In late December, the Federal Government announced it was launching two e-learning platforms that will see all teaching and learning materials used in the country’s schools so that they can be accessed by more of the population.
While remote learning has become more widespread over the last two years, Sonny Echono, the Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education, said that these platforms have been in the pipeline for several years.
There are already 11,000 video lessons and a further 4,000 audio lessons, with more expected to be added in the coming months.
While this initiative is ambitious in that it is intended to boost the quality of and access to education right across Nigeria, online learning is by no means new. In fact, there are platforms for just about everything you could ever want to learn.
If you want to become a programmer, then there are thousands of free and cheap online courses that you can take. For example, Free CodeCamp offers free certified courses in JavaScript, Python, responsive web design, and even preparation for coding job interviews.
It’s not all about work either, as you can find educational resources to help you improve your card playing skills so that you can beat your friends, become a better guitar player, or even how to do your own car repair and maintenance work.
In fact, it is actually possible to learn just about anything using the internet. In the hit American TV sitcom The Big Bang Theory, the other characters make a joke about the fact that Sheldon learned to swim in his living room while watching videos on YouTube. But while this is funny, there is actually a wealth of resources available on YouTube and similar websites that can teach the theory of different swimming techniques to make it easier for people when they do get in the water.
But is online learning really that useful, or does it lack the same level of quality that can be achieved with more traditional techniques?
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Many Positives
There are many positive aspects to digital learning. The Nigerian Government’s approach is designed to make access to education more equitable and to help drive standards higher by allowing teachers to share best practice.
A study by MIT found that online courses are as effective as in-person teaching that is delivered in a classroom.
Online teaching also helps to promote self-learning, a skill that is important for continued life-long learning since you can’t spend your entire life sitting in formal lectures. Being able to pick up new skills on your own is something that will also impress employers and help you progress your career further and faster.
Not Without its Drawbacks
While there are many positives to online learning, it also has quite a few drawbacks. Most notably, it excludes anyone that doesn’t have access to an internet connection. Here in Nigeria, the internet penetration rate is only around 40%, though the Nigerian Communications Commission is pushing to boost this number in the coming years.
On top of that, some students struggle with the isolation of online-only learning, causing them to be distracted and withdrawn. For some, this means that face-to-face teaching is still necessary, for at least some of the time.
Additionally, those paying for a higher education may feel aggrieved if they get no contact time with lecturers since they have fewer opportunities to ask questions.
Good for Nigeria?
Clearly, the Nigerian Government sees a huge upside to online learning. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be investing so much in digitizing its lessons.
A lack of internet access for many Nigerians will limit the effect that this initiative can have, but steps to get more people online will help to improve this.
Despite this, the plethora of positives to remote learning is too strong to pass over. Studies have shown them to be as effective as traditional face-to-face teaching and it could allow the country to increase both the access and quality of education, making it a no-brainer.
