IN THIS ISSUE
   
News from the Saide Teacher Education Space on OER Africa
 
Collaborative Learning in a Certificate Programme for Carers of Children at Risk: An African Experience
ODL and Quality Promotion in Southern Africa: Options and Strategies
Formalization of Grade R - Recent Saide Research
In Brief: OER Africa and MedEdPortal Partnership
In Brief: Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements - Saide's Contribution
   
 

 
 

OER Africa Facebook Page
Now that OER Africa is growing steadily, we are keen to grow our Facebook page to get interesting news and resources about OER out to more people. We invite you to 'like' our page and receive regular updates about our activities.

 

 
 

News from the Saide Teacher Education Space on OER Africa

The seven module Saide Teacher Education Series is now available on Saide's OER Africa website. We are due to launch a Maths teacher education theme with associated resources before the end of the year.

Collaborative Learning in a Certificate Programme for Carers of Children at Risk: An African Experience

Can collaborative learning work in a distance education programme? What are the critical factors that help to create a learning environment that supports collaborative learning in a distance education programme? Christine Randell reflects on this issue with reference to a recent evaluation of the Children at Risk Certificate Programme. She links the findings on collaborative learning in this programme with a study conducted in 2009 on the role of technology in supporting collaborative learning in distance education.


ODL and Quality Promotion in Southern Africa: Options and Strategies

The Distance Education Association of Southern Africa (DEASA) recently held their 44th Annual General Meeting and Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi. The theme for this year’s conference was Propelling Strategic Novelty for Open and Distance Education in the SADC region. On the second day, presentations were under the sub-theme Quality Promotion. In recognition of the extensive work Saide has done in quality promotion in open and distance learning, Ephraim Mhlanga had the privilege of being requested by the conference organisers to give a keynote address at the conference.

Formalization of Grade R - Recent Saide Research

Saide conducted a research project, funded by the Zenex Foundation, which investigated the readiness of the South African education system to formalize Grade R. We examined the readiness for Grade R at the level of the system, the teachers and the children in relation to what we want children to be able to do in Grade R, how we want teachers to teach and how teachers are prepared to teach. Sheila Drew reports on the investigation.
 

In Brief: OER Africa and MedEdPORTAL Partnership

 
 

In Brief: Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statements - Saide's Contribution