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- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Adoption and Impact of OER in the Global South(2018-07) Perris, Kirk; Gaskell, AnneAdoption and Impact of OER in the Global South takes the reader around the world to learn about developments in open educational resources (OER) from a range of emerging world perspectives. Contributions emanate from South America, Sub-Saharan Africa, and South and Southeast Asia, offering the reader coverage of more than half the world’s population.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Assignments as Controversies: Digital Literacy and Writing in Classroom Practice by Ibrar Bhatt(2019-03) Passos, RosarioAssignments as controversies tells a multifaceted story about academic assignments and how they are completed in the classroom. It looks at the complex task of assignment writing from a perspective of the different practices the task entails and the actors that enact them. Acknowledging the social aspect of literacy, informed by Literacy Studies theory, the author explores the impact of ‘the social’ on meaning making, the disconnect between personal and curricular literacies and ponders how the practices of assignment writing should contribute to the improvement of assignments as assessment tools.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Guide to Blended Learning by M. Cleveland-Innes with D. Wilton(2019-07) Ferreira-Meyers, KarenThis compact yet complete Guide to Blended Learning is a welcome addition to the arsenal of useful resources published every year by the Commonwealth of Learning. Eight chapters, a reference list and two appendices (one is entitled Community of Inquiry Blended Learning Evaluation and the second one is COL's Blended Learning Design Template) open up the world of blended learning to both newcomers in the field, researchers and other private and public stakeholders such as teachers and lecturers who have already been implementing blended learning in their respective professional fields (first and foremost in the field of teaching and learning), but want to improve their skills.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Higher Education and Open Distance Learning Trajectory in India: Reflections of an Insider(2018-12) Pulist, S K; Gaskell, AnneThe volume provides a critique on the functionalities of the ODL system, especially the open universities, with plausible arguments, and touches upon all the crucial aspects of the system broadly. The author takes advantage of being a witness of the system as an insider, which not only lets him analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the system minutely but also to present issue-based solutions with a futuristic approach focusing on the important aspects of relevance and quality. The aspect of quality flows as an under-current throughout the discussion by the author in the volume. The arguments framed by him are convincing and bring the readers on to the same page as the author. Though some typos can be noticed in the text here and there, the effort of the author in writing down the current and future scenario of the distance higher education system in India, with a focus on larger issues confronting the system, deserves appreciation. I do hope that the book will give food for thought to all – the policy makers, the practitioners and the novice users of the ODL system, i.e., the learners at large.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Learning as Development: Rethinking International Education in a Changing World(2018-12) Balasubramanian, K; Gaskell, AnneDaniel Wagner’s Learning as development is an important contribution in this area and, as Marlaine Lockheed of the World Bank points out, the volume “humanizes and broadens the discussion of education and development”. Wagner’s book calls for rethinking education and defining its relationship with international development. It calls for moving towards “an agenda that puts human development closer to the center of global ambitions and prioritises learning as the thread that binds each phase of human life into a coherent whole”. // The world has come together and has agreed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to be realised by 2030. According to Wagner, the shift from the “economic growth” models to a human and sustainable development approach has necessitated a need to rethink education in the context of international development, particularly with reference to equity vis-à-vis poor and marginalised communities. While lamenting the siloed approach in education, Wagner offers a four interconnected and overlapping quadrant learning framework vis-à-vis learning contexts and learning practices. This framework covers the entire gamut of learning: structured non-formal education, less structured non-formal learning, structured formal education, less structured in-school learning. The conventional educational policies and programmes offered at educational institutions in many developing countries are sectoral and focus exclusively on structured formal education.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Open and Distance Non-formal Education in Developing Countries by Colin Latchem(2019-03) Newman, MairetteIn compiling over 180 cases of successful open and distance non-formal education (ODL NFE) interventions from across the developing world, the late Colin Latchem, author of Open and distance non-formal education in developing countries, has broken new ground. Although a few authors have taken a comparable approach (e.g., Hanemann, & Scarpino, 2016; Siaciwena, 2000), none has come close to providing such a comprehensive overview, detailing not only with the scope and quality of work being done but also the variety of providers who work in disparate cultures and societies under the banner of ODL NFE. Readers will be impressed with the wide-ranging examples of rich and often innovative ways in which ODL NFE is being used. The cases span areas such as adult literacy, gender equity, sanitation, agriculture and entrepreneurship; they address the needs of out-of-school children, the community of persons with disabilities, illiterate farmers, persons in crisis affected contexts, and prisoners; and they describe solutions which use ‘no tech’, ‘low tech’ and ‘high tech’ tools. It is in this respect that the book serves as both an inspiration and practical guide for those working in the non-formal education sector, especially in developing countries, be they practitioners or policy makers.