All is set to host the 16th edition of the eLearning Africa annual conference and exhibition.
The event, happening from Wednesday, May 24th – Friday, May 26 2023 at Abou Diouf Conference Centre (CICAD) in Dakar, Senegal will focus on digital innovation and Artificial Intelligence in the continent.
Speaking on the event, eLearning Africa Founder and Director Rebecca Stromeyer noted that AI and digital innovation symbolized a moment of transformation in Africa education.
She said, “The emphasis on innovation and AI is an immensely positive sign,” says Ms Stromeyer. “It reflects what is happening on the ground. There is a sense now that a major, transformative change is underway.
“This is not just about theory. It is not just academics giving papers about their ideas. What we’re seeing this year are numerous examples of practitioners showing how new solutions are being implemented across Africa, providing a variety of improvements and opportunities.
Stromeyer noted that Africa’s EdTech market is growing very fast and companies are leveraging technology to introduce new solutions. She added that these developments in technology have created a historic opportunity to make economic growth sustainable and permanent.
“What we’re seeing at eLearning Africa this year is the innovation, imagination and flair of Africa. We’re seeing new solutions, new ways of solving problems and new ways to empower people and give them the skills they need.”
The conference programme includes workshops and sessions on ‘exploring the potential and ethics of AI in education’; ‘empowering teachers with digital innovations in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond’; ‘the role and competences of the online teacher’; and ‘innovations in learner assessment and certification in the workspace’.
The conference will also showcase exciting start-ups in Africa’s booming EdTech sector. Among them will be two Senegalese companies, XaleyTech, which has developed robotics and computer programming to teach coding to children, and repetiteur.sn, the developer of a platform providing middle and high school students with ‘continuous curriculum improvement,’ assessment and feedback.
“We’re seeing lots of innovations by African companies coming onto the market now and there’ll be plenty of them on display at eLearning Africa, both in the conference and at the exhibition,” said Stromeyer.
Since it was founded in 2005, eLearning Africa has been held in capital cities across the continent. Its organisers estimate that, in recent years, it has hosted more than 20,000 participants from over 100 countries and over 4,000 speakers have addressed the conference about every aspect of skills development.
This year, the conference is being supported by 71 sponsors, partners, and exhibitors. It will be accompanied by a major exhibition of products and services, and there will be 18 pre-conference events, 4 plenaries and 54 conference sessions, providing a platform for more than 200 speakers.
eLearning Africa will also host its annual Ministerial Round Table at the conference. Ministers of Education and Information Technology from more than a dozen African countries are scheduled to attend the event, which will be held on the opening day of the conference.
For more information, please contact the conference organisers or visit the website www.elearning-africa.com
