Kisii National Polytechnic OdeL Center

 The LMS and OdeL Center

The Kisii National Polytechnic Open and Distance e-Learning (OdeL) center consist of facilities with 30 booths for conducting virtual training. Each both is equipped with desk top computer with a high-resolution screen and camera. Acoustic materials are installed to minimize noise interference. The computers are installed with moodel software which has been integrated into Kisii National Polytechnic (KNP) website which can also be accessed through e-learning.kisiipoly.ac.ke.

ODeL Center

Scope

The Learning Management System (LMS) runs on moodle software customized for Kisii National Polytechnic LMS. The LMS has the following functionalities:

 Audia visual presentation

Polling that facilitates consensus building while training

Attendance tracking

Breakaway for group work and brainstorming secessions

Chat for trainer and students to collaborate on subject matter under discussion.

Screen sharing that allows for presentation, demonstrations, illustrations

Interactive white board for visual illustrations

Quizzes for short tests or assessments

Online materials that can be accessed before and after lesson. There are also textbook and other educational materials available.

Lesson time tabling for scheduling lessons

 Capability

The system has a capacity of 15, 000 online users any one instance. All the current students at Kisii National Polytechnic are registered on the platform.

Video clips and photos and document can be shared in life lessons. The same are stored for future reference unless deleted by trainer.

 Access

LMS is accessed from smart phones, laptops, desktops computers and smart TVs.

 

Login dashboard

 Content Creation

The LMS enable a trainer to edit and add content to courses which have already been created.

Content for a new course can only be created with a permission of the system administrator who set up the blank course for a user or allow a user Course Creator privileges.

The digital content such as digital documents, videos, pictures/photos and simulation can be added to enhance learning.

LMS Training

Trainers are provided regular training on use of LMS.

There are opportunities for online training such Commonwealth of Learning (COL) where certification is awarded.

 New students are trained on use of the LMS.

Challenges

Devices for students

Data bundle for trainer and students

No capacity or tools to enable trainer to make customized simulation.

 e-training Booths

                   

Inside an e-training booth

         

 

 

Corn Farming in Narok County

I have travelled several times along Kaplong-Narok-Maai road since 2009 and lately have observed a shift in farming practices. In my earlier travels farming was mainly wheat and cattle but now corn farming has become significant in the region. Corn fields have become more common along the route as witnessed by corn buying centers that spring up in every urban center along the route during harvest seasons. This is a welcome that Narok is becoming a significant food basket for Kenya since without food sufficiency economic development is a pipe dream (https://www.usglc.org/blog/food-insecurity-economic-development-how-abt-associates-is-working-to-feed-the-future/). 

Corn Buying Center at Suswa

Expansive corn fields are evident everywhere along this route, a clear indication that wheat farming is being relegated to a lower rank as more farmers take on corn farming. This is collaborated by Kenya National Bureau of Statistics Economic Survey 2024 (https://www.knbs.or.ke/reports/2024-economic-survey/) on decreasing wheat production in the country by 16.1% from 368.7 thousand tonnes in 2022 to 309.5 thousand tonnes in 2023 and an increase in corn production by 38.8%  in the same year period. 

Corn Field along Kaplong-Narok-Maai Road

When there is a surplus of a commodity people tend to become innovative and create new products out of the surplus hence creating industries and wealth. In a small way an array of corn products have started showing up in every urban centers in the country from the maize roosters on the road side, small cottage industries in local towns that are producing, blending and packaging an array for nutritious corn products and corn snacks and blended corn flours in all major supermarkets in town.

The shift to corn farming in Narok may have been stimulated by a number of factors including low cost of production compared to wheat, access to fertilizers, promise by the government to purchase corn under guaranteed minimum return principles and favourable weather conditions. It is needless to say, world governments have to be more innovative on how to grow more food since the world is projected to have 7 billion mouths to feed by 2030. 

I don't know about yourself, for me it is therapeutic to drive along a country road lined up with healthy plant crops. It is also the starting point for agro tourism.