MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
Guidelines for Setting Up
E-Content
December 2012
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Introduction
The e-Learning framework is service-oriented to support the services required in the delivery of
e-Learning applications, portals, content forms and other user agents. The framework is a
practical document arising from the development of E-Courses with support from PHEA. It
broadly covers 6 areas (UNESCO-EADTU Model. Khan’s Model).
Institutional Level for Strategic Support
At institutional level we outline the strategic role the e-Learning Framework plays in Makerere
University. At the strategic level we need to find out whether this framework assists the
University in leveraging her competencies to support her mission and vision thereby
addressing the strategic focus of Learner Centeredness among others.
This is also where issues of administration, policy, resources, personnel and instructional
development are addressed. E-learning is complex and involves considerable amount both
individual and institutional change, beyond the provision of technology. At individual level,
there are beliefs and attitudes towards the introduction of technology which need to be
addressed while at institutional level we have a whole spectrum of championing change from
the top and giving it adequate attention.
There are costs to be incurred along the delivery chain, not only in the launching of the
platform, the sharing and reusing of resources and processes in the technology itself but also in
the development of resources where a number of professionals and considerable academic and
technical staff are needed to increase the chances of success.
Makerere University does not have clearly defined policies and management processes for the
development of e-learning. Two documents which are acting as guidelines are the ICT policy
and the Educational Technology Strategy.
Makerere University’s e-learning policy needs to be revisited to clearly define activities related
to e-learning. This has to be teased out from the teaching and learning policy currently being
reviewed. The policy will need to be operationalized in Colleges so as to ease the
implementation of E-learning, encourage its development and also reflect the changes that have
been taking place in the last three years.
E-learning in higher education is now considered to have a lot of potential with most HEIs are
still struggling to engage a significant percentage of students and staff in e-learning. E-learning,
whether combined with other forms of teaching and learning or not, is multifaceted and
involves shifts both in understanding and behaviours. Resources to enable implementation at
these levels in terms of equipment, software, retooling staff, retooling students.
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COURSE PREPARATION FLOW CHART
Course Type
Course Planning
Initial Mapping
Testing
Prototyping
Tracking
End of Mapping
Completion
Navigation
According to
usage
Reviewed
Single
Course -Mapping
Time
Free
According to
score
Many
Course -Mapping
Score
Semi-sequenced
but bound tests or
other elements
According to
Time
Final Launch
Final Launch
Feedback
Survey
Feedback
Survey
Course
Assembly
and release
COMPLETED testing for
a small group of users
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According to a
sum of the
elements above
Internal
Promotion
Supply
Tutoring and
Intermediate
check
Design of Curriculum (Quality Assurance framework)
Curriculum design’ is a process of defining the learning to take place within a specific
programme of study, leading to specific unit(s) of credit. The curriculum design process leads to
the production of core programme/module documents such as a course/module description,
validation documents, prospectus entry, and course handbook. This process involves
consideration of resource allocation, marketing of the course, and learners’ final outcomes and
destinations, as well as general learning and teaching approaches and requirements. It could be
said to answer the questions ‘What needs to be learned?’, ‘What resources will this require?’,
and 'How will this be assessed?'
The 5-E model divides learning experiences into five stages: Engage, Explore, Explain,
Elaborate, and Evaluate. Each stage builds upon the previous as students construct new
understanding and develop new skills.
Course Design and Development
Actual course design is a continuous improvement process that includes five interconnected
components. These are instructional materials, learning activities and interactions in the middle
and learning outcomes and feedback/measurement as part of the activities. The design process
generally starts with analyzing and identifying desired, measureable learning outcomes that
support program objectives. The deliberate design of learning experiences along with
assessment help to shape the optimal learning environment. As faculty (teaching staff) regularly
measure learning outcomes, the instructional design can be revised in the interest of achieving
the optimal experiences for students.
Identification of staff to be involved in course design and development, even when one has not
been used to using e-platform to develop courses, instructors can individually benefit from
standardizing their own courses. There are several components that serve as foundational
building blocks for online courses and would be suitable in a “Basic Guidelines” approach.
Creating standardized structure will improve course navigation, clarity, and consistency for
your students and will help expedite new course design and development in the future. This
process begins with knowing what you want your course to look like and how you can use
and/or repurpose basic components effectively in multiple courses.
The following are fundamental components for standardizing online course structure:
Announcements – Announcements should be clear, supportive and regularly posted. They
