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Explore the potential benefits of utilizing Open Educational Resources (OER) in Southern Africa to enhance educational quality, accessibility, and financial sustainability. Address challenges, advocate for policy change, and promote collaboration for effective OER integration.
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Group 3 Developing Country Policies on the use of OER in Southern Africa
Mr Athanasius Mulenga – Zambia (Chairperson) • Prof HonorathaMushi – Tanzania • DrSushitaRamdoo – Mauritius (Dept Chairperson) • Mr Peterson Dlamini - Swaziland • MrsLurdesNakala – Mozambique • Ms Trudi van Wyk – South Africa (Scribe) Members
When there are wider choices – students can make better informed decisions about materials. There will be an improved connection between student needs and available educational materials/programmes • When quality materials are available it will improve the quality of poorer materials (pressure to improve quality of materials) • Collaboration/partnerships/communication/sharing is encouraged • Enhance multi-disciplinary inputs into development and use of materials as well as enrich the curriculum by drawing from other disciplines • Enable individuals to construct their own learning experience by building their own programmes • Capacity building of both teaches and learners • Repurposing materials takes less time to produce – pace of materials development is faster Educational benefits of OER
Cost-effective • Increased access • Sharing of resources drive down the unit cost of materials per institution/individual • Time efficiency leads to cost benefits Financial benefits of OER
Political support and commitment (political will) • Managing a change agenda • Lack of understanding of reallocating/prioritising/ repurposing of financial resources …….. Can be addressed through: • advocacy and communication of the issues and its benefits • Modeling good practice on the ground/practitioners and ‘sell the idea’ upstream • Capacity building at all levels – practical e.g. development through VUSSCbootcamps, TESSA Strategic Educational Challenges
Ignorance • Lack of understanding of the power of OER • Lack of workable examples • Lack of trust in change agendas communicated to decision makers • Resistance to change – can not think out of the box • Advocates of OER are too theoretical/abstract in communicating the issues • Decision makers do not see OER as a solution to problems • Absence of a champion such as Minister Danny Faure for VUSSC • Focus too much on the formal school/ODL situation and benefits of OER can be better introduced in other areas such as HIV/AIDS, climate change - Should permeate other sectors • Lack of visibility of the benefits of OER for non-formal and informal learning programmes What prevents harnessing OER …..