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Open: The Philosophy and Practices that are Revolutionizing Education and Science(2018-04) Pulist, S K; Gaskell, AnneDemocratisation of education is the need of the hour across the globe. Before it is done, education needs to be liberated from the cost circumference in addition to removing other barriers. The “Open” movement is one such initiative that reduces the cost concerns while reaching the masses with quality educational resources. The present volume provides a broad spectrum of different dimensions of the “Open” movement, especially open educational resources, be they open access journals or open textbooks. The book is divided into four sections spread over 22 chapters. While the first section, “Introduction”, acquaints the reader with the concepts of “Open” especially inclined to OER, the second section, “Open Practices”, elaborates different “Open Practices” in the area of discipline of psychology. The third section, “Case Studies”, presents the current scenario of “Open” initiatives from the glimpses and experiences of the personal journey of the authors. The last section, “Conclusion”, closes the theme of the book.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Promoting Use and Contribution of Open Educational Resources(2017-11) Panda, Santosh; Gaskell, AnneThe current movement toward Open Educational Resources (OER) has a long historical precedence in the open education movements including that of the provision of equality of educational opportunity, recognising, though, that two individuals, not even twins, learn the same way. This later became a more contentious issue for the designers of OER as well as the planners with regard to, respectively: how best to serve the individual learning styles of learners, and what could be the cost-efficiency of alternative learning resources, including OERs. // The above unresolved issues notwithstanding, the promise of OER (and subsequently MOOCs as a part of OER and the OER movement), starting from UNESCO’s coinage of the term and MIT’s opening up of large numbers of courses for free, and subsequent initiatives by UKOU, IGNOU, COL, EdX, Corsera, Udacity, Khan Academy and many others, has generated considerable enthusiasm in policy makers as well as academic leaders and teachers. ‘Open sharing’ has been a foundational issue for large-scale use of OER; and it is as much personal as systemic. Therefore, it is imperative that these and a multitude of dimensions need to be rigorously examined through research for its effective / productive use of OER. The now-recognised debate on adoption and use of ICT through the “dominant diffusion model of the past, and the social shaping model of the recent times” may help us appreciate how best OER can be leveraged to derive the most utility. The end-user is the key to OER theory and practice.
- ItemOpen AccessBook Review: Using ICTs and Blended Learning in Transforming TVET(2017-11) Senteni, Alain; Gaskell, AnneAt a time when skills development for livelihoods is a key priority for most governments, the potential of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to address many of the challenges facing individuals, communities and governments worldwide in their efforts towards achieving employment, decent work and sustainable development is being increasingly recognised. TVET is, accordingly, becoming a policy priority in many countries and regions around the world. However, it is clear for both governmental institutions and international organisations, that simply scaling up TVET provision in its current forms is not only unlikely to be feasible, it is also unlikely to be an adequate response to meet demand and that the nature and roles of TVET systems in contributing to more equitable and sustainable holistic development will require their continuous transformation and expansion. // The current book, Using ICTs and Blended Learning in Transforming TVET, edited by Colin Latchem under the auspices of COL and the UNESCO, is a collection of articles emphasising the role of ODL in relation to skilling, and identifying the ways in which information and communication technology–based (ICT-based) methodologies can contribute to such transformation and expansion.
- ItemOpen AccessBuilding an Efficient and Effective Test Management System in an ODL Institution(2017-07) Yusof, Safiah M; Lim, Tick M; Png, Leo; Khatab, Zainuriyah A; Singh, Harvinder K DOpen University Malaysia (OUM) is progressively moving towards implementing assessment on demand and online assessment. This move is deemed necessary for OUM to continue to be the leading provider of flexible learning. OUM serves a very large number of students each semester and these students are vastly distributed throughout the country. As the number of learners keeps growing, the task of managing and administering examinations every semester has become increasingly laborious, time consuming and costly. In trying to deal with this situation and improve the assessment processes, OUM has embarked on the development and employment of a test management system. This test management system is named OUM QBank. The initial objectives of QBank development were aimed at enabling the systematic classification and storage of test items, as well as the auto-generation of test papers based on the required criteria. However, it was later agreed that the QBank should be a more comprehensive test management system that manages not just all assessment items but also includes the features to facilitate quality control and flexibility of use. These include the functionality to perform item analyses and also online examination. This paper identifies the key elements and the important theoretical basis in ensuring the design and development of an effective and efficient system.
