1. RETRIDOL: Providing Leadership in Transforming ODeL Policy, Research and Practice in West Africa

• Keywords: 

  Regional impact, Open and Distance Learning (ODeL), Innovation in Education, Learning Analytics, Micro-credentials

• Executive Summary: 

  The Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL) provides leadership for the transformation of Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL) across West Africa by driving policy development, fostering research and strengthening professional practice. Through strategic partnerships with ECOWAS, UNESCO, COL, and national bodies, RETRIDOL offers region-specific capacity-building, innovative online short courses, and a pioneering journal dedicated to ODeL research. By spearheading learning analytics and micro-credential project initiatives, RETRIDOL contributes to ensuring sustainable, inclusive, and resilient education systems in the sub-region.

• Project Description: 

  Hosted at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), the Regional Training and Research Institute for Distance and Open Learning (RETRIDOL) serves as a regional hub for promoting quality education by transforming ODeL policy, research, and practice across West Africa. Responding to the region’s urgent need for context-sensitive solutions, RETRIDOL serves its regional stakeholders by facilitating capacity building for policy development, research, practice, and technology integration through strategic regional partnerships and a collaborative professional learning ecosystem. RETRIDOL designs and delivers thematic workshops on critical aspects, including ODeL and Digital Policy development, Generative AI in Education and Research, authentic assessment, and dual-mode ODL delivery. It has directly supported the development and implementation of ODeL and digital policy initiatives, as well as dual-mode delivery systems, at institutional, national, and regional levels. RETRIDOL’s innovations—such as its online courses on Open Educational Resources (OERs) for Online Learning, Mastering Digital Learning, UNESCO Guidelines for Generative AI in Education and Research, and the ODeL Research Repository, a Directory of Open and Distance Learning Institutions and Programmes in West Africa, as well as the Learning Analytics project, inform institutional strategic planning, policy, and upskill professionals. The Institute’s flexible, competency-based framework enables ODeL professionals to pursue customised online short courses and, more recently, micro-credentials aimed at closing skills gaps for a rapidly evolving digital landscape.The West African Journal for Open and Flexible Learning (WAJOFEL), the only regional, open-access journal publication focused on ODeL research, and RETRIDOL’s monthly ODL discourse webinar series provide critically needed dissemination platforms, support collaboration and foster a robust thought leadership community.

2. Smart Education for All: Empowering Inclusive, Lifelong STEM Learning Through Accessible Technology

• Keywords: 

  Inclusive STEM Education, Educational tools for lifelong learning, Rural Teacher Empowerment, Project-Based Learning (PBL), Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs)

• Executive Summary: 

  Smart Education for All addresses educational inequity by equipping rural educators with inclusive, technology driven pedagogical tools. Using the mobile-based Magnetcode application, this initiative empowers teachers to integrate coding and computational thinking into STEM instruction through project-based learning. Initially launched in Zambia and later adapted across Southeast Asia, the project bridges the digital divide by offering accessible, hands-on strategies that foster 21st-century skills. Recognized through national awards and student deployment, the project advances SDGs 4, 9, and 10 by promoting inclusive, lifelong STEM learning that supports quality education, innovation, and reduced inequality.

• Project Description: 

  The inspiration for Smart Education for All emerged during the Third Country Training Programme (TCTP) at SEAMEO RECSAM on 19 September 2023, where I facilitated a session titled “Transition Skills for Integrating Coding in the Science Curriculum.” During the session, participating educators, particularly those from third country educators, expressed a clear challenge. They lacked the skills, tools, and confidence to integrate project based learning or any form of technology into their STEM lessons. Many were still using traditional, lecture based approaches, leaving them and their students behind in comparison to global trends in STEM education. This insight revealed a critical gap in professional development and digital readiness for rural STEM teachers. They were unfamiliar with how to design lessons that align with computational thinking or apply real-world problem-solving through hands-on activities. These constraints are exacerbated by limited access to technology, a lack of localized training, and minimal exposure to modern pedagogical models. Motivated by this urgent need, I designed a solution that combines accessible technology (Magnetcode) with project-based learning (PBL) strategies. The idea was to create a model that empowers rural teachers to deliver engaging, student-centered STEM lessons using affordable, mobile-based tools. The project formally began with a JICA-funded workshop in Serenje District, Zambia, in partnership with Malcolm Moffat College of Education. It is specifically designed to bridge the digital divide by addressing three main issues: lack of technological integration, absence of training in PBL, and limited support for implementing STEM in resource-constrained classrooms.

