“Since 2016, it has not been easy to pursue studies in South Sudan; in 2020 Corona made it even worse. However, I am very grateful for ECC and their initiative to start blended learning. Personally, I experienced many benefits. I appreciated being able to plan my time by myself and not having to be in class from 2-5pm daily. I was very busy doing my assignments, checking more resources online, and engaging in discussions on WhatsApp. We exchanged not only messages on academics, but also inspirational thoughts and Biblical truths. As I did not have to travel to the college, I saved the money for transport. It catered for printing and internet costs. During 2020, I have improved on my own study skills and reduced my dependency on a lecturer. I am more confident in researching for additional materials. We were able to cover a good number of courses even though we only finished the academic year early 2021.
The transition from traditional classroom learning to blended learning was a bit rough and affected my performance. With time, I improved again. Even though we miss the wealth of experience a lecturer brings to class, I really enjoy blended learning. Sometimes the internet, network, or computer poses challenges, but overall I benefited from the exposure to this new approach. I recommend it to continue – if not throughout, at least during the holidays. That way we can cover more courses in one year. Potentially it could even be introduced all over South Sudan and for lower levels of education.”
