10 May 2024. #COL4D President and CEO Professor Peter Scott visited the University of South Africa (UNISA) in Pretoria and delivered a seminar on Innovation in Education. This was followed by an interactive session entitled ‘UNISA’s Active Participation in Commonwealth of Learning Initiatives’, which included a follow-up discussion and insights from participants. The President remarked on the next steps for the Commonwealth of Learning and areas of connection with UNISA.
UNISA, among the oldest open universities in the Commonwealth, is a longstanding partner of COL, which conducted a trial audit of UNISA for quality assurance (2019).
Image caption (from left to right): Professor Mpine Makoe, the Executive Dean of the College of Education UNISA, Professor Scott, Professor Tenjiwe Meyiwa, Vice Principal, Research, Postgraduate Studies, Innovation and Commercialisation UNISA and Professor Geesje van den Berg, Commonwealth of Learning Chair in ODL for Teacher Education.
#SouthAfrica #InnovationInEducation #Commonwealth #UNISA
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#COL4D has embarked on a pioneering partnership with the University of the South Pacific (USP), which has the potential to transform the educational landscape in the #PacificRegion.
Envision a scenario where students can transition into university life from their homes without any disruption. This is precisely what COL and USP have accomplished by incorporating the advanced GPT 3.5-turbo technology into the Semester Zero programme.
This innovative #AI-powered assistant, integrated within the #Moodle Learning Management System #LMS, effectively bridges the gap between secondary and tertiary education by fostering the development of essential literacy, numeracy, and digital skills.
Professor Pal Ahluwalia, the Vice Chancellor and President of USP, commended the programme's adaptation to digital tools, stating, "The integration of AI assistance into Semester Zero is a reflection of our commitment to leveraging innovative solutions to enhance educational accessibility and experience."
Dr Rajni Chand, the Director of #PACFOLD and Centre for Flexible Learning at the university, presented the initiative on a television breakfast show emphasising how "SEM ZERO-GPT has revolutionized the way students interact with our digital resources, making learning more accessible than ever before."
The results are impressive – 2,588 active participants were assisted, and over 619 queries related to course content and operational information were efficiently addressed. This underscores the immense potential for AI integration in educational settings across the Pacific.
COL experts highlighted the robust human-in-the-loop framework, ensuring that while AI enhances support responsiveness and efficiency, IT staff continue to play a pivotal role in refining interactions to improve learning outcomes. This effort is supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade #MFAT.
COL is leading the way in introducing cutting-edge technologies to education in small island Pacific countries, and this collaboration with USP is a testament to our commitment to innovation and accessibility.
#CommonwealthOfLearning #UniversityOfTheSouthPacific #SemesterZero #InnovationInEducation #EducationInPacific #Fiji #Nauru #SolomonIslands #Vanuatu #Tonga #Samoa #Tuvalu #Kiribati
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Enroll now! #COL4D’s COLCommons Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an introductory course that provides a foundation for developing accessible courses and demonstrates the potential of #UDL to make teaching resources and practices more responsive to students’ diverse needs and contexts. To learn more about this free online course offering or to register, please visit colcommons.org/welcome/coursedetails/2 #onlinelearning
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