should set the tone of your perspective as the instructor, emphasize tasks at hand and serve as a
timely reminder the details found in the course instruction syllabus, schedule or other
components within the course. Online learners often rank the announcement section as one of
the top features of any effective online course. The announcements section is a chance to
address the whole class and instructors should consider doing announcements each week, at
the beginning of each new section of work, and/or before deadlines. Announcements should be
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highly visible in the same location and should be time and date stamped. It involves a
progressive process from course needs assessment, course design, production and
development.
Course Structure and Information – Structure of the Course (target group, objectives, learning
outcomes, major topics, and assessment strategies, learning materials, learning styles) should be
determined from the outset. Course Information should display fundamental details about the
course, including the syllabus, schedule, grading policy, or other relevant logistical items that
students access repeatedly.
Instructor Information – Instructor Information should include phone, email, office location,
office hours, online chat hours, and social media (Skype, Twitter, etc.) details as appropriate.
Course Modules – Modules are the fundamental organizational vehicles for delivering content
within an online course. Building the modules in a logical, sequential, meaningful and
appropriate manner is often the most time consuming task of online course design and
development. There should be clear statement of learning outcomes in respect of both
knowledge and skills. The outcomes should be attainable through e-learning, blended as and
when necessary by face-to-face provision.
Discussions – Online interaction, especially synchronous and asynchronous discussion, among
students and instructors has been identified as a keystone to online course effectiveness. If the
discussions are based on the module and are part of an assignment, they should be clearly
noted as such, listing a name that corresponds with the module and with a due date.
Submissions – Submissions is a general area where students may submit their assignments or
projects for grading. It is good to have all assignments listed here along with deadlines and/or
any special submission details.
Assessments – Assessments is a general area where any quizzes, tests or exams and instructions
will be posted. Once they go to this area, they should only be able to begin active quizzes or
tests that are appropriate for the work they are currently assigned.
Grades – Grades is an area that should show all of the assignments that a student has submitted
and their corresponding grades and feedback details. In general, online learning students desire
immediate feedback on their progress.
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Feedback– Send email is an area where students can easily locate and send email to the
instructor or any other member of the class. This may be a separate system or a system linked
into another existing email account. Instructors should check this multiple times daily.
Course Support – Course Support is an area where you should have links to external support
mechanisms. If you have technical support offered at your institution, you should definitely
have a link and corresponding information listed here. Other support you may want listed here
would be links to LMS resources and training, the library, research databases, reference
websites, or other helpful links and contacts.
IMPORTANT ELEMENTS
Foster active learning, Facilitate individual study and the development of study skills, Support
the development and interaction of learning communities, Place the learner in control of time,
place and pace of learning wherever possible, Recognize the diversity of learners and build on
their strengths and backgrounds, Make appropriate provision for persons with disabilities,
Require learners to reflect on, evaluate and provide feedback on course content and
requirements
# Interactions between students and tutors (both synchronous and asynchronous are facilitated
by a variety of means including email, telephone, group forums etc. to allow both individual
and group interactions
# Course design, development and evaluation involve individuals or teams with expertise in
both academic and technical aspects. Mechanisms for trial and feedback should be incorporated
into the final product
# Learning materials are designed with sufficient level of interactivity to enable active student
engagement and to enable them to test their knowledge, understanding and skills at regular
intervals.
# Course materials conform to explicit guidelines concerning layout and presentation and are as
consistent as possible across a programme
# Course materials shall regularly be reviewed (both locally and externally) updated and
improved using feedback from stakeholders as appropriate.
# Courses provide both formative and summative assessment components
# Drafting the course, Integrating illustrations, graphics & learning objects, Review of the drafts,
Uploading course onto LMS
# Identification of students, enrolment of students, monitoring of student participation, Student
assessment Incorporation of changes
#Allow possibility for learners’ participation, Allow possibility for future review
Staff Support
The use of ETs in most countries is largely a recent development. Given that instructors may
have learnt using different traditional modes of delivery compared to ETs today they do require
support if such methods are to succeed in their implementation. In Makerere these are some of
the current situation analysis:
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
Academics (faculty) perceive ETs as technologies that provide aid to learning.

