Peter Okidi Lating

Strategies for implementing hybrid e-learning in rural secondary schools in Uganda

This paper discusses the strategy that should be used while introducing e-learning in rural girls’ secondary schools in Uganda for the benefit of female students of advanced level Physics and Mathematics. The strategy was formulated after numerous field visits to Arua, one of the poorest districts in Uganda. Urban secondary schools where Uconnect and SchoolNet projects are being implemented were also visited. Some literatures were reviewed from the Web on the subject. The results show that a limited form of e-learning, the Hybrid E-learning, can be introduced in rural secondary schools and the main delivery platform is the CD-ROM. To implement the hybrid e-learning, multistakeholder participatory approach, VSAT internet connectivity, and use of open source software are recommended. The implementation of this strategy will result in reducing the digital divide and achievement of one of the Millennium Development Goals of empowering women at reduced costs.

Design and Development of Interactive Multimedia CD-ROMs for Rural Secondary Schools in Uganda

The paper discusses the design and development of interactive multimedia CD-ROMs for advanced-level secondary school Physics and Mathematics for use by the disadvantaged rural female students in the rural district of Arua. Multimedia content of the CD-ROMs was developed at a Workshop of advanced level secondary school Physics and Mathematics teachers from the district in September, 2005. The Interface design and production of the two CD-ROMs (one for each subject) were made after some ‘trade offs’ and are being tested in the two girls’ schools in Arua: Muni and Ediofe. It is expected that their use by the female students will result in improved performance in national examinations. This is the first successful case of advanced level course content being delivered to students using CD-ROMs that were locally developed based on the Ugandan curriculum. It is also a successful application of ICT in women empowerment.

Erosion Features on Gravel Roads in Uganda–Formation and Effects

In the event of erosion flows, the road is one unique surface with various flow and deposition characteristics. Earlier studies focus on erosion features on shores and coasts and sometimes on desert plains as a result of wind erosion, but hardly on roads. Erosion features are detrimental to road designers, constructors, and users. This paper focused on gravel roads which constitute a larger percentage of the rural roads. These are a key to accumulation of wealth for developing countries. It also looked at the identification, formation, and extracting effects of features as a result of erosion on the road surface pertaining to various road surface characteristics. Rills and dunes on roads are active features which gully up bigger parts of the roads causing flooding and other dangerous effects. Various experiments like sieve analysis, runoff speeds and measuring road rill/dune sizes with respect to slope size, rain intensity, and road sizes were considered for this study. The main data analysis tool used was STATA V11. Findings included higher runoff speed on roads than other erosion fields, determination of the rate of road reduction, flooding by rills or dunes and provision of good background to modeling erosion on roads.