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** Gabriel Konayuma's e-Portfolio **

**Welcome to my e-Portfolio home page**

**This e-portfolio gives the background and theoretical underpinning of the prototype online learning design: [|e-Learning in TEVET] based on the Integrative Learning Design Framework model (Dabbagh and Bannan-Ritland, 2005).** ** Professional Profile ** I attended the University of Zambia from 1987 to 1991 where I received a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree (majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science) in 1992. In 2007 I obtained a Master in Business Administration degree via distance learning at the Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA) in South Africa. In 2008, I did a Certificate course on Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events through distance learning with the University of South Africa (UNISA). Currently I am studying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (ICTs in education) at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in South Africa. This programme is offered in blended learning format comprising online sessions and six-day intensive block release classes.

I have taught Mathematics and Computer Studies to secondary school students at public and private schools in Zambia. I have also taught Computer Science, Mathematics and Management Information Systems to undergraduate students at the Copperbelt University in Zambia. In the Technical Education and Vocational Training (TVET) sector, I have worked as a Curriculum Developer at the Technical Education, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority in Zambia. I also supervise Master in Business Administration students at Management College students in their dissertation writing.

I currently serve as Senior Vocational Education and Training Officer in the Ministry of Education, Science and Vocational Training. My key responsibility is entrepreneurship development promotion. Other duties involve the promotion and facilitation of open and distance learning and e-Learning. In order to improve the management, teaching and learning of open and distance learning the use of Information and Communication Technologies is being promoted. This involves the deployment of ICTs into colleges run by my Ministry and also the monitoring of the use of ICTs for learning. Because of this, I have been attending the annual eLearning Africa Conferences since 2007 and participated in the annual UNESCO-UNEVOC African Summit on ICTs. Furthermore I also enrolled for the Postgraduate in ICTs in Education programme at UCT which I commenced in March 2011 to gain knowledge and skills in use of ICTs in education.

I have presented papers on open and distance learning and the use of ICTs in learning at International Conferences. In 2009 I presented a paper at the UNESCO-UNEVOC African Summit. In May 2007, I presented a paper on “Collaboration in eLearning in Zambia” at the UNESCO TVET African Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. Because of the interest I have in the role that ICTs play in facilitating learning and having used Learning Management Systems in my studies at MANCOSA, UNISA and UCT, I have particularly come to appreciate the chat tool function in the Vula LMS at UCT. The chat tool has enabled me to get to know fellow students and "connect" even when far from each other geographically. Even whilst doing this e-portfolio, I have been motivated to go on working on my task when I am interacting with my fellow students when I see them online whether they respond to my chat conversations or they do not. The chat tool has also enabled me to share useful information about the modules I am doing. It has also enabled me to interact with my lecturers both formally and informally. This is what has motivated me to design the prototype online learning design for lecturers at Technical and Vocational Teacher's College (TVTC ) who have recently started using the Moodle Learning platform for teaching their distance learning students. At the moment, the platform is being used mainly to upload courses for students to access from their various localities. However, the potential of using tools such as 'Chat' in Moodle has not been fully exploited.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Using Chat Tool to enhance Communication between Teachers and Students at the Technical and Vocational Teachers College
<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: justify;">** Overview of e-Portfolio ** <span style="color: black; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">The diagram below in figure 1 gives an overview of the framework that I will use to develop my e-portfolio. My e-portfolio is going to use the <range type="comment" id="88784">Dabbagh and Bannan-Ritland (2005) model. This means I will first give an introduction followed by exploration, enactment, evaluation and reflection. <span style="color: #130606; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">This e-Portfolio contains artefacts such as text, audio, video, graphics and multimedia on how ICTs can be used to enhance the delivery of ODL programmes in TVET.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> **Figure 1: Online Learning Design Model (adapted by Hodgkinson-Willams & Deacon, 2011 from Dabbagh & Bannan-Ritland, 2005: )**

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: justify;"> The Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training (MSTVT) is currently developing an Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Policy Guideline with assistance from the Commonwealth of Learning and UNESCO. The purpose of the Policy Guideline is to guide the provision of ODL in <range type="comment" id="880542">TVET. ‍‍ This overall goal of the policy guideline is to enhance provision of ODL in the <range type="comment" id="168822">TVET sector as a supplementary or alternative path for citizens to access training anacquire skills and overall personal development (Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training, 2011:15).

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: justify;"> The policy proposes the development of ICT Infrastructure by harmonising ODL policy guidelines and the strategic framework with the draft National e-Learning Strategic Plan that is being developed by the Ministry of Education, Science and Vocational Training and promoting the development of ICT infrastructure in TVET institutions. Some of the objectives outlined in the National e-Learning Strategic Plan are that: ICT infrastructure should be available, fully integrated and functional throughout Zambia. Another objective is that e-Learning should be applied in all learning and socio-economic activities n Zambia with the Government explicitly committed to establishing e-Learning throughout Zambia (Ministry of Education, 2010:9).

<span style="color: #130606; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; text-align: justify;">However, coming to the college I am focussing on i.e. TVTC, as indicated earlier they have been providing distance learning to in-service teachers mostly by print-based methods supplemented by two-week residential classes every term. Some students face the challenge of not having adequate or any interaction with their lecturers and students when they are away from college. The affordances of the chat tool are one way that could address this challenge. TVTC has just started using the Moodle platform for teaching distance learning programmes.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; text-align: justify;"> This, as other recent advances in Internet and Web-based technologies, is bound to re-define the boundaries and pedagogies of distance learning by stretching its scope and deepening its interconnectedness (Dabbagh, 2005). In coming up with my online learning design there is need for linking theory to practice (Bednar, Cunningham, Duffy and Perry, 1991). This is because e-learning like all instructional technology delivery environments, must be rooted in epistemological frameworks to be effective for teaching and learning (Dabbagh, 2005).

<span style="color: #130606; display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; text-align: justify;">The online learning design will follow the following phases:
 * 1) ====<span style="color: #130606; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; line-height: 24px;">**Exploration Phase:** provides an investigation and documentation of relevant information related to the training setting in TEVET in Zambia and at TVTC. ====
 * 2) ====<span style="color: #130606; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; line-height: 24px;">**Enactment Phase:** maps information gathered in the Exploration Phase about learning processes, content and context to existing pedagogical models to identify and implement effective instructional strategies online. ====
 * 3) <span style="color: #130606; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 17px; line-height: 24px;">**Evaluation Phase:** this is the assessment of the online design during and after its' design.
 * 4) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">**Reflection**: Lessons learnt during design and possible improvement.
 * 5) <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Self Evaluation: that justifies which aspects of the eportfolio really showcase my best work.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; line-height: 23px;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%; line-height: 23px;"><range type="comment" id="70081">References **

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Bednar, A.K., Cunningham, D., Duffy, T.M., and Perry, J.D. (1991) //Theory into practice: How do we link?// In G. Anglin (Ed.), Instructional Technology: Past, Present and Future. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, Inc.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Dabbagh, N., & Bannan-Ritland, B. (2005). //Online learning: Concepts, strategies, and application//. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice Hall.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Ministry of Education (2011) //National Open and Distance Learning Policy// (Draft). Lusaka: Ministry of Education.

<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training (2011) //TEVET Open and Distance Learning Policy Guideline// (Draft). <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 120%;">Lusaka: Ministry of Education, Science and Vocational Training.