Research Reports

Aims to ascertain whether Engestro?m?s activity theory and its principle of contradictions is a sufficiently versatile and insightful lens to investigate non-participation of OER contribution. Activity theory was found to be useful for framing the literature and three interviews with University of Cape Town (UCT) academics and for surfacing some of the constraints in the system. An Activity Theory Approach. E-Learning and Digital Media, 10(2), 148?160.

Addresses the question: How do the relations between culture, structure and agency influence lecturers' contribution and non-contribution of OER in a higher education institution?

Looks at OER Readiness in three South African universities. Presented at the Teaching and Learning Conference, 30 March 2016. Cape Town, South Africa.

Investigates lecturers? adoption or non-adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) at three universities in South Africa, seeking to understand their motivations and practices regarding OER and the factors influencing their OER decision-making.

Examines three new tools ? a framework, an heuristic and a lens ? for analysing lecturers? adoption of OER in higher educational settings.

Analyses the barriers and enablers of OER adoption at three South African universities, in order to better understand why South African lecturers adopt or do not adopt OER. Open Praxis, 9(2), 151-171.

Examines the relationship between institutional policy, organisational culture and e-learning use in four South African universities.

Examines Open Education and the Open Scholarship agenda, looking specifically at UCT

Establishes the current situation at the only dedicated ODL university in Southern Africa, the University of South Africa (UNISA), regarding the use of and contribution to Open Educational Resources (OER) and determines whether the university has any institutional position or intention in this regard and whether the policies of the institution are conducive towards Open Educational Practice.

An investigation to gauge the uptake of OER at Unisa, by staff, with the purpose of institutional information gathering for decision making and planning in this area.

Rhetorically analyses the Cape Town Open Education Declaration which idealizes the educational process and contrasts this with the practical challenges which affect the development and use of open educational resources. Draws on classical rhetoric and hermeneutics as analytical tools of such visionary documents that contain little factual information.

Synthesises the findings from a survey that was conducted by the Information for Development Programme (infoDev), which investigates issues related to the efficient and appropriate use of ICT in developing countries. The survey was undertaken in response to needs expressed by international donor and development agencies, private sector organisations, governments, and NGOs for a consolidated database of information.

Case study aimed at obtaining the experiences of faculty and students of Moi University, Nairobi Campus in accessing information resources for teaching, learning and research. Examines background information regarding knowledge societies and the role of higher education in society, done with a view to exploring the potential of OER in enhancing access to teaching, learning and research information resources at the campus.

A case study of journal publishing at one South African university (the University of Cape Town) to identify existing journal publishing practices in terms of open access. Provides the springboard for considering the implications ? both positive and negative ? of global open access trends for South African ? and other ? research and researchers.

Examines implementation of OER and technology in the education system in South Africa.

Shows that academics at the University of Mauritius access OER courseware, but could do with more training programs. In terms of teaching transformation, academics are willing to 'step down' and acknowledge students with more 'power' and responsibility for learning but also allowing them to evaluate their learning.

A study of relevant documents, interviews with academic staff involved in institutional policy making and OER production, interviews with students who had experienced OERs (in cases where this was possible).

Exploring institutional experiences, to establish how the African Health OER Network project was being consolidated, and to start assessing issues of sustainability.

Draws upon data from the various evaluations of the African Helath OER Network project as a basis for generating understandings on initiating and sustaining OER in African contexts.