is on the board of several influential international organisations such as Quality Matters, the International Council of Open and Distance Education (ICDE), the MERLOT OER organisation and the Skills Commons organisation. 

His research interests and leadership roles are in the areas of learning engineering, with specific research interests focusing on the new advances in Interactive Multimedia Learning, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Data Science (DS), and Cognitive Science (CS) principles. These axes of research open new frontiers in digital education to design inclusive virtual learning environments that facilitate individualised instruction, academic success, and college affordability. Professor Diack is also an African Social Entrepreneur through the Digital Education Consulting (DEC) Group and an international Advocate of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and the accommodation of students with disabilities.

Sponsors:

This webinar is partially funded by a grant from the Southern University System (SUS) Foundation, Louisiana – USA. The grant, entitled “Building eLearning Infrastructure leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Open Education Practices (OEP) (Y2023/Y2024)” & The Digital Education Consulting (DEC) Group, Senegal, West Africa.