OAsis

COL’s Open Access Institutional Repository

Welcome to OAsis, the Commonwealth of Learning's repository for publications and learning resources. Publications found here are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International and can be freely downloaded for reuse and adaptation with attribution to COL, except where indicated.

Featured Items

Innovative Models and Practices in Teacher Development: Case Studies from the Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Learning (COL); Ogange, Betty; Newman, Mairette; Mays, Tony

Teacher professional development plays a crucial role in improving education quality, especially in under-resourced and marginalised communities. The expansion of open, distance, and technology-enabled learning - accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic - offered new ways to equip educators with skills for digital and blended teaching. Innovative Models and Practices in Teacher Development: Case Studies from the Commonwealth brings together eleven examples of school-based training, digital education leadership, and the use of open educational resources (OER). It covers teacher training initiatives in The Gambia, Guyana, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago. Other case studies draw from regional initiatives in the Pacific countries and Commonwealth-wide projects. The book particularly highlights locally relevant strategies that strengthened teacher capacity during and after the pandemic. The book highlights innovative thinking in teacher training, demonstrating how technology, structured training models, and teacher networks are shaping professional development. It calls for long-term investment in teacher learning, moving beyond emergency responses to ongoing professional growth and instructional improvement. Looking ahead, the book stresses the importance of expanding teacher training through open and distance learning (ODL) and digitalisation. By capturing real-world experiences, this book offers practical guidance for education ministries, teacher training programmes, and policymakers committed to strengthening teacher development for the future.

2025-03

Connections (vol.30, no.2)

Commonwealth of Learning (COL); Jha, Jyotsna; Nyangara, Karen; Ogange, Betty; Askounis, Helen; Pogas, Dean

COL Newsletter published July 2025.

2025-07

Towards a Micro-credential Framework for the Commonwealth

This report consolidates findings from a desktop review of global micro-credentials practice, an examination of enabling technologies and credential registries, a survey- and interview-based status report, and five regional stakeholder consultations held across the Commonwealth. Taken together, the report offers a comprehensive resource for policymakers, education providers, quality assurance bodies, and technology partners. It reflects a commitment to fostering shared understanding and practical action to advance micro-credentialling across the Commonwealth in a manner that supports lifelong learning, workforce development, and social inclusion.

2025-08

Recent Submissions

Review of Open and Distance Learning for Higher Education in the Commonwealth
(2025-08) Cronje, Franci; Cronje, Johannes; Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
This research of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) and technology-enabled learning (TEL) within the 56 Commonwealth countries aimed to explore the status, challenges, and developments in this environment, with a focus on equity of access, policy frameworks, and dual-mode learning. Five key themes emerged from the survey’s open-ended questions: infrastructure needs, professional development, financial support, equity and accessibility, and collaboration and partnerships. As such, these themes align with the strategic goals of the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) for 2021–2027. As such, these outcomes can guide the future planning of the COL while it also emphasises the importance of pedagogical approaches to be aligned with the future employability of students by addressing digital equity through policy measures.
Retrospective Outcomes Assessment of the GIRLS Inspire Project at the Khomas Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture, Namibia
(2025-08) Roos, Doris; Nyangara, Karen
The Khomas Capacity Building Project (KCBP) in the Khomas Region of central Namibia was funded by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and implemented by the Khomas Directorate of Education, Arts and Culture (K-DEAC). In accordance with COL’s global Theory of Change, the project aimed to empower marginalised groups, particularly women, girls and persons with disabilities (PWDs), to acquire labour market–relevant skills and engage in income-generating activities to improve their livelihoods. It also sought to improve the lives of communities, men, boys and traditional authorities through community-based advocacy on gender norms and human rights. K-DEAC implemented the project in seven districts across the nine constituencies of the Khomas Region in Namibia: Katutura, Okuryangava, Hakahana, Greenwell Matongo, Khomasdal, Windhoek City and Windhoek Rural.
Skills Online Certificate Scholarship Programme (2021–24): Understanding the Profiles and Experiences of the Learners
(2025-08) Jha, Jyotsna
The Skills for Work Certificate Scholarship programme, initiated by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and commonly referred to as the Skills Online programme, engaged a total of 94,804 learners from at least 25 Commonwealth countries over three years. These learners registered in 483,818 courses (136,127 course completions) through Google, Udemy and Coursera, paid for by COL. The initiative was designed in response to challenges that arose from the Covid-19 pandemic and appears to have achieved its post-pandemic recovery objectives in a broad sense. The initiative ended in 2024, as scheduled. COL subsequently conducted an online survey to understand the profiles and experiences of the people who registered and received support from COL in the form of free access to courses. Most learners reported that they benefited from the scholarships, but the evidence indicates inadequate participation rates among women, girls and people with limited access to information and technology.
Towards a Micro-credential Framework for the Commonwealth
(2025-08)
This report consolidates findings from a desktop review of global micro-credentials practice, an examination of enabling technologies and credential registries, a survey- and interview-based status report, and five regional stakeholder consultations held across the Commonwealth. Taken together, the report offers a comprehensive resource for policymakers, education providers, quality assurance bodies, and technology partners. It reflects a commitment to fostering shared understanding and practical action to advance micro-credentialling across the Commonwealth in a manner that supports lifelong learning, workforce development, and social inclusion.
Benchmarking of Technology-Enabled Learning at the University of Technology, Mauritius
(2025-06) Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
This report presents the findings of the Technology-Enabled Learning (TEL) benchmarking carried out at the University of Technology, Mauritius (UTM) during March - April 2025. It provides an overview of the methodology, the validated self-study report and an action plan developed by the TEL team at the UTM.

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