Alison Buckler & Freda Wolfenden (The Open University, UK)

1. OER Adaptation and Reuse across Cultural Contexts in Sub Saharan Africa: Lessons from the TESSA Consortium Alison Buckler & Freda Wolfenden (The Open University, UK) Fred Keraro ( Egerton University, Kenya)

2. TESSA Research and development project Focus on teacher education International consortium of 18 institutions Working in 9 countries across Sub Saharan Africa Harnessing ICTs, in particular idea of Open Educational Resources

3. TESSA OER Materials and Tools Production of original OERs (study units) to support school-based teacher learning Building web space to publish TESSA OERs and support developing TESSA community of users Implementation and Support Concurrent planning and implementation of TESSA OERs use in partner institutions’ programmes Research Monitoring and evaluating impact of use of TESSA OERs Accompanying research activities to inform development including Teachers’ Lives project

4. One TESSA Partner: Egerton University • Oldest institution of higher education in Kenya (1939 founded as a Farm School; 1987 full University by Act of Parliament; 2010 15,000 students) • Faculty of Education offers Bachelor of Education (primary); first degree programme for primary school teachers in Kenya • An upgrading programme for teachers with certificate qualifications, school-based. • Main objective of the programme is to improve the quality of teachers in basic education in Kenya • TESSA OERs used to enhance quality of learning in this programme

5. TESSA OERs 75 core study units Developed by academics from across Sub Saharan Africa

6. Creating TESSA OERs: A template approach Teacher Learning outcomes Introduction Narrative Resource 1 Narrative 100 Resource 2 Case Study 1 Case Study 2 Case Study 3 Resource 3 Resource 4 250 Resource 5 Activity 1 Activity 2 Activity 3 / Key Activity Resource 6 200 One page each Word count Versioned

7. Versioning or adapting the TESSA OERs Generic Materials reflect diverse contexts written in English Versioning to better match the specific needs of a particular locality or national context undertaken by teacher educators with expertise in school based teacher training and experience of open and distance learning versioning process dispersed and decentralised; local autonomy by TESSA partner institution coordinators – generic guidelines 9 versions

8. Our study: understanding the versioning proces Study undertaken in 3 countries: Ghana, Kenya and Sudan In-country semi-structured interviews with TESSA versioners and coordinators (8) and TESSA Curriculum Director TESSA materials mapping exercise to identify changes made during the versioning process analysis of one section from each module area (20% each country) Ghana, Kenya: English Sudan: Arabic (analysis in Arabic)

9. Study findings • Process of versioning or adaptation • Extent and type of changes in TESSA materials • Factors that influence versioning

10. Process of versioning:some characteristics

11. Process of versioning

12. Process of versioning

13. Process of versioning

14. Study findings • Process of versioning or adaptation • Extent and type of changes in TESSA materials • Factors that influence versioning

15. Typology of changes in TESSA materials Type A: Names: A straightforward change of the name of a person or place to one that is locally relevant. A change that requires little or no research. Type B: Culture and Environment: More complex changes including the replacement of traditional stories or historical stories with culturally relevant examples or the replacement of geographical landmarks with local examples. Type C: Curriculum: A change that brings the materials inline with the existing national curriculum to include content or language level. May involve substantial changes eg the omission or replacement of entire resources.

16. A Typology of TESSA Versioning Key Sudan Ghana Kenya Size of circle represents total number of changes Type C: Curriculum Type A: Names of People and Places Type B: Culture and Environment

17. Factors that influence the versioning process Support Access to information ‘Personal construct’ of versioners

18. Factors that influence the versioning process Support Source eg Institution, peer Timing and form Kenya1: I was trying to see if we could version some of the Kiswahili materials and my colleague was dealing with mostly English because he teaches English and I teach Kiswahili. So we thought the two of us working together could come up with something useful. Ghana3: After every session we tried to compare notes to see who is doing what and how different it is from what I am dong. So yeah it was the explanation basically and then the group sharing the challenges and strengths.

19. Factors that influence the versioning process Access to information Local knowledge, colleagues, resource persons Internet, books Sudan2: You have to go back to so many books and explore to find so many cases and to have some stories and some examples Ghana4: No, it came from memory. I was born and bred here. So I have been to a few places, I have seen a little of the world [this versioner claimed she undertook no supplementary research] Ghana2: I had to go to their computer centre and fortunately I got what I wanted on the internet.

20. Factors that influence the versioning process Personal construct of versioners Commitment and understanding of OERs Understanding of pedagogy in TESSA materials Skill set, confidence and experience Sudan1: A translator is the one who knows his language, he simply changes the translation. But the versioner is the one who knows his things. Ghana4: So I am open to innovation, my late secondary school head master said ‘every situation is a learning situation’. So I see any opportunity that comes as a learning opportunity as a learning situation that I can make the best out of it. I don’t see the worst side, I am very optimistic. At times this is bad!

21. Concluding thoughts • Small number of changes to materials • Tangible benefits to participants; • Familiarisation with the materials and their pedagogy • Increased feelings of ownership of the materials and agency with their use • Improved ICT skills • Increased understandings of OERs • ‘….knowledge and action are always local, always situated in a network of particulars.’ • Bruner ‘ The Culture of Education’ 1996 p167