Launch Of ELearning Platform Hailed

03/05/2015

From four students under a tree to more than 300 students today in classrooms, Ricardo Allen on Tuesday took the next step in education by launching a four-course eLearning platform called "MyLocker".

Speaking during the launch of One-on-One's online platform on Tuesday at the Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew, Allen said since students who have participated in its traditional programme thus far have been so successful, he decided to move the courses from the classroom to the World Wide Web.

"Thankfully our students have been doing well. One hundred and five students who sat mathematics (last sitting) all passed the exam," said Allen, who is the company's managing director.

He continued: "Given our successes in the classroom we have decided to leverage what we have been doing in the classroom, to go online. We want to ensure that all Jamaicans can get that 100 per cent in all the four courses we have developed so far."

Important Endeavour

Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites, who was in attendance at the launch of the platform, lauded the efforts of Allen, saying that the use of information communication technologies (ICTs) like the new eLearning platform is an important endeavour and welcome move.

"The ministry is supportive of the use of ICTs to aid teaching and learning. The launch of the platform is a welcome move. The passes at Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in English and math are not good enough, and it is very important that learning aids such as this will now revolutionise the classroom," the minister said.

R.D. 'Danny' Williams, who is a shareholder in One-on-One, called the MyLocker Programme a "no-brainer" as students today seem to embrace technology more now than ever.

"When the attention span of youngsters is so short and technology is becoming more advanced and relevant, the chalk-and-talk method of teaching that worked so well for us will definitely not be the solution for tomorrow's kids. We cannot afford to be left behind in this new era of technology; we have to keep moving with the times," Williams told guests.

The MyLocker online educational course platform for students, located at getmylocker.com, currently consists of four courses, each costing $5,000 - chemistry, physics, mathematics, and English A at the CSEC level.

The company plans to launch eLearning solutions for companies and schools in the future.

By Richard Mitchell

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