Online Learner Management Systems can improve education for schools and tertiary institutions in South Africa

Between 8 and 10% of the African population has an educational degree, where 40% of working aged Americans hold a college degree.  According to statitics research, the South African literacy rate is 13.8% in 2018. (Literacy being defined as having passed gr 7),  while there is a large amount of matriculants who are unable to further their education and improve the labour force of South Africa
According to StatsSA,  capital expenditure in South Africa’s higher institutions has continued to fall over 2017 and 2018, and although there are many applicants to universities, many of the applicants are battling.

Reasons youth don’t access education:

• On a school level, there are not enough schools with qualified teachers.
• Schools tend to have a large (too large) amount of children per class especially in the Western Cape, North West, Mpumalanga.
• Children are not able to receive backup education at home because of a working parent who is not available.
• Schools have a lack of books, or none at all according to Statistics sources 
• Schools teach in a language which is not the first language of the pupil / student
• There are a large amount of families with a single parent looking after the children where the parent is out most of the day trying to earn a living.
• Distances to the schools in rural areas might be too long
• Some children / students might have one meal or less per day, let alone buy books and stationery needed for education.
• Youth have no money to pay for the tuition needed.
• Education fees are high
• Tertiary education is expensive and too far to access. There are not enough Educational institutions accessible to a large amount of students

Dont be left out - online learning platforms can help!!!!

With many areas in the literacy realm to be rectified, online learning can make a great impact in the accessibility of students to learn, receive and education and to have back-up learning tutors.

How online learning platforms can help education for schools and tertiary institutions

• Online learning can be done from anywhere as long as there is a wifi connection ()available at most take away outlets) and also accessible through devices and cell phones.
• Online learning can reach areas where there isn’t a physical class room and the teachers can reach a lot more students without the “crowded room” effect.
• Online learning costs are much lower for the student as the overheads are lower
• Students can use one platform for multiple courses and functions.
• The need for textbooks and bought material is reduced.
• Online learning builds a students responsibility as they are responsible for getting the work done
• Online learning integrates the training, assessment, reporting and recording of student’s work.
• Online learning platforms can be used by teachers instead of text books to teach multiple students together, working as an easily accessible support medium for the teachers who have less prep to do then before a lesson .
• The online platform can track learning through the material, giving a visual representation of how far they have gone with the course.
• Practical submissions are uploaded onto the platform.
• The learner management system can be used to teach the teachers, take managers through management material
• Logging on to the learning platform is secure, as each student has their own login details.
• You-tube and other videos can be linked to increase the user time and enjoyment of the system
• The other side of online learning:
• Teachers and lecturers put the content online, and can add or take away as needed.
• Takes commitment to the new way of learning
• Teachers/lecturers need to have a desktop or laptop to add the information onto the system

In the case of work managers, online learning can be done on the road, and is not confined to the office space. 

Intoweb’s Learner Management Portal has a variety of mix ‘n match modules to suit your needs.

• Features include (amongst other):
• Online training
• Online assessments
• Draw Reports
• Students contact information
• Central Dashboard where general information, supporting materials etc can be loaded
• Tracks student payments
• Tracks training
• Auto-marking assessments when loaded as eg multiple choice
• Allows for labelling of diagrams
• Allows for submission of practical log books
• Links videos from You-tube
• Allows for images
• Allows for diagrams to be labelled
• Allows for GIFs and a certain amount of interactive learning
• Can be time bound, or open for as long as the students needs
• Allows categorisation of students, years, areas, courses
• Has unlimited space for adding courses
• The portal has security features allowing students unique logins
• Does reporting of training, assessments and practical uploads per category
• Booking training venue