The covid19 pandemic has led to many significant changes in the way we learn, live and work. The need to quickly adapt how education is provided is priority of many educational institutions around the world.

Many institutions in Uganda have resorted to online learning so as to embrace the changing technology. Uganda martyrs University has been conducting online teaching and learning from the beginning of the lock down up to recent.

However much some students have continuously expressed their discontent with online lectures, the majority at Uganda Martyrs University have embraced online learning.

The Kyambogo university students who have continuously demonstrated against online lectures have also decided to embrace online learning. The lecturers have found it necessary to teach year ones online because all the lecture rooms are occupied by the continuing students. This shows how all the institutions are adjusting to the changes in the learning system.

As different university students sat down during the lock down, the Uganda Martyrs University students continued with their lectures and as a result, they graduated before students from other Universities did. This has given Uganda Martyrs University credit and fame among all Ugandan Universities that were not able to adjust immediately.

The current improvement in the level of technology has changed the way almost everything is done in the entire world, be it online learning, meetings both carried out online. It is therefore imperative that online learning is improved so as to make it work for majority of the students especially at Uganda Martyrs University.

Sister Denis Samanya explains how to make online learning work for university students

Sister Denis Samanya, the acting director of the institute of languages and communication studies explains that for online learning to work for the majority, both the students, parents and lecturers ought to cooperate and do what they are supposed to do.

The students of Uganda Martyrs University explain how to make online learning work for them

The students on the other side thank the staff of Uganda Martyrs University for training them on how to use the online learning resources and giving them a chance to proceed with their studies despite the covid-19 lock down. However, some of the year one students expressed dissatisfaction with how they are trained to use these online resources especially moodle and zoom which are mostly used resources at Uganda Martyrs University.

In the research that I made at Uganda martyrs University, I found out that most of the year one students have just held smartphones in their hands for the first time. It is therefore very necessary to continuously retrain them on how to use the resources for online learning so that they may all embrace it.

The old girls of St Agatha secondary school Kabale give their views on online learning

The views of some of the members of the st. Agatha secondary school Kabale Old Girls concerning online learning also show that for the students to be able to embrace online learning, there is need for them to be supported by the University authorities in terms of internet and the providing gadgets in the computer laboratory for them to use.

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It is therefore the responsibility of both the parents, students and lecturers to make online learning work for the majority. The university Authorities ought to support the students with internet and provide enough computers in the library for students to use. The lecturers should also be adequately trained on how to use online resources to provide adequate and relevant information to the students.

with all the above, online learning will be embraced by the majority of the students not only at Uganda Martyrs University but also other various institutions of learning across the world.

10 Easy Steps to Succeed in Your Online Classes

1. Connect with your instructors as soon as possible.

2. Set a schedule for completing and reviewing assignments.

3. Create a schedule and stick to it.

4. Always ask questions.

5. Stay organized.

6. Have a clean, quiet and consistent workspace.

7. Do not procrastinate.

8. Work on your reading comprehension.

9. Establish and respect routines that work for you.

10. Connect with your peers.

Location of Uganda Martyrs University

Location; Uganda Martyrs University is a private university in Uganda. The main campus is in Nkozi, a small town, approximately 84 kilometers, by road, west of Kampala, the capital and largest city in Uganda, on the Kampala-Masaka Highway.