Schools now go digital to keep learners in class

Schools and colleges have turned to digital learning and video conferencing to ensure continuous learning as the institutions remain closed following the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Various schools, especially private ones, are engaging their pupils in digital classes while others have sent assignments through email and WhatsApp platforms.

At Makini Schools, learners are allowed to interact with their teachers through digital platforms.

Makini Schools Communication Director Katya Nyangi said the school is using four platforms: Purple Mash, Makini School Digital School, Google Classrooms and WhatsApp.

Purple Mash is for early learners while the rest are for older pupils. “Google Classrooms has complemented the other platforms, especially when it comes to collaboration by learners. We have surprisingly found WhatsApp to be a very useful digital platform in sharing PDFs and discussions that promote learner-teacher-parent collaboration. Each class has its own group managed by the class teacher,” she said.

VIDEO CONFERENCING

Nova Pioneer Tatu City Primary School principle Christine Kathurima said they were engaging their pupils through virtual classrooms.

Riara Group of Schools head teacher Naomi Mbugua, in a brief to parents, said they had come up with a learning platform where students will work under supervision of their parents.

“Ensure that the work is done by taking photos and ensure the work has reached our school through our email address, or call,” said Mrs Mbugua

At Riara Springs Kindergarten head teacher Lucy Gachanja told parents they had sent assignments and a timetable to them to enable their children to continue learning.

Ms Gachanja said the learning materials were part of what the pupils learnt in schools. “The work we sent is divided into days and weeks,” she said.

Parents are expected to send video clips of assignments done by their children or print them out and send through email or WhatsApp.

Woodcreek School is also engaging learners through virtual classrooms, where they are required to send video clips to teachers.

Nairobi International School is using conferencing technology to teach and examine learners.

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About 400 pupils out of 600 have benefited from the use of technology to learn.

Mrs Radhika Lee, the founder and director of the school, said it has been relying on Goggle and the internet to provide online education.

“Apart from the two IT teachers required at the school to monitor the exercise, the other 70 involved in the programme taught and conducted examinations from their homes,” she said.

By 8:30am, she said, learners are expected to be seated by their computers for lessons that last for 45 minutes.

“During this time, a teacher invites learners to a conferencing classroom. Whereas every teacher is able to see all students in live conference classes, pupils on the end are allowed to see a maximum of four pupils on their laptops to minimise interruptions during learning,” said Mrs Lee.

Longhorn Kenya has also opened up its online curriculum platform for free to support learning.

CEO Maxwell Wahome said learners, from Grade One to Form Four, can access learning materials on the firm’s online portal - elearning.longhornpublishers.com.