By Brenda Odhiambo

Last Friday, USIU-Africa Online and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative hosted a faculty development workshop focused on online course facilitation and learner engagement. The workshop, held at Glee Hotel, brought together faculty members from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Science and Technology, the Chandaria School of Business, the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and the School of Communication, Cinematic and Creative Arts to explore innovative strategies for effective online teaching.

The day-long workshop, facilitated by Prof. Henry Wambuii, Dr. Onesimus Otieno, and Dr. Wanjira Kinuthia, covered various aspects of online education, including instructor presence, student engagement, and feedback mechanisms. The program was structured into six intensive sessions, each addressing specific challenges in the online learning environment.

In her opening remarks, Everlyn Musa Anyal, Director of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program e-Learning Initiative, emphasized the strategic importance of the workshop. "This training is critical to the delivery of our newly-launched programs," she said. "Through these trainings and workshops, our faculty will be well-equipped to deliver our online programs, which will enable USIU-Africa to compete at a global scale in terms of its program offering," she added. Her sentiments were echoed by Dr. Philip Machoka, the Director, USIU-Africa Online, who noted that the workshops were a chance for faculty to benchmark and get global insights into e-Learning.

The opening session on building instructor presence online revealed the evolving nature of online teaching roles. Dr. Wanjira Kinuthia emphasized that effective online instruction requires a careful balance of social, cognitive, and teaching presence. Faculty members learned strategies for creating meaningful connections with students through personalized video introductions and regular check-ins. The session stressed the importance of maintaining consistent communication through weekly announcements and leveraging multimedia tools for enhanced engagement.

A significant portion of the workshop focused on workload management, both for instructors and students. During this session, the faculty members engaged in an interactive activity in which they came up with a framework for managing a typical 3-credit hour course, outlining how to effectively distribute time across various learning activities including lectures, readings, discussions, and group work. Through this session, faculty gained insights on how to structure their courses for optimal student engagement.

Additionally, the sessions covered innovative assessment methods, including alternative forms of evaluation such as case studies, multimedia presentations, and portfolio development. Faculty members participated in hands-on activities to design collaborative learning experiences and develop effective feedback strategies. The workshop also addressed the technical aspects of online teaching, introducing participants to various digital tools and platforms that can enhance student engagement. These included discussion forums, interactive quizzes, video conferencing tools, and gamification platforms.

The workshop closed with faculty members developing concrete action plans for implementing new strategies in their online courses. In his closing remarks, Dr. Machoka emphasized the importance of faculty development in positioning USIU-Africa as a leader in digital education.

"As online education continues to evolve, USIU-Africa's investment in faculty development positions us at the forefront of digital learning in Africa, ensuring that students receive a high-quality educational experience regardless of the mode of delivery," he said.