- ItemOpen AccessCan New Modes of Digital Learning Help Resolve the Teacher Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa?(2017-03) Moon, Bob; Villet, CharmaineSub-Saharan Africa, more than any other part of the world, is experiencing a crisis in finding sufficiently qualified teachers to meet the needs of expanding school systems. The professional development support provided to serving teachers is also inadequate in most countries. The most recent data on learner outcomes has revealed a worrying picture of significant under-achievement across the region. This paper argues that the teacher education and training structures of the last century will never be able to meet urgent contemporary needs. Given population growth, especially among the young, large-scale expansion of the teaching force and the associated teacher education systems will be the norm through to the middle years of the century and beyond. In this context the paper argues for a significant policy shift to expand quality teacher education and professional support at scale through a more school-based and digitally supported network model of provision. Examples of current digital programmes within the region are considered as well as the new technologies that are emerging with relevance to teacher education. The paper suggests a three-phase process through which national governments might move in making the necessary changes in policy and practice.
- ItemOpen AccessCan Technology Solve the Problems of Higher Education?(2018-05) Kanwar, Asha; Mishra, SanjayaThis paper presents a brief case for use of technology in higher education and shares some of the COL experiences that shows its focus on (i) policy, (ii) capacity, and (iii) appropriate technology. Integrating these three dimensions helps universities to leverage the power of technology to increase access, improve quality and sustainability. // This paper is from the May 2018 edition of IAU Horizons.
- ItemOpen AccessChallenges and Opportunities for use of Social Media in Higher Education(2019-03) Anderson, TerryLikely the most significant and life changing technologies of the 21st Century is the adoption of social media as major components of commercial, entertainment and educational activities. In this article, I overview the supposed benefits of the application of these tools within formal higher education programs. I then discuss the disadvantages and challenges, with a focus on the paradox that accompanies convenience and value in use, with loss of data control. It is likely that we will continue to see both authorized and unauthorized use of data that we have created for both personal and institutional use. I conclude by examining some of the solutions proposed and tested to resolve this challenge. I then overview two possible solutions - the first focused on institutions creating and managing their own social media and the second an emergent technical solution whereby users keep control of their data, while sharing and growing in multiple social contexts.
- ItemOpen AccessChallenges and Opportunities in the Implementation of School-Based Teacher Professional Development: A Case from Kenya(2019-03) Wambugu, Patriciah W; Stutchbury, Kris; Dickie, JoanThis study investigated how a school-based professional development programme, designed by the Headteacher and staff of a Kenyan primary school, and delivered by a Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) team, supported teacher learning and growth. The TESSA team observed teaching in the classroom before the implementation of the school-based teacher professional programme. This was followed by the training of the teachers in the school. The TESSA team did an evaluation of the school-based training programme through classroom observation, an interview schedule and a teacher questionnaire. The evaluations were done three months and one year, respectively, after the school-based training. The findings indicate that teachers experienced professional growth through collaborative learning with colleagues, used a greater range of approaches and learned to self-reflect on their classes with more use of active learning. Teachers made productive use of textbooks as well as accessing and using TESSA OER in teaching.
- ItemOpen AccessChallenges of Adopting Open Educational Resources (OER) in Kenyan Secondary Schools: The Case of Open Resources for English Language Teaching (ORELT)(2018-07) Orwenjo, Daniel O; Erastus, Frida K; Gaskell, AnneKenya, like many African countries, has faced enormous challenges in the production of and access to quality relevant teaching and learning materials and resources in primary and secondary school classrooms. This has been occasioned by a plethora of factors which include, but are not limited to, lack of finances, tradition, competence, and the experience to develop such resources. Such a situation has persisted despite the existence and availability of many Open Educational Resources (OERs) that have been developed by education stakeholders at enormous cost. Such freely available resources could potentially improve the quality of existing resources or help to develop new courses. Yet, their uptake and reuse in secondary and primary schools in Kenya continues to be very low. This paper reports the findings of a study in which Open Resources for English Language Teaching (ORELT) developed by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada, were piloted in a sample of fifty (50) Kenyan secondary schools. The study applied the Model 1 – Distance and Dependence (Zhao et al 2002) model to investigate the challenges that instructors face in adopting and using ORELT materials. The study reported that poor infrastructure, negative attitudes, lack of ICT competencies, and other skill gaps among teachers, as well as lack of administrative support, are some of the challenges experienced in the adoption and use of OERs in Kenyan schools. The findings of the present study will provide useful insights to developers of OERs and Kenyan education stakeholders in devising strategies to optimise utilisation of OERs in the Kenyan school system.
