Something Very Important has Happened Here

Abstract

Botswana Moodle Workshop for the Open School OER Project, Gaborone, 18 September 2009, Remarks at the closing session by Sir John Daniel, Commonwealth of Learning // It is a pleasure to be here at the conclusion of this workshop. During the meeting of the Steering Committee for the Open Schooling OER project that was held across town over the last two days we felt the vibrations of energy and achievement emanating from you. I begin by congratulating you and your workshop facilitator, Maria Madiope, for your dynamism and commitment. Your presentations showed that you have taken a very thoughtful and considered approach to this work. Clearly this has been a splendid exercise in capacity building – which is development jargon for saying that you have all acquired new skills that will increase your competence and confidence as teachers. // I believe that something very important has happened here in the last two weeks, something with importance that goes beyond this group, that goes wider than Botswana, and indeed has global implications. I can best summarize the significance of what you are doing in three words. Coincidentally they all begin with the letter ‘S’: Synergy, Scale and Self-direction.