Reconfiguring the pedagogical landscape: Open Educational Resources, Learner-Centred Education and the reframing of teacher education Donella Cobb The University of Auckland UKFIET Conference, University of Oxford, UK September, 2015

Learner-Centred Education Learner-centred education is “…a pedagogical approach which gives learners, and demands from them, a relatively high level of active control over the content and process of learning. What is learnt, and how, are therefore shaped by learners’ needs, capacities and interests” (Schweisfurth, 2013, p. 20) [emphasis added]

Teacher Education through Open and Distance Learning Open Distance Learning (ODL) and Open Educational Resources (OER)are advocated to:  Provide a quality alternative to face-to-face teacher training (COL, 2015a)  Provide a learner-centred experience (Albright, 2005; Atkins et al., 2007; Hylén, 2006; OECD, 2007, Wilson, 2008)  Learner-centric is used to describe a learner-centred experience within the context of e-learning and m- learning (Wong, 2012)

Open Resource for English Language Teaching (ORELT) Modules ORELT modules support Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers of English in low-income countries. The ORELT modules aim to provide a: a)resource bank of activity-based classroom learning resources for JSS English teachers b)resource bank of activity-based teacher training material for teacher educators of JSS English teachers c)forum to encourage the exchange of ideas and experiences of teachers and teacher educators (COL, 2014a)

Findings: pedagogic relationship As a stand-alone resource, the ORELT modules facilitate a one-way pedagogic relationship (COL, 2012, p. 41)

Findings: Classification The ORELT modules provide:  The teaching of English as a separate programme of study  Some Western-centric adaptations of ‘real life’ experiences ( COL, 2012, p. 13 )

Findings: Framing The ORELT modules provide:  The appearance of relaxed pacing rules  Pre-determined content knowledge  A pre-determined sequence of acquisition ( COL, 2012, p. 4) ( COL, 2012, p. 17)

Conclusion As a resource that promotes learner-centred education, the ORELT modules:  Mimic attributes of learner-centred education, yet maintain control over the content and process of learning  Appear to hide a pedagogic relationship that supports the reproduction of teacher-centred pedagogy

References Albright, P. (2005). Final report forum. Internet discussion forum: Open Educational Resources Open content for higher education. (Final report forum, UNESCO) Paris, France. Retrieved from UNESCOhttp:// Atkins, D.E., Seely Brown, J., & Hammond, A.L. (2007, February). A review of the Open Educational Resources (OER) movement: Achievements, challenges and new opportunities. (Report to The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation) Retrieved from Commonwealth of Learning. (2012f). Open Resources for English Language Teaching. Module 6: Communicative grammar. Vancouver, B.C., Canada: Commonwealth of Learning. Commonwealth of Learning (2014a). ORELT. Retrieved from Commonwealth of Learning. (2015a). Commonwealth of learning strategies plan : Learning for sustainability. Vancouver, B.C., Canada: Commonwealth of Learning. Retrieved from Hylén, J. (2006). Open Educational Resources: Opportunities and challenges. Paris, France: OECD. Retrieved from Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD). Giving knowledge for free: The emergence of Open Educational Resources. Paris, France: OECD Schweisfurth, M. (2013). Learner-centred education in international perspective: Whose pedagogy for whose development? Oxon, Ontario: Routledge. Wilson, T. (2008). New ways of mediating learning: Investigating the implications of adopting open educational resources for tertiary education at an institution in the United Kingdom as compared to one in South Africa. International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 9(1), Wong, L-H. (2012). A learner-centric view of mobile seamless learning. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(1),