UG: E-learning takes off with over 30,000 registered students

The University of Ghana has today April 14, 2020, commenced its planned distance online learning module for over 30,000 students for the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year.

Early in March, President of Ghana, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo Addo directed all educational institutions to shut down after Ghana recorded its first cases of the novel coronavirus. Pursuant to that, the management of the University on March 16, 2020 shutdown the institution.

The management on March 23, 2020, directed all lecturers to resort to distant learning modules to instruct students for the remaining weeks of the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year.

As part of the roll-out of the learning module, students were to collect Vodafone SIM cards on which they will be allocated monthly internet data bundles. Additionally, students will be able to access some sites that have been zero-rated.

Following a two-week trial period, the distant learning module comes into full force on April 14, 2020. According to the University, over 30,000 SIM cards have been successfully activated by Vodafone for students and faculty members. This number makes up about 93 percent of the 32,006 SIM cards that were collected registered on the University’s website.

The updates were made known in a statement signed by the Public Affairs Director of the University, Stella Amoah

“Under the Vodafone Tertiary Data Bundle Plan, to date, a total of thirty-two thousand, and six (32,006) Vodafone SIM cards were collected and registered in the portal by UG Faculty and Students. Of this number, thirty-two thousand and fifty-three (30,053) cards have been successfully activated at the close of day on 13th April 2020, representing a 93.8% completion rate.” – the statement read.

Adding to that, management says most of the outstanding challenges with activation of the SIM cards had been resolved.  It posited that SMS messages have been dispatched to persons who still have issues with their activation process whiles its working fervently with the service provider, Vodafone Ghana to resolve the remaining issues.

“Most of the initial activation challenges have been resolved. We continue to work with the Service Provider to resolve all remaining issues speedily. SMS messages have been sent to persons whose SIMs were either detected to be defective or with mistakes in serial numbers.” – it said.

Full Statement

Dear Faculty and Students,

This is the Fourth in a series of regular communications to UG Students concerning the implementation and roll out of Online Teaching and Learning at UG.

Connectivity

Under the Vodafone Tertiary Data Bundle Plan, to date a total of thirty-two thousand, and six (32,006) Vodafone SIM cards were collected and registered in the portal by UG Faculty and Students. Of this number, thirty two thousand and fifty-three (30,053) cards have were successfully activated at close of day on 13th April, 2020, representing a 93.8% completion rate.

Most of the initial activation challenges have been resolved. We continue to work with the Service Provider to resolve all remaining issues speedily. SMS messages have been sent to persons whose SIMs were either detected to be defective or with mistakes in serial numbers.

1. Zero-rating of UG online teaching and learning Sites

Vodafone and MTN have zero-rated University of Ghana online teaching and learning sites. In other words, these companies are providing free access to all UG hosted educational content and all other applications on ug.edu.gh domain.

Please note that free access only works if you use either Vodafone or MTN as these are the only telecommunication companies offering zero-rating service at the moment.

2. Sakai Training

A two week Sakai training for members of faculty came to an end on Friday, 10th April 2020. The next round of training will be announced in due course. Recorded videos of these sessions and other training resources will be made available at sakairesources.ug.edu.gh by 17th April 2020.

3. Zoom accounts for lecturers

The process is underway to create a Zoom Account for all faculty member to enable them schedule their own meetings with their students and colleagues.

The University of Ghana Computing Systems is aware of recent reported cases of Zoom security breached. We are closely monitoring the actions that Zoom is taking to remediate the exploited vulnerabilities. We will continue to follow developments and implement all recommended actions by the company to ensure we minimize any potential risks.

In the coming days we shall issue frequent tips on how to ensure safe use of the tool. Formal online awareness training sessions on how to securely and effectively use the tool will announced.

Other collaboration tools available for use in the UG environment include Microsoft Teams, Google Hangout, Sakai Big Blue Button conferencing tool.

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Credit: universnewsroom.com