The Open University of Tanzania is a distance and open learning institution, operating through a network of twenty two Regional Centres and four co-ordinating centres spread throughout the United Republic of Tanzania and beyond the borders. It is a relatively young University of the age of fifteen years.
Building on a relationship that commenced in 2008, OER Africa and OUT collaboratively took stock of progress in 2013, and identified current needs, which included the following – and which the two institutions will collaboratively seek to address during this grant period:
- The institutionalisation of OER at OUT, including support for the review and update of a variety of OER related institutional policies;
- Capacity development for academic staff teaching and learning with OER, including the development of a new open professional development course on Digital Fluency, comprising five modules;
- Support for the further enhancement of the OUT Digital Library Portal and Open Repository, including developing processes for transforming existing OUT courses to OER.
In consultation with the OUT management team and in collaboration with the OUT Institute of Educational and Management Technologies (IEMT) and the OUT Library, OER Africa will support processes to meet the needs expressed above. These activities will be framed by a Participatory Action Research approach that is designed to share and disseminate the project outcomes.
Resources
- Mushi, Doreen and Brenda Mallinson (nd). Early Experiences of the Course Conversion to OER Process at Open University of Tanzania. (Full paper.)
- Mwamlangala, Doreen F (2015). African Council for Distance Education (ACDE) - Shanghai Open University Visiting Scholar Programme Report.
- Nihuka, KA; Mbwette, TSA; Kihwelo, PF (2014). Open Educational Resources Initiative at the Open University of Tanzania: Challenges and Lessons Learned. Paper presented during the EADTU Conference on 23rd and 24th October, 2014 in Krakow, Poland.
- Open University of Tanzania (2014). OER Institutional Analysis Workshop. (Analysis tool.)
- Samzugi, Athumani S and Chausiku M Mwinyimbegu (2013). Accessibility of Open Educational Resources for Distance Education Learners: The Case of the Open University of Tanzania.