Thread by @RGAMeyer

My personal academic creed is to never forget that technological and skill disparities that still exist in parts of Africa, and within demographics.
And to ensure my teaching methods are cognisant of the above.
This Zoom-era forces many are missing out. Here's how YOU can help:

Currently, the main gap through which learners (whether one-off webinars, conferences, etc) are slipping is your presentation.
I often speak to learners, not surveys but after class, on social media. The problems learners have (particularly Africans) are data and presentations.

1. First step is to factor in data costs in your planning of your event. We know the transition has been difficult for Africans dw.com/en/how-the-int…
2. If you did not or cannot, then the TIMING of your event must coincide with when ur main attendees have lower costs or access

For e.g when I was planning a webinar for women in a region, I checked when data costs are lowest, and also took into consideration the fact that MANY JOURNALISTS USE INTERNET AT THE OFFICE. This was the basis of my timings.
3. You need to make SMALLER FILES of your tipsheets

Do you have training videos? You need to make a smaller version that can be accessed later, because data and even phone ownership is a literal luxury for many.
Women in particular sometimes need to borrow a phone or get assistance with technology.

Do you have a presentation? You need to make it in a format that is available at time of presentation, and afterwards. This is because many may not have the time to sit down in one stretch - it is on us to try to create learning tools that accommodate the realities of humans.

4. Your presentation: I advise you do not use moving text - your learner may need a static screen, so that they can either screen grab or write down the points.
5. Try to make where steps are required as visual as possible, so later on their own, they can retain what was taught

5b. E.g I'm well-known for screenshots & circling what is to be clicked, where to tap, etc because I've seen people immediately after training unable to redo steps that concern technology-based journalism training. My slides look comical to some, but NEVER FORGET their struggles

Make your slides as basic as possible, if presenting to learners who may not have Internet access or aren't tech savvy. Ensure your slides are available for those who could not make it to the actual session, and if possible - smaller, and in widely-accessible formats: PDF, Word.

Education MUST adapt to the learners' needs as much as possible - or else, we are alienating, rather than providing inclusion.
If you organise online learning, I want to challenge you today to:
Factor in data - costs & timings
Get trainers to provide smaller/comprehensible files

Above all, let us trainers, academics, speak to our learners at every available opportunity.
Many things in this Zoom-era are widening disparities, rather than bridging them.
Our learning disparities can always do with more spoonfuls of humanity.
Cheers, and GOOD MORNING.
❤️

*factor in, in terms of budget - if you can, try to pay for data bundles to attendees.*