3. Cloud for Youth     

• Keywords: 

  LLM; Cloud Computing; Rural K-12 Schools; AI Literacy

• Executive Summary: 

  "Cloud for Youth" is a technology-driven public welfare initiative launched by the Alibaba Group. It donates "AI Cloud Classrooms" to rural schools leveraging cloud computing and intelligent technologies. Addressing challenges in county-level basic education—such as inadequate investment in technological education and uneven distribution of urban-rural educational resources—Cloud for Youth utilizes continuously optimized cloud computing solutions and industry-leading artificial intelligence models. This initiative pioneers next-generation digital learning spaces, fosters cross-regional and interdisciplinary co-creation of high-quality educational content, and enhances technological education in rural primary and secondary schools. Furthermore, through sustained teacher training programs, cloud-based extension courses delivered by volunteer technical instructors, and technology study tours for outstanding students, it mobilizes diverse stakeholders to connect rural children with cutting-edge technology and ignite their passion for technological innovation.

  As of April 2025, the project has been deployed in over 300 rural schools across 25 provinces, reaching more than 290,000 rural K-12 students and teachers. Dialogue interactions with AI have reached 610,000 instances.

• Project Description

  Our vision is to advance educational equity by leveraging equitable access to digital tools, igniting rural children’s technological creativity as early as possible. In the project's initial phase, Cloud for Youth's nationwide survey covering over 3,000 schools (both online and offline) revealed that rural students face restricted access to cutting-edge technologies, manifesting prominently in three dimensions: "what to learn," "how to learn," and "learning outcomes." What to learn: Rural students have limited exposure to the technological world. Outdated computing equipment and mismatched resources hinder their access to technological frontiers. How to learn: Structural shortages of specialized teachers in rural areas prevent educators from integrating advanced technologies (e.g., AI, cloud computing) into teaching. They also lack capacity to implement innovative pedagogies like collaborative or project-based learning. Learning outcomes: Traditional evaluation systems fail to accurately assess students’ development in critical thinking and self-directed abilities. A dynamic, big-data-driven platform with real-time feedback is needed. Our vision is to advance educational equity by leveraging equitable access to digital tools, igniting rural children’s technological creativity as early as possible.

4. Breaking Down Data Barriers to Forge a New Regional Digital Education Ecosystem

• Keywords: 

  Digital education; Digital infrastructure; Interconnection; Ecosystem

• Executive Summary: 

  Yuzhong District of Chongqing Municipality is dedicated to developing a region-wide smart education platform with unified standards and open interfaces, establishing a regional education data standard system, and building a unified digital infrastructure for education data. This initiative aims to eliminate data silo, achieve application integration, resource sharing, precision teaching, and scientific governance, thereby forging a new digital ecosystem for regional education.

• Project Description

  The inspiration for this project stemmed from common challenges in the development of regional digital education, including inconsistent data standards across different types and levels of schools, redundant system development, isolated application scenarios, insufficient resource sharing, inaccurate data governance, and imbalanced development among schools. To break down these barriers, both technological and administrative efforts are required to promote high-quality, balanced digital education. Yuzhong District has innovatively formulated the Digital Education Development Action Plan of Yuzhong District, Chongqing (2024–2030). Guided by unified top-level design and a coordinated development strategy, and leveraging big data and AI technologies, the district has established an integrated “digital infrastructure +intelligent applications” ecosystem to address three core challenges:

  1. Breaking down data silos through standardized integration, eliminating fragmented application practices, and ensuring the efficient circulation of high-quality educational resources. 

  2. Delivering personalized instruction at scale by harnessing AI, enabling differentiated teaching even within large-scale education systems. 

  3. Strengthening regional educational governance effectiveness by instituting a sustainable digital governance framework.