Journal of Learning for Development - JL4D
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Harnessing OER to Drive Systemic Educational Change in Secondary Schooling
No full textThis paper reports on two action research projects which explored the challenge of determining the conditions under which use of OER can drive a transformative educational agenda in schooling systems. At St Peter’s College in Johannesburg, South Africa, a small pilot study was conducted to explore how to best to adopt new teaching and learning methodologies to encourage greater student engagement and responsibility, and to gauge student and staff reactions to a change in teaching and learning methodologies. It placed heavy emphasis on harnessing OER to enable student-led content creation, with a long-term view of demonstrating that students can use OER to create self-paced learning environments that significantly accelerate their journey through the formal curriculum. In Antigua and Barbuda, the research project considered how to facilitate an entire system to change. It recognised that for change to be effective, it needs to be driven at the systemic level, as these ultimately direct the operations of most public schooling systems. The paper explores the different steps taken, starting from the government’s commitment to ICT infrastructure, fostering a policy environment through an ICT in Education policy and an ICT Master Plan to guide procurement and deployment of ICT in schools, and the development of a School ICT integration plan to ensure school’s ICT needs and requirements. The research explored the deployment of an OER Virtual learning Environment (VLE) Prototype, and the compilation of an online mathematics ‘textbook’ from available quality free OER. The paper concludes by highlighting the kinds of systemic actions required for the proponents of OER to build sustained pressure for long-term, educationally effective systemic change
Informal Learning and Non-Formal Education for Development
No full textThe following article examines the issues of open, distance and technology-based informal learning and non-formal education for individual and community development. It argues that these two modes of education, which are estimated to constitute 70-90% of lifelong learning, are insufficiently represented in the literature of open and distance learning and development. To ensure that these forms of provision take their rightful place alongside the mainstream systems of formal education, it is posited that far more research and evaluation is needed in order to demonstrate their potential and evidence quality in their outputs, outcomes and impacts
Widening Access to Science-Oriented Programmes in Tertiary Institutions in Ghana Through Distance Education
No full textAn initiative in Science and Technology disciplines was introduced to expand access to KNUST programmes by distance. This study examined the level of access and challenges faced by learners in science oriented programmes offered by distance in KNUST. Analysis of data from 120 learners and 8 facilitators from three programmes indicated that the top-up programmes by distance increased enrolment and participation of learners. There were high rates of students’ persistence in the various programmes attributed to strong personal determination to succeed in achieving higher academic status, availability of learning materials for courses and support from family members. Lack of time as a result of work activities to delays in receiving course materials among students, and short contact hours to low remuneration for facilitators were challenges faced by respondents
What Learning for What Development?
No full textAfter reviewing the evolution of attitudes to poverty and education we note how it influenced the early provision of schooling and the emergence of a global agenda for international development and universal education. At first this agenda was grounded in the Enlightenment values that inspired the Universal Declaration of Human Rights but economic arguments for reducing poverty and expanding education became more prominent towards the end of the 20th century. Sen’s notion of development as freedom brings these ideas together and will strongly influence the development agenda for the coming decades. Implementing this agenda will require a shift from top-down donor-driven projects to grassroots approaches that take advantage of mobile technologies
Innovations in Learning and Development
No full textAbstractThe twenty-first century witnessed innovative practices in the advancement of learning in the developed world as a consequence of the technological revolution of the period and the increased demand for higher education (Bax, 2011; Barab, King and Gray, 2004; Roman, 2001). Education was perceived as the cornerstone for development, sustainability and modernisation (Fitzpatrick and Davies, 2003).The booming of open, distance and e-learning changed the quality of lives for people as it offered additional venues to higher education that overcame problems of exclusivity and scarcity, specifically at times of shrinking public funding (Dhanarajan, 2011). The founding of the Open University in Britain in 1969 targeted limitless audience with innovative teaching and learning modes. Since it was founded, more than 1.5 million students have studied its courses. The Open University was rated “top university in England and Wales” for student satisfaction in 2005, 2006 and 2012. The developing world sought to replicate the success afforded through innovative learning practices. The Arab region engaged in extensive reformation to allow for new systems of learning that would provide for accessible and diversified opportunities to learners at an acceptable cost. However, concerns were voiced along the axis of equality and social justice (Wilson, Liber, Johnson, Beauvoir, Sharples and Milligan, 2007; Dudeney, 2007). Arguments associated innovative learning modes with polarizing the developed and developing countries, the promotion of western thought, and furthering socioeconomic substrating. Debates emerged on the pedagogic fit of the new promoted approaches for the region, allegations of social isolation, drop rates, faculty strain, urban concentration, in addition to a number of scholastic uncertainties.A survey was conducted on a random sample of learners studying through an innovative hybrid mode of learning to explore participants’ perception of the new system. Two thousand and five hundred students took the survey from all faculties at the Arab Open University in Lebanon. The survey was conducted for the periods of Fall and Spring 2012-2013. It ensured anonymity of participants for validity of results. The findings are the following:Innovative learning systems have had an impact on the societies in the developing worldOpen learning has been a means for gaining academic qualifications and has provided a solution for mass education in the regionIt specifically helped develop learners from working backgrounds, underprivileged groups and femalesEfforts need to focus on:Enhancing awareness campaigns on open education in the developing worldCustomizing material to suit the developmental needs of learners in the region as well as their cultural contextAssuring quality of material used in nontraditional education in the regio
Curricular Innovation and Digitsation at a Mega University in the Developing World – The UNISA “Signature Course” Project
No full textAs part of the endeavor to reposition itself in the open distance and e-learning arena, the University of South Africa has designed and developed six modular courses (one module per College) referred to as ‘Signature Courses’. The focus of these modules is on a student-centred online teaching and learning approach; extensive student online mentoring and support; and alternative online assessment practices, while also developing prototypes for fully online courses as the University advances in its digitisation objectives. This paper presents a case study of the achievements of the project thus far. It reports challenges the project has been facing and anticipates the trajectory the University will be following in the future as it moves decisively towards online teaching and learning.