- ItemOpen AccessChanging our (Dis)Course: A Distinctive Social Justice Aligned Definition of Open Education(2018-12) Lambert, Sarah R; Gaskell, AnneThis paper investigates the degree to which recent digital Open Education literature is aligned to social justice principles, starting with the first UNESCO definition of Open Educational Resources (OER). A critical analysis of 19 texts was undertaken to track dominant and alternative ideas shaping the development of Open Education since 2002 as it broadened and developed from OER to Open Educational Practices (OEP). The paper begins by outlining the method of texts selection, including defining the three principles of social justice (redistributive, recognitive and representational justice) used as an analytical lens. Next the paper sets out findings which show where and how the principles of social justice became lost within the details of texts, or in other digital agendas and technological determinist debates. Finally, a new social justice aligned definition for Open Education is offered. The aim of the new definition is to provide new language and a strong theoretical framework for equitable education, as well as to clearly distinguish the field of Open Education from mainstream constructivist eLearning.
- ItemOpen AccessChanging the TVET Paradigm: New Models for Lifelong Learning(2019-09-07) Kanwar, Asha; Balasubramanian, K; Carr, AlexisThe digital revolution is rapidly transforming the world of work and the skills profiles of many occupations. The pace of change necessitates continuous skilling and reskilling, through lifelong learning. Traditional models of TVET which view formal training as terminal will not prepare workers for the constantly evolving world of work in an age of technological transformations. This paper argues for the need to integrate informal and non-formal learning in TVET systems and address the pedagogical implications of this integration. Research on emerging innovative approaches to TVET in both developed and developing country contexts is reviewed, with a special focus on new models for work-based and community-based learning, which can promote transformative, lifelong learning. The actual and potential role of technology within these models is highlighted, together with recommendations for policy and practice. // International Journal of Training Research, 17:sup1, 54-68, DOI: 10.1080/14480220.2019.1629722
- ItemMetadata onlyA Collaborative Approach to OER Policy and Guidelines Development in the Commonwealth: The Case of Botswana, Cameroon, and Sri Lanka(2018-04) Abeywardena, Ishan S; Karunanayaka, Shironica P; Nkwenti, Michael N; Tladi, Lekopanye; McGreal, Rory; Conrad, DianneAccess to relevant learning resources is an important aspect in ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all as outlined in the sustainable development goal 4 (SDG4). The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has identified the development of open educational resources (OER) as a potential answer to these challenges. A total of 29 provincial/regional OER policies and guidelines were developed in Sri Lanka, Botswana, and Cameroon closely involving 608 provincial/regional policymakers from the general education system. The innovation of this project lies in the collaborative approach adopted for OER policy/guideline development where a maximum number of policymakers at the provincial/regional level have been included in the policy development process. Key applications of the approach are mass-sensitization of policymakers, identification of champions in each province or region to drive the OER agenda forward, and the development of policies/guidelines tailored to the specific needs of a particular jurisdiction. The paper will also highlight the success factors, challenges, and the follow-up activities of the project.
- ItemOpen AccessCommunity Engagement to End Child Early Forced Marriage - Experiences in Selected South Asian Countries(2017-11) Ferreira, Frances; Kamal, Mostafa A; Gaskell, AnneSustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”, emphasises the need for “providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes [which] will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large” (UN, 2015). Millions of girls are forced into early marriage for economic and cultural reasons and denied the opportunity for education. Within the context of sustainable development, it is critical to raise awareness among communities that child marriage has wide ranging negative consequences for development and that allowing girls to have education and training can add enormous value to their society as well as their personal and family lives. This study aims to identify the role of community engagement and local community organisations in contributing towards ending child, early and forced marriage (CEFM) through ensuring equitable access of marginalised and out-of-school girls to education and training. The study was based on data collected from surveys that had been administered to 755 out-of-school girls, affected by CEFM in both urban and rural areas of three selected South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) countries, that is, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.
- ItemOpen AccessCreating Open Online Courses with Learner Representative Partners to Widen Participation in Higher Education(2019-07) Coughlan, Tim; Goff, JennyOpen online courses could provide stepping stones for audiences that are under-represented in higher education (HE). However, there are concerns that these instead proliferate forms of exclusion and do not address known difficulties for widening participation. We explore how organisations that represent the perspectives of particular underserved audiences for HE can act as ‘Learner Representative Partners’ to support the creation of appropriate courses and to highlight practices that exclude. Six course development processes where a university worked with different partners are analysed using interviews, documentation of resource use, and data on learner behaviour. The analysis utilises previously identified challenges to widening participation and collaborative course creation. Getting partners to directly engage in authoring the course was particularly beneficial but all partners prompted critical thought and greater understanding of the intended audiences. We suggest principles to support such partnerships effectively. These include adapting to a variable capacity of partners to contribute, to encourage reuse or creation of resources by partners, and to facilitate partners to feel confident in expressing their views.