By Rita Mwabonje

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to interfere with physical learning, Kenya Coast National Polytechnic (KCNP), has developed a Learning Management System (LMS) to enable trainers deliver content virtually.

Under the East Africa Skills for Transformation and Regional Integration Project (EASTRIP) outreach component to non-TVET institutes, KCNP organised and sponsored a training to empower trainers to develop content that can be delivered virtually through the LMS.

The training was held between 29^th and 30^th April 2021 at the Polytechnic in Mombasa, Kenya.   A total of 51 participants were trained drawn from the following Technical and Vocational Colleges (TVCs) within the Coast Region of Kenya: Fayya TVC, Lungalunga TVC, Kaloleni TVC, Kinango TVC, Godoma TTI, Taveta TVC, Wumingu TVC, Mwatate TVC, Weru TVC, Ahmed Shahame Mwidani TTI, Garsen TVC and Likoni TVC.

The training objectives were to:

1. Understand the principles of online pedagogy and to acquire skills in effective search and use of learning resources.
2. Appreciate the capabilities of Moodle in developing and delivery of an online course.
3. Appreciate the use of the Quality Assurance in course evaluation.
4. Understand how to enroll learners, design learning activities and the corresponding Moodle tools to use.
5. Prepare pre-course activities, online assessments, grade books and administering academic evaluation on the learning management system.
6. Set up learning plans and competency frameworks.

It was as a hands-on practical training workshop which combined the use of existing online materials and practical sessions.  Among the key considerations made throughout the training was to ensure that the courses being uploaded onto the Learning Management System were of good quality from a content design standpoint and also from a user-experience level.

The writer is a communication officer at Kenya Coast National Polytechnic