Computers are the most common of all the technologies available in Makerere
University for use in teaching.

Computer is the more widely accessed and used and there is greater recognition of it
as an ET.

A number of ET types are available; some personally owned like the mobile phones,
computers- especially the laptop computers and others owned and provided by the
university.

The projector is one of the other ET widely sought out for and used in many units for
teaching. However, its access is challenged by the number of available projectors
compared to the classes that would like to make use of them.

Both male and female staff (faculty) perceives ETs to be useful, with a potential to
improve learning experiences especially through better and easier access to
information. However, they also pointed out that the increasing students’ numbers,
seen through big classes of up to 300 or 600 stretches the already inadequate ICT
infrastructure and Internet connectivity, undermining the value that can be gained
from ETs in teaching.
In the Nutshell:
The recent findings showed that although gender did not seem to directly influence staff
perceptions of ETs, it influenced use through the different strategies and options available for
one to overcome the challenges associated with accessing and using the ETs. It was also evident
that use of educational technologies had transformed learning more than teaching in Makerere
University. Thus, for teaching at Makerere University to equally benefit from use of ETs the
following are recommended Makerere University management:
There should be more commitment to the integration of ETs in teaching especially in the
following ways:

For effective integration of ETs in teaching, the university needs to be more committed to
support and promote the use of ETs in ways that are unique to the different units and to the
genders. This is particularly urgent as field evidence shows that gender influences staff
strategies and available options for one to access and use ETs.

The university can show more commitment and support to use of ETs in teaching in the
following ways:
o
Identify and recognise successful ET implementers with rewards
o
Offer support to them as a way of motivating them.
o
Some monetary rewards were mentioned but staff said that these monetary rewards
do not have to be so huge neither are they the only way staff can be rewarded. They
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said that moral support could be different forms of recognition as well as provisions
of needed tools and technology facilitation implemented.
o
Staff could also be motivated to use ETs in teaching by the university availing to
them the technologies.
o
The university should also design an e-credit system in which those teaching with
technology can earn points for promotion, in addition to the publications.
o
The university should also provide technical support staff to teaching staff during
teaching sessions that involve use of ETs.
o
In addition the university should make ETs like projectors, televisions and laptops
readily available in each lecture hall (mounted) to solve access and use challenges for
staff.
Student Support
1. Four dedicated student support staff to handle/respond timely to students queries both
online and face-to-face. The eLearning unit receives tens of mails from students
everyday ranging from forgotten passwords, inaccessible courses, failed account
creation attempts and inability to use the learning management system. Any of such
students need to be promptly and adequately helped so as to sustain their interest and
use of the LMS. The student support staff should be established to handle that task.
2. Establish a state-of-the-art fully equipped 100 computer laboratory run by the eLearning
centre to handle students’ needs from across colleges. Student support staff in the labs
will readily train available students and the students will be able to practice new skills
and access content in their e-courses. (This is too be covered under ADB Support)
3. An eLearning student manual developed for any Learning Management System in use
to guide students on its use. In this way students can quickly adapt to using the LMS.
Besides, eLearning fliers can be produced and inserted into student admission letters to
sensitize them on eLearning.
4. Student eLearning Communities of Practice encouraged for sharing of experiences
students. This should cut across all the Colleges to encourage student interaction.
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