We’re living in an era where everything is going digital including education and learning. With the intervention of eLearning in Rwanda, many students are being able to attend classes right from the comfort of their home.

eLearning is a way of teaching and learning virtually, without needing to face each other. No dou ELearning in Rwanda is becoming viral in this era. 

Looking back in the days before covid _19 pandemic came, this new technique of teaching and learning through eLearning wasn’t known so far. 

But look what is happening, eLearning is intensely influencing education in Rwanda. 

ELearning in Rwanda 

There are a lot of eLearning platforms in Rwanda. Students can use Android and computer applications for having access to this eLearning technology. Let’s take a look at those platforms. 

1.Google Meet: Google meet is one of the applications which is being used. It’s accessible on both Android and computer. These platforms provide a package of good uses while accessing eLearning in Rwanda.

It can provide a video conference, where the lecturer is being seen by the students while teaching. Students may also turn their cameras on when asked to do so,that can ask questions, voices can be  well heard, they can share their screen,in fact this platform is amazing. 

2.Microsoft Team: Apart from Google meet, there is also a Microsoft team. This is another platform that is highly used by students who are accessing eLearning. This can provide a lot of amazing options. 

Like Google meet, Microsoft team eLearning platform has those settings of having a video conference,one can mute and/or unmute voice,camera can also be turned on or off at any time, which make use of easily asking and answering questions for both sides, students and lecturers. 

This eLearning platform also has the option of using a whiteboard when more explanations are needed. Students can easily download and access the course materials or notes which have been uploaded by their lecturer. 

There is also an easy way of submitting their work using this eLearning platform. Microsoft teams, unlike Google meet,have another option of easily getting an attendance list without needing to write the names of students by student.

 It became very easy and favourable. However,this Microsoft team’s eLearning platform can consume a lot of megabytes but students try to do what they can. 

This Microsoft team’s eLearning platform is highly used by the students from universities like those from university of Rwanda. 

3.Course Network: The CN, or in other words the Course Network is another kind of eLearning platform accessed in Rwanda. 

This is so interesting in its own ways.  In this eLearning platform, students can have access to the course materials from around the globe. There are a lot of notes internationally. 

Students can now be able to check the profiles of their lecturers and get to know a lot more about them. In this eLearning platform, there is also an option of submitting the works. 

Besides,one of the students can ask a question and others can be able to comment and answer by writing. However, this eLearning platform doesn’t provide an option for a video conference. It’s only writable,but no videos or voice conference.  

4.Moddle: Moodle is another kind of eLearning platform. This eLearning platform is highly recommended at submitting the works and assignments,and  accessing the Course materials and notes. 

It’s a good eLearning platform for knowing about the background of the course ,to know the deadlines of the assignments. No video or voice conference in this eLearning platform. 

In Rwanda, students may also use a Learnwise eLearning platform. The lecturer or facilitator may upload some videos and documents,and the students may be watching those videos and/or download those documents. This is so helpful.

5.Zoom: Zoom platform is also another platform. But it is highly used in other fields like in politics or wherever,and not very much used in education. 

But it is sometimes preferred and used as an eLearning platform. It can work effectively.  There are a lot of amazing and interesting eLearning platforms which are being used in eLearning education in Rwanda. 

We may need more inks and papers to write down all of those platforms.

The advantages of eLearning in Rwanda   

ELearning in Rwanda, as mentioned,is actually changing the image of education. 

Educational system was somehow slow in speed, sometimes boring, you know going to school or on campus every minute of a working day, students couldn’t stay home for maybe a whole day, you couldn’t see that being possible. But there is a new look. 

ELearning has changed almost every corner. Take a look at the universities. A student can attend a class while at home,in a room, and have full access to the lectures, asking questions or Maybe answering. 

The assignments may now be submitted online instead of knocking on the doors of the professors. Tests and quizzes are now done online with no inquiries. It became very much easier for not only the students but also for the teachers and lecturers. 

They can  easily take an attendance list, easily mark, easily provide the notes and assignments, without needing printing.

The disadvantages of eLearning in Rwanda  

Like we all know, everything has its dark sides. ELearning in Rwanda has that corner, where some students lack that opportunity of attending or whatever,due to personal problems. 

You can find a group of students who don’t have any access to the internet,who don’t have the required devices like a laptop or even a smartphone.

 Before the implementation of eLearning in Rwanda, every student could attend, regardless of other factors, a pen and a notebook are what it all took.  

ELearning in Rwanda  has just brought a lot of positive impacts compared to its negatives. It’s not that the students needed eLearning,but just that they really needed it. 

Maybe this pandemic is having a lot of annoying corners, such as taking away of people’s lives,like washing away some jobs,like paving a way of poverty in Rwanda and across the globe, but if you look and think carefully, you will find a lot more favourable areas that this pandemic had let in. 

Among those areas we have ELearning, another discovered method of teaching and learning. This is what Rwanda has needed too long ago.

 Something that will move education from one point to another,and through eLearning platforms in Rwanda,it is happening.