Calls for innovation as TASUED, Cape Coast varsity hold interdisciplinary confab

The need to adopt and deploy innovative technology in education not just for the development of Africa but for academies on the continent to emerge as a global knowledge hub is a central theme at the Inter-disciplinary Conference jointly hosted by the Tai Solarin University of Education and the Cape Coast University, Ghana.

The three-day conference, which started on Tuesday at TASUED, Ijagun, Ogun State, is co-hosted by the vice chancellor of TASUED, Professor Oluyemisi Obilade (chief host), and her counterpart from the University of Cape Coast, Professor Donwini Kuupole.

The theme of the conference is ‘Integration, Innovation and Technology Education for Rural Development’.

According to the pro-chancellor and chairman of council of TASUED, Professor Olufemi Bamiro, who declared the conference open after delivering his speech, speakers are expected to deliver papers on nine sub-themes; namely, Technology, Education and Innovation in Africa; Gender, Youth Technology and Education; Policy, Politics, Quality Assurance and Innovation in Education; and Innovation and Technology in Specialised Areas of Education.

Others are Innovation and Technology in Arts and Humanities Education; Innovation, Technology and Inclusiveness in Peace Education; Innovation and Technology in Vocational Education, and Technology, Innovation and Information Resources.

The keynote speaker at the opening ceremony was Professor Joel Babalola of the Department of Educational Management, Faculty of Education, University of Ibadan, who spoke on ‘Education, Technology and Innovation for Global Competitiveness: Evidence from Ghana and Nigeria’.

In her opening address, Professor Obilade said part of the goals in TASUED is to make the university “a one-stop shop for all matters of education.”

She said, “We must be willing to look at new innovations in our fields; we must be able to learn from those practices and we must be willing to implement what we have learnt so that we are not people who see and hear alone, but people who do what we see and hear.

“If we want to develop the continent, we must harness those resources that are latent and unutilized in our continent so that people from other continents can come and look at what we are doing.”

On the choice of Cape Coast University for the collaboration with TASUED, Professor Obilade said she believed that the two universities share the same vision.

Professor Bamiro in his address spoke of an increasing need to rethink the focus of education with the mind of creating a paradigm shift that will recognize the use of innovative technology tool in the education delivery.

“Impacting qualitative education can no longer be achieved through the traditional idea of an instructor-lead approach to teaching. The focus has to change to education that is hinged on personalized learning,” he said.

He noted that contemporary innovative technologies like the webinar, podcast, blog, mobile applications, social media platforms that leverage on the internet can be deployed to deliver qualitative education that can impact on human development.

In this regard, Bamiro expressed his delight at the increasing deployment of technology into the academic and administrative functions at TASUED.

He said he expected that speakers at the conference would discuss models and means of integrating innovative technology into the education and training process to produce human capital with requisite skills to drive socio-economic development.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs Modupe Mujota, whose address was read by Mrs Olufunmilayo Dada, also stressed the importance of technology in advancing the cause of development in all facets, education inclusive.

Mrs Mujota acknowledged and commended the management of TASUED “for brilliant initiatives in different directions,” which she said has relaunched and reinvigorated the TASUED brand, making it a pride to all.