Readings/Reference Materials

Access to relevant learning resources is an important aspect in ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all as outlined in the sustainable development goal 4 (SDG4). The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has identified the development of open educational resources (OER) as a potential answer to these challenges. A total of 29 provincial/regional OER policies and guidelines were developed in Sri Lanka, Botswana, and Cameroon closely involving 608 provincial/regional policymakers from the general education system. The innovation of this project lies in the collaborative approach adopted for OER policy/guideline development where a maximum number of policymakers at the provincial/regional level have been included in the policy development process. Key applications of the approach are mass-sensitization of policymakers, identification of champions in each province or region to drive the OER agenda forward, and the development of policies/guidelines tailored to the specific needs of a particular jurisdiction. The paper will also highlight the success factors, challenges, and the follow-up activities of the project.

This resource includes a list with links to known repositories within the African continent in different countries. Nevertheless, not all the repositories listed are Open. The CPD coordinator can use the determination of which repositories are open in this site as an assignment.

The resource examines the pros and cons of using the Blinkist reading app. 

This resource lists apps used in a library including Libby which can be used on Android, iOS and Windows devices for access to free ebooks in different subject areas. 

This document provides an overview of OER Africa's aims.

The Data-Informed Practice Improvement Project (DIPIP) aims to improve teaching and learning in mathematics. One way of communicating with teachers has been through a newsletter.This issue deals with learner misconceptions, learner errors in the ICAS tests, teaching with errors and misconceptions, ratio, rate, ratio and proportional reasoning at grades 8, 7 and 9 respectively.

In this edition of the DIPIP Newsletter we have chosen to discuss a section of algebra that confuses many of our learners – that of solving number sentences and equations, which falls into the National Curriculum Statement Learning Outcome 2 (LO2): Patterns, functions and algebra.

In this second part of Volume 2 we focus on the meaning of the word ‘misconceptions’and compare it to the general understanding of the meaning of ‘errors’ and ‘mistakes’. These different words have different concepts associated with them. We tend to use the word ‘misconception’ indiscriminately when talking to colleagues, and more often than not, we are talking about learner errors or mistakes rather than misconceptions.

The Data-Informed Practice Improvement Project (DIPIP) aims to improve teaching and learning in mathematics. One way of communicating with teachers has been through a newsletter.

In our third issue of the 2009 newsletter we have chosen to talk about how learners work with problems based on space, shape and measurement. We will focus on solving problems in which learners have to work with what they know about areas and perimeters of basic shapes to calculate areas and perimeters of the complex shapes.

This newsletter continues the discussion of the previous newsletter of learners' spatial reasoning, and how to support the development of spatial reasoning in learners.

While this is currently a research work which outlines research and development objectives, it is envisaged that much of the material reviewed is also suitable for inclusion in teaching - particularly postgraduate teaching at University Masters level.

The draft review examines the link between climate change and health with special reference to the Southern African region (SADC countries).  It attempts to set the scene for determining pertinent research priorities in the region to contribute to knowledge on the one hand, and for identification, implementation and evaluation of adaptation interventions that are likely to be appropriate and effective in the region.  This review has been conducted by Strategic Evaluation, Advisory and Development Consulting (SEAD), a health consultancy together with  the COEHR,  and is part of the Regional Climate Change Programme (RCPP) led by One World Sustainable Investments.

All CHEPSAA’s African members have produced reports that provide an overview of the HPSR+A capacity needs and assets in their organizations and its wider context. They each include recommendations about how to develop capacity. The assessment reports are from Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria, and there are also comparative assessments with guidance on how to approach the needs assessment.

CHEPSAA (the Consortium for Health Policy & Systems Analysis in Africa) works to develop the emerging field of health policy and systems research and analysis (HPSR+A) in Africa through harnessing synergies among a consortium of African and European universities.

Click here to access the HTML version of this resource.

The work of Basil Bernstein arguably tells us more about curriculum than any other writer. He provides a well-developed set of concepts and criteria for understanding curriculum (and for doing research), and his work has been particularly influential in developing countries.  Professor Ken Harley prepared this outline to support teacher educators to build a module on Curriculum from Open Educational Resources.

The HCE provides a first stepping-stone towards becoming a qualified teacher. For those who are interested, it provides a Learning Pathway into the Diploma or Degree programmes that meet the Minimum Requirements for Teacher Education Qualifications (RSA 2011). It provides an NQF Level 5 qualification for the many teaching assistants in Deaf schools and strengthens their competence and confidence to work with learners and enable them to achieve success.

This optional reading on the sociology of school timetables includes a small research activity.

This set of excerpts from a research article compares the ways in which two different preschools (or early learning centres) construct order through different arrangements of time and space.