11/19/2007

St. George’s, Grenada – Nov. 19, 2007 -- Eleven tertiary educators drawn from Grenada and Carriacou paid rapt attention as facilitator, Dr. Hilroy Thomas, Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) consultant went through the basics of moodling at a two-day introductory workshop held at the T. A. Marryshow Community College earlier this month.

Online courses expected to be available by year-end

St. George's, Grenada – Nov. 19, 2007 -- Eleven tertiary educators drawn from Grenada and Carriacou paid rapt attention as facilitator, Dr. Hilroy Thomas, Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) consultant went through the basics of moodling at a two-day introductory workshop held at the T. A. Marryshow Community College earlier this month.

The workshop entitled, Designing Online Courses and Support Systems, introduced participants to Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment (MOODLE), the open-source, virtual learning management system. Dr. Thomas guided participants through the architecture and processes of systems design applicable to developing content for online delivery.

With disciplines including communications, business, information technology, social sciences and hospitality, participants modified their current course syllabuses while developing the competencies for becoming online instructors.

"Teaching online is one of the easiest things to do," Dr. Thomas acknowledged, "but one of the hardest things to convince teachers to do."

For five weeks following the workshop, he will continue to administer the course online to immerse the educators into their new teaching environment.

He added, "The expected outcome of this programme is for these teachers to have courses available for online delivery by the end of this year".

Ken Sylvester, CKLN chief executive officer explained that through e-learning, space and time are no longer major determinants of human learning. "The final outcome of these workshops has the potential to contribute significantly to the number of persons who can access education at the tertiary level by reconfiguring their access through e-learning.

"With tangible e-learning outputs from these workshops, CKLN is helping to reshape access to knowledge resources and transform the learning process for Caribbean people."

Sylvester also highlighted that the Caribbean's economic development is dependent on the region's societies and economies being driven by information and knowledge.

This workshop was the first in a series to develop e-learning competencies across the region. Other countries that have indicated a readiness for the programme include Belize, St. Kitts and Dominica.

The Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) is a not-for-profit foundation and CARICOM institution established in 2004 to enhance the competitiveness of Caribbean countries by upgrading and diversifying the skills and knowledge of human resources in the region through greater regional collaboration and connectivity.