Fedpoly Oko goes Digital, trains teaching Staff on Blackboard Learning Mgt System

By Olisemeka Obeche

Over 200 academic staff of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko were on Wednesday 18th June , trained on the Blackboard Learning Management System.

The training sponsored by TETfund, according to the school management, was aimed at equipping lecturers with the necessary skills needed for effective utilization of the Blackboard LMS platform in delivering quality instruction.

Declaring the training open, the Rector, Dr. Chioma Irene Awuzie, revealed that Federal Polytechnic, Oko will go full digital in teaching and learning from next session,

Dr. Awuzie, represented by the Deputy Rector Academic, Dr. Nkiru Akabuike, further disclosed that any teaching staff of the school that has not gotten institutional e-mail has no place in the classroom.

She also warned lecturers to ensure that they generate their examination questions for students by themselves rather than relying on questions generated using artificial intelligence (AI) as lecturers will be held responsible for any question leakage.

Akabuike emphasized that the overall aim of the training was to ensure that all staff are computer compliant and up to speed.

“I appreciate our Rector, Dr. Chioma Awuzie for this dream come through. When she took over in February this year, she met backlog of uncomputed results because we still use analog computation system.

“In her inaugural address, she declared a state of emergency on result management, verification, issuance, statement of result and processing of transcripts and certificates to ensure seamless graduation and mobilisation for NYSC.

“So, I can tell you that this TETFund sponsored training being powered by ICT directorate of our institution is the icing on the cake. I am happy that today, the backlog of results have been cleared.

“Blackboard LMS is a digital platform aimed at impacting knowledge without being physically present in the classroom. The benefit of this system is enormous and we are set to embrace the technology”

She therefore advised all participants to take advantage of the training and pay rapt attention in other to acquire knowledge that will help them compete favourably at the international stage.

The Resource person, Mrs Blessing Amadi described Blackboard LMS as an e- learning platform used in tertiary institutions to create, manage, and distribute educational materials and courses online.

She said the platform can be used to create course content, generate multiple questions, assess students as well as marking and grading students.

She said Blackboard also has fixtures that accommodate calculation based courses and courses that involve drawings and illustrations.

The Director of ICT, Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Dr. Amobi Chiamogu said the training will no doubt enhance digital teaching and learning in Nigerian tertiary institutions, adding that the e-learning came as a result of Covid-19 pandemic experience.

He however, called on lecturers to ensure that they create original content to avoid losing the value of the blackboard and the training.