Makerere introduces Robotic teaching technology

Sep 23, 2022

Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said the facility is an invaluable asset for Makerere University.

Vice Chancellor Barnabas Nawangwe launches the first Smart Classroom at Makerere University on September 10, 2022. (Credit: Godiver Asege)

Agnes Nantambi
Journalist @New Vision

EDUCATION | ROBOTIC | TEACHING 

KAMPALA - Makerere University has launched a Smart Classroom Facility worth over $100,000 (about sh382m) and assembled a technological Robot (UBTECH Robot) to undertake Artificial intelligence functionalities for teaching and learning.

The robot has functionalities of speech recognition, identity of an individual and management of the attendance within the class in addition to accepting all kinds of programming including configuration like changing English to Luganda.

Funded by the Chinese taxpayer and Education Technology companies, the UNESCO International Centre for Higher Education Innovation (ICHEI) and China’s International Institute of Online Education), The Smart Classroom Facility will be used for recording, broadcasting and automation in the classroom including monitoring the examination, quizzes and any other form of assessment.

Launching the facility, at the College of Computing and Information Sciences, Vice Chancellor Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe said the facility is an invaluable asset for the University.

“This is the first of its kind in the entire country and we are very grateful to our partners who have supported us," he said.

He explained that the university is mindful of beginning a program on mind education, insisting that having the smart class facility will make it easy to implement.

“We managed to go through COVID-19 with online lessons, we are not going to be left behind, this smart classroom was delayed due to the pandemic but we are grateful to our partners for ensuring that we have this facility and for making Makerere proud," he said. 

Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor Makerere University, hands over a certificate of appreciation to Hassan Adeel Shehzad, the  Programme Specialist and Lead Smart Classroom project as Tony Oyana Principal, College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) Makerere University looks on, this was during the Smart Classroom launch Ceremony at University on September 10, 2022. (All Photos by Godiver Asege)

Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor Makerere University, hands over a certificate of appreciation to Hassan Adeel Shehzad, the Programme Specialist and Lead Smart Classroom project as Tony Oyana Principal, College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS) Makerere University looks on, this was during the Smart Classroom launch Ceremony at University on September 10, 2022. (All Photos by Godiver Asege)

The Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences Prof. Tony Oyana explained that in 2018, Makerere University together with Create View Education Technology, UNESCO-ICHEI and Southern University of Science and Technology, China signed a partnership agreement to collaborate in research, teaching, ICT industry, and community engagement activities.

“As a result of this partnership, the university has received a highly valued donation of Smart Classroom educational equipment.

The core three strategic academic Chinese partners are Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China; International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNSECO (ICHEI), Shenzhen; and Guangzhous CreateView Educational Technology Co., Ltd.).”

The program specialist and project lead of the Smart Classroom System, Hassan Adeel Shehzad, said Robots are one of the components that are being utilized in higher education digital transformation in the developed world.

Adeel explained that they are trying to make teachers and learners of Makerere University familiar with the latest trends and technologies happening in the rest of the world.

“Robot as ICT is a tool to serve the teacher, it is going to assist lecturers in their daily teaching for example from classroom attendance to narrating chapters out loud and looking for questions and answers back and forth.

It is not going to teach as a teacher in the classroom but is going to assist teachers by complementing deep learning and all these are trends to make teachers and students at the university catch up with what is happening with the rest of the world,” he stressed.

Nicholas Betungye, an IT and Technical assistant at the college said, this is UB TECH ROBOT meaning it is a technological robot.

He advised individual lecturers to take interest in learning how to use the facility saying the only way is to try to do it and get support.

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