Gregory varsity partners Blackboard on online, mobile learning

As part of plans to create a comprehensive online platform for its students, Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, has engaged the services of Blackboard International, as a strategic partner in online learning.

Regional Director (West Africa) of Blackboard, Mr. Victor Murage, made the disclosure during a presentation of an e-learning platform developed in partnership with the university recently in Abuja, where he explained that the partnership would enable the institution to meet the needs of its changing student demographic.

According to him, by developing a single online environment for students to access services and learning resources, the university will grow participation among students, many of whom have full and part-time jobs and need a convenient way of accessing course materials.

He urged Nigerians to embrace e-learning in order not to be left behind in a world of rapid technological advancement.“Today’s educational landscape is changing. Globally, more and more students are non-traditional, entrepreneurial learners. Alternative and learner-centric models are merging with students setting their own pace and preference on how they wish to study,” he noted.

“Blackboard is in Nigeria to create a global learning network in the country and this will help promote student-teacher attractiveness via the new technology. It will also create more access and bring education closer to individuals who desire to improve on their statuses,” Murage said.

He continued, “It is a platform of innovation that Africa as a continent needs to create knowledge-based economy and to address her immediate challenges and needs.”

In his remark, the Director, Gregory University Consult, Mr. Ben Ekwueme, said by leveraging the firm’s technology and services, the school would establish a more dynamic interactive social learning experience.

“Blackboard will provide our university as well as other universities in Nigeria an integrated data and analytics that will help students track and manage their own learning experience as well as their connection to others,”

On how the programme works, Ekwueme explained that courses were uploaded on the platform and students could read online irrespective of their location, while teachers could communicate with their students online.