OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES UTILIZATION IN TANZANIAN HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS
Main Article Content
Abstract
Tanzania has recently embarked on application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in teaching and learning especially in Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs). Despite the observed countrywide ubiquitous use of internet, access to plenty of open educational resources (OER), several challenges on OER use are yet to be identified and clearly addressed. Necessary changes in the curriculum, teaching methods and institutional management procedures are required. While OER are designed as “learner centred”, “teacher-centred” method is predominant in Tanzania. Incompatibility between OER and the educational system may culminate into confusion among students, instructorsand educators. The changing role of lecturers, tasked in forging parity between the OER and the situations in HLIs forms another challenge. The origin of OER used in Tanzanian HLIs probes on both their quality and utility. All these issues need to be addressed.This paper explores the teaching/learning system in the verge of vast utilization of the OER in Tanzania using meta-analysis thatcombines facts, data and findings from previous studies. It identifies the nature and character of teaching/learning process in Tanzanian HLIs, locates the OER use, uncovers challenges facing effective accommodation of OER; and highlights ing policy implication to Tanzania.
Article Details
References
Atkins, D, Brown, J and Hammond, A. (2007) A review of the Open Educational Resources (OER) Movement: Achievements, Challenges and New Opportunities. Report to the William and Hewlett Foundation. Bateman, P. (2006) The AVU Open Educational Resources (OER) Architecture for Higher Education in Africa. Discussion Paper. OECD Expert Meeting, Nairobi, Kenya. Retrieved from www.oecd.org/edu/ceriBateman, P Lane, A and Moon, R. (2012) An emerging Typology for Analysing OER initiatives. In Cambridge 2012: Innovation and Impact-Openly Collaborating to Enhance Education, A Joint Meeting of OER12 and Open Courseware Consortium Global 2012, 16-18 April 2012, Cambridge, Commonwealth of Learning (2011) Guidelines for Open Educational Resources (OER) in Higher Education. UNESCO and COL. CI-2011/WS/7 Retrieved from www.col.orgon 1stOctober 2014.Commonwealth of learning and UNESCO (2012) Survey on Governments. Open Educational Resources (OER) Policies. Prepared for the World OER Congress June 2012.Downes, S. (2007) Models of Sustainable Open Educational Resources. In Interdisciplinary Journal of Knowledge and Learning Objects. Vol. 3, 29-44pp Retrieved from www.http://ijklo.org/Volume3/IJKLO on 15th October 2014.Geser, G. (2007) Open Educational Practices and Resources. OLCOS Roadmap 2012. Salzburg. Retrieved from www.olcos.org/english/roadmapon 2nd October 2014. Hylen , J. (2007) Open Educational Resources: Opportunities and Challenges. OECD’s Centre for Educational Research and Innovation. Paris-France. Retrieved from www.oecd.org/edu/ceri on 13th September 2014. Kanwar, A. Balasubramanian, K. and Umar, A. (2009) Can Open Educational Resources Thrive in Closed Educational Systems? Some Reflections on OER in Developing Countries. Retrieved from http://oerknowledgecloud.org
Nagashima, T(2010) Open Educational Resources (OERs) in Higher Education: A Global Perspective. International Christian University. Japan Retrieved from www.academia.eduNgengebule, T and Nonyongo, E. (2013) OER Policy Development and usage: A Study of Progress in Two Countries since the 2012 COL &UNESCO Survey. Retrieved from www.pcfpapers.colfinder.orgNie, M. (2012) Score Fellowship Final report. Support Centre for Open Resources in Education. University of Leicester. Retrieved from www.open,ac,uk/scoreOECD. (2007) Giving Knowledge for Free: the emergence of Open Educational Resources. Retrieved from http://tinyrl.com/62hjx6on 14th October 2014. OER Commons (2014) Open Educational Resources. Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education-ISKME. Retrieved from www.oercommons.orgon 1stOctober 2014.OLCOS Roadmap. (2012) Open Educational Practices and Resources. Guntram Geser Ed. Salzburg Resources EduMap.Omollo, K. (2011) Growing an Institutional health OER Initiative: A case Study of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. University of Michigan. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.netOPAL (2014) Open educational Quality Initiatives (OPAL) Kick off Meeting Outcome. Discussion Paper. Retrieved from www.icde.orgon 10thOctober, 2014.Open Educational Practice-Approaching a Definition for new Concept. Retrieved from www.icde.orgRetrieved from www.iced.orgon 27thOctober 2014.Schaffert, S and Geser, G. (2008) Open Educational Resources and Practices. eLearning Papers, No. 7 ISSN 188-1542 Retrieved from www.elearningpapers.euon 10thOctober 2014.Tettey, W. (2010) Challenges of Developing and Retaining the Next Generation of Academics: Deficits in Academic Staff capacity at African Universities. University of Calgary, Alberta Canada. Commissioned by partnership for Higher Education in African. Retrieved from www.foundation-partnership.org/staff-shortageon 10 June 2015
Toumi, I. (2009) Open Educational Resources: What are they and Why do they Matter? Report Prepared for OECD. Retrieved from www.meaningprocessing.com/personalPages/toumi/articles/OERUNESCO (2012) World Congress for Open Educational Resources. UNESCO Headquarters. Paris 20-22 June 2012. Retrieved from www.unesco.orgon 14thSeptember 2014.UNESCO (2013) Open Educational Resources Innovation, Research and Practice. Commonwealth of Learning and Athabasca University, Vancouver. Retrieved from www.oicd.org/filestoreon 10thOctober 2014.URT, (2008) Educational Sector Development Programme (2008-17). Dar es Salaam.White, D. Wild J. Masterman, L and Manton, M. (2011) OER IMPACT STUDY: Research Report. JISC Open Educational Resources Programme. Version 1.0 Oxford University Press.Yuan, L. MacNeill, S and Kraan, W. (2008) Open Educational Resources-Opportunities and Challenges for Higher Education. JISC CETIS. Retrieved from www.jinsc.uk.ac.ukon 13thSeptember 2014.