One of Saide’s Teacher Education Initiatives for a Changing Africa Tessa Welch, DETA 2011, Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique

The context: Scarcity of Learning Materials In most SSA countries access to high quality, pedagogically sound learning materials is frequently inhibited by the inability of African educational institutions to afford them. For example, at University of Malawi, very few students have access to the approved textbooks and readings, and resources in the reserve section of the college libraries are in such great demand that the books fall apart and have to be rebound frequently.

The context: Low achievement in Language and Maths related to provision of learning materials (Grade 6 systemic evaluation in South Africa in 2005) From Fleisch, B Primary Education in Crisis. Cape Town: Juta. P.132

The Context: Inequality and educational marginalisation a feature of many African countries See SACMEQ III for SA Van der Berg et al “Low quality education as a poverty trap” Reading test Richest 20% Poorest 20% Mathematics test Richest 20% Poorest 20% - 454

The Question How can we improve access for all (but particularly for the poorest) to the high quality learning material needed for effective learning? One of the answers: Open Educational Resources

What are Open Educational Resources (OER)? OER are teaching, learning, and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license that permits their free use or re-purposing by others. Open educational resources include full courses, course materials, modules, textbooks, streaming videos, tests, software, and any other tools, materials, or techniques used to support access to knowledge. (Atkins, Seely Brown & Hammond, 2007, p.4)

Free? “Free use” Free as in no cost Free as in no permission required AND/OR Some can be “re-purposed” Adapted, translated, re-mixed…

A Saide Teacher Education OER initiative: The Teacher Education Space on OER Africa We acknowledge with thanks funding for the development of this Space from the Hewlett Foundation, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, and, through the International Association for Digital Publications (IADP) from Ford Foundation and Kresge Foundation.

The Teacher Education Space provides Thematically organized FREE open educational resources (OER) for the planning and delivery of programmes in identified priority themes – Education Studies, Mathematics, School Leadership, and Early Childhood/Foundation Studies A framework for teacher education programmes that makes explicit Saide’s underpinning beliefs and assumptions about what constitutes a worthwhile and effective teacher education programme Relevant open access research articles to support the themes

Themes on the Teacher Education Space

The Education Studies theme To launch the Educational Studies theme and Teacher Education Space the conventionally published seven module Saide Study of Education series (funded by WK Kellogg Foundation between 1998 to 2002) was republished as an Open Educational Resource - the Saide Teacher Education series (2010).

The Saide Teacher Education series This comprehensive multi-media series aims to develop teachers’ abilities to use theory in practice; and to understand, intervene in and improve their practice as teachers. From within a framing context generated by Creating People- Centred Schools, Being a Teacher and Working in Classrooms cover the professional and classroom contexts within which teachers practise Curriculum and Learners and Learning provide a theoretical understanding of resources or tools teachers may draw on Getting Practical and Using Media draw on the above in guiding practice.

From All rights Reserved To Open Educational Resources

Creating People-Centred Schools Learning guide (135pp) Section One - Introducing the module Section Two - School organization: a brief history Section Three - New contexts, new policies: new schools? Section Four - Changing schools Accompanied by: 8 freely downloadable readings, and a further 5 for which permission to copy must be sought 4 video clips exploring the two main approaches to school change and improvement - the school-as-organization model based on internal reflection and action; and the schools-as- community approach based on networking. 9 audio clips with useful debates on school organisation and change This module deals with school organizational change and development to provide the context in which systematic learning takes place, particularly in developing countries. It is designed for practising classroom teachers as well for those who play a role in school management. Used by Unisa and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Example of an imprint page

Options for use of learning guides If students/lecturers wish to read online, the learning guides are available in sections as PDF documents for downloading. If the institution wants to print the learning guides for student use, print-on-demand copies can be arranged at a cost of approximately R50 per book (including in-country courier costs) – cheaper than photocopying. In situations of low bandwidth, but in which students have access to computers for study, the PDF learning guides together with the PDF readings and video/audio resources can be copied onto CD ROMs.

Accessing the audio and video resources The audio resources are all small enough to be easily downloadable, even in low bandwidth situations. The video resources have likewise been chunked into clips of about ten minutes and can be streamed through You Tube. But there is the facility for downloading as well – useful in situations of low bandwidth. OER Africa has its own channel on YouTube where all the OER Africa video resources can be viewed together. This also increases the visibility of the resources.

Accessing the readings For most of the readings that support the learning guides, permission has been sought and granted for digital release and free copying and distribution. These readings are hyperlinked to their titles on the relevant module page. For others, permission must be sought by the institution intending to use them. Full sets of readings for the readers for Creating People-Centred Schools, Being a Teacher, Learners and Learning, and Working in Classrooms. are available from Saide -

Mathematics theme The resources for this theme are organised into three focus areas: In each of the areas, we have taken existing high quality print-based materials and republished them digitally, with accompanying articles as well as useful links. We also feature particular projects which are releasing materials under a Creative Commons licence.

Some of the digitally published resources on the Maths theme ACEMaths: Originally a UNISA maths module ACEMaths: Originally a UNISA maths module Originally part of the UCT PREP Series published by JUTA Originally a photostatted module in a mixed mode in-service training programme

A project featured on the Maths theme: Wits Data- Informed Practice Improvement Project

School leadership and management theme The development of this theme is in process. As a start, Saide is making available two comprehensive sets of resources developed from South African experience of leading and managing schools.

Early Childhood/Foundation Studies theme The development of this theme is in process.

Moving forward The full potential of Open Educational Resources depends: on collaboration within an emerging community of practice across institutions opportunities for linking and learning. Thank you for the opportunity this conference provides!