The School of Postgraduate Studies, Thomas Adewumi University, Oko, Kwara State, on Wednesday, September 24, 2025, hosted the first edition of its postgraduate webinar series, themed “Simplifying Teaching and Learning via Digital Communication and Collaborative Educational Platforms.” The virtual and on-site event brought together staff, students, and invited scholars to engage with emerging innovations in digital learning.
Welcoming the participants, the Dean of the Postgraduate School, Dr. Bamidele Rasak, expressed delight at the turnout, both physically and online. He noted that the webinar marks the beginning of a series of engagements designed to support the postgraduate programme, which operates on a hybrid model. According to him, the carefully chosen theme reflects the university’s commitment to enhancing teaching and learning in a digital era. “The essence of this series is to provide a platform for staff, students, and scholars to interact with new digital tools and innovations that can improve our teaching experience,” Dr. Rasak stated. “We must help our lecturers and students understand how to communicate effectively in an online environment.”
Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Francisca Oladipo, the Dean, Faculty of Basic Medical and Health Sciences, Professor Emenike Irokanulo, commended the initiative of the Postgraduate School. He described the webinar as “timely and apt,” especially as the university advances its hybrid teaching model. He also thanked the organizers for granting staff the privilege to participate in such a capacity-building programme, emphasizing the importance of leveraging technology to achieve teaching and learning goals.
The keynote presentation was delivered by the guest speaker, Mr. Akinola Abolade Emmanuel, a computer scientist, bioinformatician, and data analyst, who also serves as an IT support administrator. In his lecture, he underscored the growing shift of academic and professional activities into digital spaces, stressing the relevance of equipping lecturers and students with practical knowledge of digital communication tools.
He introduced participants to widely used online platforms such as Telegram, Zoom, and Google Meet, explaining their distinctive features: Telegram for group discussions, lecture notes, videos, polls, quizzes, and Q&A sessions, with the advantage of functioning effectively even with low internet connectivity. Zoom for interactive virtual classrooms, live lectures, breakout rooms, screen sharing, and recordings, and Google Meet for quick integration with Google Classroom and Docs, easy access via links or phones, and live captions to enhance inclusivity.
Mr. Akinola further advised lecturers on strategies to keep students engaged in virtual classrooms. These included setting clear rules, balancing offline and online learning, using polls and quizzes, staying updated with technological trends, and continuous professional upskilling.
The session featured a lively question-and-answer segment, where both physical and virtual participants sought clarifications and shared insights. Afterwards, the guest speaker was presented with a certificate of appreciation for facilitating the programme.
The successful maiden edition of the webinar series reaffirmed Thomas Adewumi University’s commitment to fostering innovation in teaching and learning, while positioning its postgraduate school as a hub for academic excellence in the digital age.
