Prof. Speranza Ndege

Title/Qualifications: Associate Professor
Department: Humanities
Contact Address: University of Embu P.O Box 6 - 60100, Embu - Kenya
Telephone:+254722830019
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it./This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Position: Director, Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) University of Embu
Profession: Educationalist, Trainer, Researcher, Consultant in e-Learning, Distance Learning, ICT, Digital Programs and Environment

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SUMMARY OF KEY QUALIFICATIONS:
Prof. Ndege is a Fellow of Higher Education Academy (UK) having graduated from St. Yorks University (UK). She holds a PhD from Ghent University, Belgium; an MSC in Computer Based Information System from the University of Sunderland, UK; a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Education (Hons) from University of Nairobi, Kenya. She has a Professional Certificate in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Auditing (EA) (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Kenya). She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in e- Teaching (Agder University, Norway & Global Virtual University) and a  diploma in  Professional Tour Operation [e-Tourism] (ICM, UK). Prof. Ndege has received much training in Information Communication Technology and e-Learning (including Electronic Document Management and Website Design) and Instructional Design. She is a CISCO Academy Instructor and an Online Tutor at Kenyatta University.
Prof. Ndege has practical experience and expertise in ICT, e-learning, distance learning, training, and research. She is also a Consultant in Environmental Impact Assessment/Audit, e-Content authoring, Online Tutoring, and Instructional Design. She reviews and evaluates academics programmes for institutions of Higher Learning.
Prof. Ndege is a Fellow of Higher Education Academy (UK) having graduated from St. Yorks University (UK). She holds a PhD from Ghent University, Belgium; an MSC in Computer Based Information System from University of Sunderland, UK; a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Education (Hons) from University of Nairobi, Kenya. She has a Professional Certificate in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Auditing (EA) (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology, Kenya). She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in e- Teaching (Agder University, Norway & Global Virtual University) and a  diploma  in  Professional Tour Operation [e-Tourism] (ICM, UK). Prof. Ndege has received much training in Information Communication Technology and e-Learning (including Electronic Document Management and Website Design) and Instructional Design. She is a CISCO Academy Instructor and an Online Tutor at Kenyatta University.
In August 2013, the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education appointed Prof. Ndege into the Technical and Planning Committee for establishment of the National Open University of Kenya (NOUK). Once established, the new University will enroll local and international students from all over the world to study from the comfort of their homes and work places. The students will utilize modern technology (ICT/e-Learning) to access education.
In 2010, Prof. Ndege was appointed a Commissioner of the Broadband Commission for Digital Development a position she held for five years (2015). In 2015, Prof. Ndege was re-appointed in the Commission for Sustainable Digital Development  as commissioner for a  further two years. In 2017, Dr Ndege’s commitment and hard work in the Commission earned her an additional two years, making it nine years of consecutive service in this esteemed International Commission. The establishment of the Commission was a joint initiative by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Commission has high-level representation from industry leaders, senior policy-makers and governments and international agencies, academia and organizations that are concerned with sustainable development.
Prof. Ndege is nicknamed 'e-Learning Champion in Central and Eastern Africa’. In 2003, she boldly championed the first online programmes in an institution of higher learning in Kenya, by piloting the joint phase 2 AVU-KU diploma and degree programmes with two external universities, the Royal Melbourne University of Technology (RMIT), Australia for Applied Computer Science and Curtain University, Australia for Business Administration. The success of these external online programmes led to the launch of the first e-Learning programmes in Kenya on 14th June 2005. In November 2005, while attending the ICWE e-Learning Conference in Berlin, Germany, Prof. Ndege met the ICWE Conference Organizers and lobbied for the 2nd e-Learning Conference to be held in Kenya after the Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Conference of 2006. In the same year 2006, ICWE appointed Prof. Ndege a member of the Advisory Board for e-Learning Africa & ICT Conferences. In 2007, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Kenya appointed Prof. Ndege into the Planning Committee that organized the 2nd e-Learning Africa Conference, held in Nairobi the same year. This Conference was a turning point for e-Learning development in Kenya and East Africa. Tertiary institutions in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, and some secondary schools started e-Learning programmes. In addition, Prof. Ndege initiated the use of Moodle Open Source e-Learning Management Software in Kenya in 2007 when she implemented it at Kenyatta University. Today, most institutions in Eastern Africa are using the Moodle Software for online learning. During her tenure as Director of the Institute of Open, Distance & e-Learning (ODeL) at Kenyatta University, Prof. Ndege trained 73,134 university students in online learning, trained 695 university lecturers in online facilitation and digitized 801 online courses. It is now compulsory that all newly admitted students into the Distance learning programme at Kenyatta University be issued with free mobile gadgets (Tablets) at the beginning of the semester to support their online learning. Other institutions in Kenya have applauded the use of mobile gadgets in enhancement of e-Learning.

Prof. Ndege started teaching at the University of Embu on 21st January 2020 (although her official working date was 27th January 2020).
Administratively, Prof.Ndege is currently the Director Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) at University of Embu. She was appointed in March 2020.
Prof. Ndege had held similar positions of Director at Kenyatta University for 13 years continuously as follows:

• 2014 May-July 2017, Director, Kenyatta University Television & Radio Services (KUTV-RS)
  (she established the first TelEVision Station for Kenyatta UNIVersity)
• 2009- April 2014-Director, Institute of Open Distance & e-Learning (ODeL) (she streamlined the existing distance learning programmes and introduced the e-Learning component)
• 2007-2008 - Director, e-Learning Coordinating Centre (e-LCC) (she started the first
  e-Learning programmes at Kenyatta UnIVersity. These were the first e-Learning programmes in Kenya as well as East and Central Africa)
• 2003-2006 – Director, the African Virtual University (AVU) Learning Centre at Kenyatta University (she started the first online programmes in Kenya with two Australian Universities)

From July 2017-2019, Prof. Ndege was mentoring students in digital programs in the Department of Literature. She also consults in e-Learning, Distance Education, Digital/ICT Programs and Environmental Impact Assessment. As part of community outreach programmes, she is actively involved in rural community development projects to conserve the environment most recent ones being in Muranga, Chuka, Uasin Gishu, Nyeri and Kiambu.