Towards Pedagogical improvement in OER Practices: Repurposing for the

SouthNajma Agherdien (Education Programme Specialist: Learning Design)

OE Global Conference, Cape Town7-10 March 2017

My involvement in OER - fairly recent

OER Africa – involved since 2008

Outline OER characteristics that promote pedagogical

improvement

Towards a pedagogical

improvement strategy

Practical examplesrelevant for the

South

But first…

• Pedagogical improvement and Pedagogical transformation - imply a constant state of ‘becoming’

• OER OEP

Openly Licensed –

pedagogical implications

Characteristics of OER that supports Pedagogical Improvement - Social Justice

ideals

• Knowledge is for everyone:

– beyond opening up…

– beyond access…

Characteristics of OER that supports Pedagogical Improvement - Social Justice

ideals

Characteristics of OER that supports Pedagogical Improvement - Social Justice

ideals

• Education requires contextualised practices - OER present opportunities to customise content (local solutions)

Characteristics of OER that supports Pedagogical Improvement - Social Justice

ideals

Inclusion of student voice

You have a valid point

…but you’re wrong

Characteristics of OER that supports Pedagogical Improvement - Social Justice

ideals

Knowledge as negotiated process• Content• Structure• Tools

Strategy

Role of Theory in Learning

Making learning assumptions clear – identify blind spots

A. Reflecting on Learning assumptions• What is learning and why is it

important?• What counts as knowledge?• Who are our students and how do

students learn best?• What does quality teaching and

learning look like?• What is the role of OER in teaching

and learning?

B. Learning Design Framework: Five Key questions

• Where do we start? Planning, context, administration, student background

and needs

• What will students learn? Content (OER) and Structure

• How will we support learning? OEP, Pedagogy, learner support and

technology

• How do we know students have learned? Assessment

• How can we be sure of good, quality learning? Quality assurance (Peer

review)

Where do we start?

• Geographical distribution: face to face, on campus, blended mode, distance

• Programme context: digital support, digital support,

internet-supported/dependent, fully online

• Technology use: Instructive, cognitive, mediative

• Bloom’s taxonomy: remember, understand, apply, evaluate, create

What will students learn? How will we support learning?

• Students (subject) need

Tools (e.g. OER,

technology, books)

mediate/facilitate

learning (object)

• But, there are tensions…

what are they?

• Uncover these tensions

to effect transformation

• Students are involved in

multiple activity

systems – intersection

C. Foster an evidence-based approach• More 'know-why' (why working/not)

• Reflective Reports

• Collaborative research projects: between

teaching teams, between/ across faculties

• Participatory Action Research: action

(leading to change) and research (leading

to understanding)

• Design-based research: generating theory

to solve authentic problems; researcher-

driven  

Some OER Africa/Saide examples

• Support from Hewlett and Bill and Melinda Gates

Foundations

• A number of projects in various universities in

Sub-Saharan Africa

Grant 1: Planning

Grant 4: Institutional Engagement

Grant 2: Implementation

Grant 3: Implementation and Teacher Education Network

Grant Overview

Mission: To establish dynamic networks of

African OER practitioners …to

develop, share, and adapt OER to meet

the education needs of African societies.

Resource Details

Resource Name :   University Certificate in Midwifery

Resource Description :  

This CD ROM has been developed to support the UCM and upgrading midwifery programmes. It combines a number of new strategies that are being piloted by MCH department to respond to the national needs within the Health sector. These include reducing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality in relation to Millennium Development Goals 4, 5 & 6. Consequently this course embraces the latest methodology (Problem Based Learning) and technologies (Computer based education) in an attempt to be relevant and effective in preparing new midwifes. The materials on the CD ROM have been authored by both University of Malawi - Kamuzu College of Nursing and foreign experts.

Resource Author :   University of Malawi, Kamuzu College of Nursing

Resource Source :   University of Malawi, Kamuzu College of Nursing

Resource Tags :   nursing,   Problem Based Learning,  maternal and neonatal morbidity,   Computer based education,

Resource Type :   Modules, Training Notes/Materials/Tutorials

Resource Year :   2009

Resource Licensing Condition :   Creative Commons: Attribution-Non Commercial Share Alike 2.5

Resource Media Type :   Text/HTML

Resource Language :   English

More general examples: Student created

• Allow learners to use technologies - blogs, wikis, journals, Twitter, Google Docs,

etc. - to create knowledge:

Tweet summary of reading, ask experts questions and

Use Google Docs to write collaborative research report

Daily journal entries on what s/he has learned for the day

• Rewrite textbook questions/examples

• Write course/chapter/section outlines

• Video record an interview and upload on YouTube

• Contribute entries to Wikipedia