Holistic eLearning Project (HeLP)

Project Aim

The Holistic eLearning Project aims at building the capacity of schools to provide better quality teaching and learning. The project emphasises collaborative learning across schools and the ability of teachers to use eLearning in the teaching and learning processes. The project will run for three years; FY 2018/2019, FY 2019/2020 and FY 2020/2021. The 1^st year FY 2018/2019 will be devoted to doing a project prototype as a pilot in four schools.

Problems to be addressed

The Holistic eLearning Project will address the following issues as observed in schools:

A wide urban-rural disparity in schools in terms of access to teaching & learning resources and quality of teaching.
Most teachers using teacher-centred methods of teaching which develop mainly Low Order Thinking skills amongst students.
Limited collaboration among schools on joint learning activities.
Little opportunity for continuous teacher professional development.
Little ICT integration in different subjects across the curriculum.
Little emphasis on application of concepts taught in class to daily life application.
Graduates from schools lack employable skills and competencies.

Project Expected Outcomes

The Holistic eLearning Project has the following expected outcomes within schools:

A narrower urban-rural disparity in terms of access to teaching and learning resources and quality of teaching.
More teachers using learner-centred methods which develop both Low Order Thinking Skills and High Order Thinking skills amongst skills in particular project-based learning.
More collaboration among schools on joint learning activities (learning together)
More continuous teacher professional development through both face-2-face training and eLearning.
More ICT integration in different subjects across the curriculum.
Teachers to put more emphasis on application of concepts taught in class to daily life applications.
More students exhibiting employable skills and competencies (critical-thinking, problem-solving, innovation, creativity, teamwork, collaboration)

Project Designers and Project Implementation Team (PiT):

PiT will be responsible for the project implementation ensuring timely implementation of project activities, monitoring and rapid production and delivery of project deliverable.

Ronald Ddungu (Team leader) M.A (Educ) Mgt-MUK MSC (EfS)- London South Bank PGDE-MUK, BSC (Math/Physics)-MUK iEARN Master Educator Formerly Deputy Headteacher: St. Mary’s College Kisubi (2018), Gayaza High School (1996-2018).	Ayub Kalema Golooba BA Educ(Hons)-MUK Fellow-ILEP; ICT & Pedagogical Devt iEARN Master Educator Teacher: Nabisunsa Girls’ School
Daniel Kakinda Lugudde BSC (Hons), Conc. Dip Education, P.G Dip. Computer Science-MUK iEARN Country Coordinator	Arthur Mbalule BA Educ(Hons)-MUK Headteacher: Busoga College, Mwiri

Pilot Schools:

St. Mary’s College Kisubi

It is a leading boy’s school with considerable influence among schools. The management is looking towards the development of eLearning and has invested in the excellent infrastructure of ICT rooms but lacks the equipment to boost its involvement in eLearning. It has a good internet connection but not for the teaching and learning processes across the many subject disciplines. It will be quick to switch over to the RENU network that is our recommended project internet service provider.

Nabisunsa Girls School

It is a leading girls’ school in central Kampala with an excellent ICT infrastructure in terms of both buildings and equipment. The management of the school focuses on using eLearning in the teaching and learning processes and supports ICT related collaborations with other schools. Nabisunsa is on the RENU network

Gayaza High School

It is a leading girls’ school and an eLearning centre. The school has tested the use of eLearning and developed an e-platform – https://etutoring.gayazahs.sc.ug/ The school brings much experience to the project. The ICT infrastructure at Gayaza is satisfactory. They are on the RENU network.

Busoga College Mwiri

It used to be a strong boys’ school with a big network of old boys. It has declined in performance and needs much support to build back to its past glory. We shall use Mwiri to test out how eLearning can turn around the teaching and learning processes within a school. It is the control school, against which we shall measure the impact of the project. The Headteacher is part of the design team, and with his help, we shall be able to understudy “the role of Headteachers in the development of eLearning in schools”. Mwiri was part of an earlier project run by students of promoting mathematics education in schools together with Gayaza and Kisubi- https://mathinc277141407.wordpress.com/blog/ Mwiri has a computer lab and currently connected to the internet with a speed of 1Mbps.