- Healthy Agriculture for Healthy People
- Davos Report: Modest Progress Made on MDGs
- Panacea or Not, ICTs Can Play a Significant Role for the Rural Poor
- Touring IFPRI's Country and Regional Support Programs
- Remembering Hans Singer
- Interview with Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia
- Securing Land Rights for the Poor in Africa
- Strengthening Capacity through E-Learning in Africa
- Governance that Matters for the Rural Poor by Regina Birner
- Agriculture Cannot Be Bypassed for Africa's Development
IFPRI ForumAfter IFPRI's International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) Division was established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, two years ago, it did not take long to learn that the demand for training for agricultural professionals in Africa far outstrips IFPRI's capacity to meet the need through face-to-face workshops. ISNAR's Learning and Capacity Strengthening Program has implemented five workshops-each with a capacity of 25 participants-on various aspects of managing agricultural research for development and received more than 300 applications for each workshop. To make it possible to reach many more individuals, the Institute has developed two innovative courses that have been offered over the Internet. This e-learning approach makes it possible to strengthen the capacities of a virtually unlimited number of individuals, regardless of their physical location.
IFPRI's first e-learning program, chosen in response to an assessment of needs in Africa, dealt with aspects of proposal writing. The program was designed to be implemented in five phases. First, participants engage in a phase of individual learning online or, if Internet access is problematic, through materials on a CD-ROM. Next, they apply their knowledge through a practical exercise and then receive feedback from a subject matter specialist. They then evaluate the e-learning program and create a Participant Action Plan Approach (PAPA) to help with follow-up of their future performance. Finally, participants who complete all phases successfully receive a certificate. The positive response to this course led IFPRI to design and offer a second e-learning program on how to present and write scientific research.
The two e-learning programs offer useful lessons for future such efforts. Particularly helpful were the clear methodology with interdependent phases and time limits, the subject matter specialist who served as the online coach, and the technical support from an information technology specialist. Problems included lack of good Internet access for some participants and late responses to exercises from some students. It was difficult to assess the level of effort and interest of a few participants.
Positive feedback on the first two e-learning programs has prompted the ISNAR Division to invite donors to collaborate in expanding this activity globally.