Abstract:

Implantation of learning management systems becomes a must on university campuses due to the gradual increase of e-learning courses. However, in Africa, this implantation does not produce the expected outcomes because it does not fit users reality. Especially at the university Norbert Zongo in Burkina Faso and the university of Thiès in Senegal, the Moodle platform was selected to propose online courses, as in many other educational institutions around the world. This platform, although it is free software with a dynamic community and considered as a standard, does not meet the African contexts; it is generally underutilized.

Teachers are less inclined to transfer their course on this very sophisticated platform because they have not experienced the various stages of development. The e-learning platforms offer a plethora of options from which teachers have to choose to build their course, which they are the only one to create, and all the students have the same learning path. All areas of Africa do not benefit digital infrastructures that can support resource-intensive systems. Large cities are better equipped than small or rural ones, and students have easier access to universities facilities, so we have to reach those who are in these under-equipped regions. Smartphones are, in fact, the most common digital device among students, but this is not very compatible with the Moodle platform. They should be then the basis because they provide more equity in Internet access.

And it is in that context where our collaboration project was born to model a new framework that better meets usages observed on these campuses. This project has received financial support from the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie and Fonds de recherche du Québec and implies three universities. This new framework will be more in line with the current habits and should complete the existing e-learning offer. Based on mobile technologies and social networks, it will offer working spaces where teachers and students will integrate and share contents related to courses. It will not require very teaching resources, which are lacking, and will motivate students in participating in courses content construction and delivery.

The goal of the paper is to present the new framework proposed, its functionalities offered and advantages. The paper will also describe the contexts in detail and the different phases of the project. This collaborative project aims to expand the accessibility of online learning in taking into account the possible uses to be efficient.

Keywords:

International collaboration.