eLearning Africa 2017 conference in Mauritius

Beautiful, wonderful Mauritius. 

Although the 12th International elearning-africa.com web page for 2017 is finally up and we now know that the conference will take place in Mauritius during the last week of September, much of the content (such as the references to the accommodation) on the page is still related to the 11th conference that was held in Cairo in 2016. And I could not find a call for papers or a specific date for submissions but I do plan to go back as I assume the page is still under construction and hopefully it will be upgraded soon. 

I am sure a great number of people are not only interested in the topic of the development and use of ICT on development, education and training in Africa but also would not like to miss out on the opportunity to visit Port Louis, the capital city of Mauritius, one of the most beautiful islands in the world. The conference will take place at the Swami Vivekananda International Convention Centre (SVICC).

The theme, it seems to me, will focus on learning in context. In Africa, this is of vital importance and it affects every aspect of life. It is sometimes funny (to Africans) to hear how people from the rest of the world see and think about Africa. They do not seem to understand how big and how diverse the 54 countries (spanning 5 time zones) on this continent are or even gasp that Africa is not a single country. I was asked recently where we are from and when answering that we are from Africa, and the university of South Africa, the reply question was: "Is that near Cairo?" Do you know that there are more than 3000 langues spoken in Africa? That South Africa has more than 30 languages of which 11 are official languages? 

Although the face of Africa is rapidly (and often sadly) changing, we who call this continent home are excited about the expanding of communication technologies that open up new opportunities to support and expand learning in all contexts. Let me quote from the web page:

"Therefore, when it comes to education and training, an understanding of the specific context is essential. As new communication technologies extend the reach of opportunity, it is vital for educators, policy makers, partners and investors to take account of the local context and conditions.

So what are the main contextual and cultural considerations affecting the development of new opportunities through technology supported learning? How can we localise content to maximise opportunity? How should we apply or adapt technology to meet local conditions and needs?"

This conference is MUCH more than just a conference. It is also a major networking opportunity, exhibitions are great, competitions are inspiring and the sponsors also worth noting. See you there!