The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) is eager to introduce a 2:1;1:2 hybrid mode of teaching and learning for the 2021 academic year.

This means that, if the Timetable Committee’s proposal to Management and the Academic Board is accepted, first-year students, as well as graduate students, will receive two credit hours of face-to-face instruction and one credit hour of virtual learning per week; whereas, second, third and final year undergraduate students will do the reverse of one credit hour face-to-face and two credit hours online studies per week.

This was divulged in a speech delivered on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Rev. Fr. Prof. Anthony Afful-Broni by the Ag. Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Andy Ofori-Birikorang and also replicated by some Deans at the other training centres during the official opening of a four-day UEW-Learning Management System (LMS) training for lecturers.

“It is instructive to note that UEW is expecting a record number of new students to enroll in the coming weeks. In anticipation of that, the Timetable Committee is proposing to Management and the Academic Board a 2:1;1:2 hybrid mode of teaching and learning for the academic year. Once this proposal is accepted the mode of interaction will be a bit unique among all universities in Ghana."

“To be able to effectively execute this strategy will require the upgrade of virtual teaching skills of lecturers to a new higher, efficient and effective level. It is for this reason that Management, acting on the recommendations of the Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (ULMEC), has caused us to assemble here today,” The Ag. Pro-Vice-Chancellor noted.

Prof. Ofori-Birikorang, who is also the Chairman of ULMEC, expressed Management’s gratitude to lecturers for their immense support, hard work and dedication to helping UEW chalk successes amidst the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic.

“We as an institution took the bull by the horn and faced the challenge that COVID-19 brought our way, and we all bear witnesses to how far we have come. We successfully ended the 2019/2020 academic year, successfully organised our Sandwich sessions, held virtual Matriculation and Congregation, and are poised to reopen school for the 2021 academic year,” he stated.

The Ag. Pro-Vice-Chancellor entreated participants to attach much importance to the exercise, first for the sake of UEW, and also for their own good. “Let us stay focused for the next two days and prioritize this exercise over all other academic engagements.”

The workshop focuses on exposing academic staff to some hands-on practical engagement to increase their dexterity in the use of the LMS and to acquire additional online teaching skills and strategies. This is to enhance effective roll-out of the blended mode as the dominant approach for teaching and learning for the 2021 academic year.