ABSTRACT
E-learning means that electronic media and methods are used to enhance teaching and learning but it is often used to describe Distance Learning because of the common use of E-learning techniques in Distance Learning. Although not a monolithic model, Distance Learning implies asynchronous learning during which the participants study at their own rate and at various convenient times; the delivery mechanism for the course materials is not the defining issue. The tools and instruments used for E-learning in capacity development in the water sector have ranged from the standard and very common short workshop training sessions using E-learning tools to full, web-enabled, interactive courses of various types. E-learning can be synchronous or asynchronous or a combination of the two. Whether or not E-learning methods are used to produce courses for traditional face-to-face instruction or for Distance Learning, the curriculum and courses must be carefully designed and managed to make the learning experience a successful one.
Technology has only a small part to play in this equation since the experience of the student taking courses is only partially affected by the technology; it is more important that the curriculum design and presentation be sound, the communication between and within the groups involved be effective, and the learning experience be satisfactory in the students’ many different environments. This, in turn, implies that effective monitoring and 34evaluation are performed during or at the end of the courses. In many cases, only some of these expectations have been met in the various courses offered in the water sector. The effectiveness of many courses and training processes has not and, sometimes, cannot be measured in terms of student progress or development.
The development of regional and local expertise in capacity development, specifically designed to replace and improve upon the course delivery method using “visiting experts”, has not been a strong focus of many capacity-development efforts. It is also apparent that capacity development in the water sector cannot be totally successful without equal attention being paid to all sectors: educational, training, institutional development, technical, scientific, administrative, management, legal, socio-economic, governance, cultural and political.
