BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
The 21st century has brought a number of opportunities to the educational process; and is transforming the learning and teaching environment hugely; because the old school learning is no longer enough and in some cases, is not even effective.
The advent of new technologies is providing learners incalculable benefits by improving education opportunities and making the learning process easier, accessible. By allowing many students to follow their education at any time from any place, including attending distant and online learning around the world, the technology is supporting individuals to acquire new knowledge and skills, further their education and advance their careers.
These days, attending classes from anywhere and at any time; without the physical presence of the learners and broadening knowledge and skills aided by various technologies have become a customary practice and the easiest task among learners across the world. Particularly, following the ever changing world and the rapidly changing technologies, the opportunities created to beneficiaries are increasing from time to time.
In response, educational institutions are also eyeing new ways to improve the teaching and learning process, especially at the higher educational level, by utilizing the available technologies. Owing to these and other similar advantages, countries around the world seize the opportunity and embrace the technologies with open arms.Ethiopia is also exerting energies to digitizing services in all areas, including the education sector.
As part of this effort, to digitize the education sector as well as ensuring wider inclusive learning and quality education, off late, Ethio telecom, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education has launched an advanced Smart Classroom – classroom equipped with the essential technological device- at Addis Ababa University, Arat Kilo University. At the launching event, Ethio telecom CEO, Frehiwot Tamru said that the Smart Classroom was built with various technological features involving the latest standard functionality, easy to adapt, idea hub, visualizer, electronic board and camera.
The technology is expected to enable the University to conduct online teaching, live class, course authoring, mobility, teaching and learning management. Ethio Telecom has noted that the Smart Classroom will have a paramount significance for lecturers in teaching at the University. Furthermore, it will enable lecturers to back up their theoretical education with technology driven laboratories, making their teaching methods adaptable with real-time student status checking, adjust teaching progress, automatic markings and generating grade reports and acquire students’ learning data, according to Ethio Telecom.
The Smart Classroom is the one among the many Ethio Telecom’s interventions to bridge the digital divide in the educational sector. According to her, Ethio telecom built 66 digital learning centers equipped with the necessary learning facilities in the selected high schools nationwide. Education Minister Prof. Birhanu Nega for his part said that the Ministry will keep on working in collaboration with pertinent stakeholders to advance the teaching process in more technology assisted fashion than ever before.
As to him, Microsoft has collaborated with the Ethiopian Ministry of Education to implement a Higher Educational Management Information System in support of the successful digital transformation of the education sector. The Ministry of Education of Ethiopia has a mission to ensure effective, quality, and equitable education and training systems throughout the country through building the capacity of the education sector at all levels.
Addis Ababa University President Prof. Tasew Woldehana for his part said that smart classrooms provide numerous benefits to students, teachers, and institutions, including engaging and carrying out interactive learning, improving learning outcomes, increasing efficiency and productivity. They will also contribute a lot in enhancing accessibility and inclusivity, strengthening collaboration and communication, aside from promoting cost-effectiveness and sustainability. “The integration of technology in the classroom has transformed the way we learn and teach, in this regard, smart classrooms are leading the way towards a more effective and efficient education system,” he remarked.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) CEO with the Ministry of Education Zelalem Assefa (PhD) for his part said that smart classrooms make teaching and learning more engaging and interactive. The smart classroom was built with various technological features involving the latest standard functionality, easy to adapt, ideahub, visualizer, electronic board and camera.
“In our context, smart classrooms could help the University to conduct online teaching, live class, course authoring, mobility, teaching and learning management,” he reiterated. “It will also empower students to virtually attend classes any time and any place, especially for those who cannot be physically available, get hybrid learning rather than a traditional learning experience.”The Ministry is eyeing to use the smart classroom at the AAU as a springboard in a bid to replicate it in other universities across the nation.
Responding to implementing smart classrooms Zelaem underlined the technology requires careful planning and investment in technology and infrastructure setting. The Smart Classroom launched at the Addis Ababa University, Arat Kilo Campus is believed to serve as a facilitator to replicate it in other universities across the nation. equally important, it will help to save the expenses that were previously incurred on the purchase of inputs for experiments and to halt the dangers that can be occurred during the laboratory experiment related tasks aside from to bridge the digital divide between those who have access to utilize the digital technology and those who are left behind.
Ethio telecom also expressed its readiness and commitment to improve the education sector and discharge its national and social responsibility through providing inclusive, cost-effective and quality education to citizens, and realizing the vision of Digital Ethiopia, it was learnt. “Our company has always been in the frontline in providing the necessary support to the education sector; and will keep on supporting the education sector digital transformation initiative by discharging its corporate social responsibility, thereby ensuring inclusive and quality education nationwide,” the company reaffirmed in its social media. Meanwhile, the Ethio telecom and Addis Ababa University signed a strategic partnership agreement on the provisioning of connectivity and digital solutions as well as to cement a range of areas of cooperation.
According to the agreement, Ethio telecom will interconnect 18 campuses of the university with high bandwidth, wavelength service, establish smart classrooms, provide digital services and broadband internet services, share knowledge on a range of respective fields, expand research and innovation empowering infrastructures. What is more, an agreement was signed to settle school fees via telebirr digital payment system.
The two institutions have also cemented their existing commitment to further strengthen telecom tailored postgraduate program to employees of Ethio telecom in fields such as Telecommunication Network Engineering and Telecommunication Information Systems; as well as to continue the University-Industry Linkage partnership that Ethio telecom has been providing on-job trainings for Communication Engineering and Computer Engineering students, it was stated in telecom’s social page.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 3 JUNE 2023
