Tasokwa's report

TO: The Principal, Bunda College of Agriculture, P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe

FROM: Ms Tasokwa V. Kakota, Basic Sciences Department

DATE: 15th September, 2008

REPORT ON WEB 2.0 TOOLS TRAINING WORKSHOP HELD AT RIDAR HOTEL, IN MUKONO, KAMPALA, UGANDA FROM 8TH –12TH SEPTEMBER, 2008

I would like to present a report of the above training that I attended in Uganda from 8th- 12th September, 2008.

I am very grateful to you for granting me permission to participate in this training.

Tkakota 15:12, 16 September 2008 (UTC)

Cc 
: Professor Adipala, Ruforum Regional Coordinator  
: The Vice Principal, Bunda College
: The Registrar, Bunda College
: The Deans, Bunda College 
: The Head, Basic, Sciences 
: Professor James Banda (Programs Coordinator)
: Dr Washington Ochola, Egerton  Universit                
: Mr Nicholas Kimolo
: Ms Nodumo Dhlamini        
: CTA Secretariat 
: All Web 2.0 participants

REPORT ON WEB 2.0 TOOLS TRAINING WORKSHOP HELD AT RIDAR HOTEL IN KAMPALA, UGANDA FROM 8TH –12TH SEPTEMBER, 2008

Group photo of participants and Facilitators

Introduction

The training workshop was organised by Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) in collaboration with Technical Centre for Agricultural and Regional Cooperation (CTA) and Commonwealth of Learning (COL). The workshop hosted at Ridar hotel in Kampala, Uganda and was and was officially opened by the Regional Coordinator for RUFORUM, Professor E.Aadipala . The workshop was facilitated by Dr Washington Ochola from Egerton University in Kenya, Mr Nicholas Kimolo from Kenya and Ms Nodumo Dhlamini from Africa University, Zimbabwe. The participants were drawn from Bunda College of Agriculture, a constituent college of the University of Malawi, University of Zambia, African University in Zimbabwe, University of Zimbabwe, Eduardo Mondirane University in Mozambique, University of Nairobi, Egerton University and Moi University in Kenya, Makerere University in Uganda,Sokoine University in Tanzania , National University in Ethiopia and Botswana College of Agriculture. The participants were academic members of staff and researchers. Bunda college was represented by Ms Tasokwa Kakota from Basic Sciences Department, Dr Jeremiah Kang'ombe from Aquaculture and Fisheries Department and Mrs Chimwemwe Chamdimba from the programmes Office.

The overall objective of the workshop was to equip scientists in universities and agricultural research institutions with the requisite tools to conduct collaborative content development in a variety of scenarios. The aim was to improve education content creation, research efficiency and effective flow of agricultural information among researchers within and between academic and research institutions. The participants were equipped with knowledge and skills on how to use web 2.0 tools which WikiEducator, Google docs, basecamp and blogs. The participants were also equiped with knowledge and skills on online publication.

Specific Objectives of the Workshop

The key objectives of the training were to:

1. Build capacity in the use of web 2.0 tools in order to achieve the following:

• speed the movement of new ideas between individuals, within institutions and among institutions.
• Enable institutions and individuals to know what expertise and resources exist and their geographic proximity to one another.
• Allow individuals to find each other, form partnerships and implement research programmes and projects collectively.

1. Form institutional partnership for identified collaborative research areas and identified project proposal writing.
2. Establish a network whose objective would be the development of open educational resources in the area of agricultural training and research.
3. Establish follow up and support activities Participatory Action Planning(PAPA).

Mode of Delivery

The presentations were in form of power point, Internet based, group discussions and plenary discussions. The training was very practical. Each participant was given an opportunity to practice the skills through the exercises which were assigned to individuals for example, developing a profile and PAPA on WikiEducator. The facilitators encouraged the participants to collaborate using web 2.0 tools mainly, WikiEducator, by posting comments, instructions and assignments on the web and this enhanced active participation.

The Workshop Program

The workshop covered the following topics:

• Introduction to web 2.0 tools for education and Collaborative research which included WikiEducator, google docs and blogs among others.
• Principles, practices of Open Access Education/Research resources: opportunities and challenges
• Creating of new pages and links on WikiEducator
• Collaborative content development using WikiEducator
• Development of action plan on WikiEducator
• Open participatory evaluation of day's activities using WikiEducator

Output from the Workshop

• Participants created accounts on the WikiEducator and developed their profile on the WikiEducactor.
• Participants created links to their biodata and Curriculum Vitae on WikiEducator
• Participants collaboratively developed concept notes of project proposals on WikiEducator.
• Participants collaboratively evaluated the workshop on WikiEducator
• Participants developed PAPA using WikiEducator.
• Participants developed Partnership between and among institutions

Conclusion

The workshop was practical oriented and enhanced my knowledge and skills in ICT. The training workshop also provided a dynamic and interactive forum for researchers and academic staff from different Universities and disciplines to collaborate and form partnership in project proposal development. The training was motivating because there was reflective assessment among participants. The success story was that every participant was able to use WikiEducator and collaborate effectively. The training provided an opportunity to share experiences and form networks between and among institutions in a friendly environment.

Reccommendations

The workshop was educative, very relevant and important among researchers and academic staff. It can help staff collaborate with students and supervise students’ research even when they are not physically present. The training also enables academic staff and researchers to collaborate and develop ideas together without the physical meetings. I therefore recommend that academic staff, researchers and postgraduate students from this institution be trained in the use of web 2.0 tools.

Way Forward

Find below my proposed Action Plan whose objectives are as follows:

• To share knowledge and skills in the use of web 2.0 tools.
• To share resources for effective use of web 2.0 tools.
• To enhance capacity in the use of web 2.0 tools among students, researchers, academic,and administrative members of staff.

Tasokwa's action plan-PAPA: Click here

Vote of Thanks

I am grateful to RUFORUM for organising this educative and empowering training workshop and to CTA and COL for providing financial support which enabled me attend the workshop in Uganda. I am also grateful to the Principal of Bunda College, Professor George Kanyama Phiri, the head of Basic Sciences Department, Professor Peter Mumba and the entire management team for granting me permission to participate in this training workshop.

I hope to put into practice the knowledge and skills that I have gained from the workshop and also disseminate the information to colleagues and students in order to build capacity not only for Bunda College but also Malawi.