Kofi Ampeah Woode
Leaders have been urged to be responsive by deploying their position and skills to actively work towards enhancing technological transformation, to promote the E-Learning space, both at the workplace and outside, as it enables ideas and knowledge to be shared across vast distances, enabling organizations to remain relevant, in spite of unsurmountable situations.
The Commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) – Major General (Maj Gen) Richard Addo Gyane made the call as a Guest Speaker at the plenary session of the two-day E-Learning International Conference by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), on July 12, 2024, in Kumasi, Ghana.
The conference, held on the 11 and 12 July 2024, was themed “Fostering Excellence in E-Learning across Diverse Disciplines: Progress, Challenges, and Prospects”, and had diverse audience like educators, administrators, policymakers, and technology experts from around the world, with Maj Gen Gyane speaking on “Strategic Management in Promoting E-Learning”.
General Gyane said, in today’s world of technological advancement, leaders must be able to utilize all available opportunities, including the potentials of the Internet to strengthen employee capacities and skills through virtual interaction.
Citing practices of one of the three prestigious Training Centres of Excellence (TCE) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) – KAIPTC – Maj Gen RA Gyane said his institution seeks to find a way to reach the vast majority of interested parties eager to be afforded an opportunity to enrich their knowledge about how to make the world a more peaceful place.
Pointing to technology and the avenues it provides for dissemination and receiving of information quickest, as the way to attain unto the above, he also cited the need for the leader to hone employees’ capacities and competencies, by putting to optimum use all the knowledge that can be acquired electronically in the interest of the organization.
He furthered that as it has always been the desire of the KAIPTC to widen the scope and reach of its programs – which are hugely patronized by students and participants from the West Africa Sub-Region and beyond – it was apparent that E-Learning could not have arrived at a more opportune time, for KAIPTC to be able to reach the vast majority.
He said KAIPTC’s commitment to leveraging technology for education is deeply rooted in its organizational mission, and that by setting clear goals and maintaining a focused strategy, the Centre has been able to effectively navigate the complexities of digital transformation.
In this way, he continued, the KAIPTC continues to upgrade its learning management systems (LMS), ensuring they are scalable, secure, and user-friendly, thus enabling it to provide a seamless learning experience for participants, irrespective of their geographical location.
KAIPTC has also integrated multimedia elements, interactive simulations and gamification into its programs and courses, to enhance engagement and retention, which has greatly enhanced the flexibility and adaptability of programs, thus catering to the diverse needs of its audience and learners.
He asserted that since the inception of its E-Learning initiatives in 2020, and especially amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic, the KAIPTC has developed a diverse portfolio of online courses to satisfy the needs of its cherished patrons and stakeholders.
Some of KAIPTC’s E-Learning portfolio include courses in Election Observation Training, Election Management Training, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support, Human Rights for Field Officers, Security Sector Reform, International Conflict Resolution, amongst a host.
KAIPTC’s commitment to excellence has been underscored by its successful training of over 5000 participants from diverse backgrounds across Africa, with academic programs including Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security, Executive Master of Arts in Conflict, Peace and Security, Master of Arts in Gender, Peace and Security, and a PhD in International Conflict Management.
He further intimated KAIPTC’s commitment to staying at the forefront of digital education, by continuously evolving methodologies, and embracing emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), virtual reality and data analytics.
“The strategic management of E-Learning at KAIPTC is not merely about embracing technological advancements; it is about leveraging them to foster positive change and sustainable development across Africa”, Maj Gen RA Gyane stated.
The conference was attended by dignitaries such as Professor (Prof) Colin Riordan – Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, Association of Commonwealth Universities, United Kingdom; Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum – Ghana’s Minister of Education, and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe; Members of Ghana’s Diplomatic Corps, the Vice-Chancellor of KNUST – Prof Mrs Rita Akosua Dickson, among others.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
