Foundation Trains 63 Teachers On Digital Education In Anambra State

The Wikimedia Foundation, a free online encyclopaedia, has trained no fewer than sixty – three secondary school teachers on digital education at Dennis Memorial Grammar School,Onitsha in Anambra State.

The training was centered on using Wikipedia to foster media and information literacy skills, in the classroom for junior and senior secondary school teachers and students.

According to Mrs Obiageli Ezeilo, the Lead facilitator for the Wikimedia education team, the aim is geared toward teaching teachers on how to access and improve their media and information literary skills in classroom.

Ezeilo said, “the programme is a free online training programme designed for teachers to learn how to integrate Wikipedia as a learning tool in the classroom.

“This will teach them how to access information, evaluate information and use these informations effectively in teaching and learning.

“If they are able to learn it very well, it will improve the students information and communications’ Technology (ICT) skills.”

She urged teachers to start using Wikipedia, saying “it is a reliable tool for teaching, it will help them in their research ability, ICT compliance, digital compliance, it will help them equip as in 21st century teachers.”

In her contribution, one of the resource person in Wikipedia, Dr Perpetual Osuchukwu, Department of Library Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka said that learning had actually taken place between them and the teachers, saying that they are responding well to the assignment given to them.

Osuchukwu stated that they need collaboration with the state government in expanding the process to other parts of the state and sustaining it for a long period of time.

A facilitator Onyinye Achukwu, emphasized that the programme was targeted only at post primary school teachers to assist them in digital education.

“It is our maiden project in Anambra and we will like to partner with the state government and we advise those that participated to retain what they were taught.”

Mrs Joy Ifediegwu, an agricultural science teacher said that “the programme is a good one.” According to her, “it has enlightened them on how to cope with their lesson plans and teaching materials; teaching students using wikipedia is easy, simple and very recommendable.”

The trained teachers appreciated the foundation and promised to extend the knowledge and skills they acquired,to their various students.

Olusola Akintonde