Opened09 keynotes

Catherine Ngugi argues that much existing content avialble to and within african uiversities is based on weak and largerly outmoded educational design principles. On the other hand, limited ICT infrastructure hinders collaboration and interinstituional participation. The result is frastruated faculty and a very challenging OER strategy.

She articulates a vision of Africa playing a role as a producer of knowledge, with vibrant and sustainable African HE instituions and an instrastructure for sharing common intellectual capital. Leadership and sustainability are core componets, to address the challenges ushered by the knowledge economy and the threat of that leading to a new era of intellectual colonization.

Health OER in action: Knust university and the a collaboration of four universities (Michigan and Cape Town amongst others) under the TESSA programme: diverse thinking concepts, approaches and understandings

Giota Alevizou
4:33pm 12 August 2009

Catherine Ngugi notes that instituions discover capacities that they don't know they have.  More at www.oerafrica.org

Giota Alevizou
4:44pm 12 August 2009

Responding to Leigh Blackwall (WIkieducator, Otago Polytechnic, NZ): idealist visions and OERs versus neo-imperialistic challenges/tendencies: CN: it all depends on the definition of openness; Depends on the definition of OER; and also depends on the nature of partnerships; what is the purpose of (specific) partnerships? this is what defines the level of empowerment... any more points? 

Giota Alevizou
4:53pm 12 August 2009

OERs idealist visions versus neo-imperialistic challenges/tendencies; DW: remix and reuse capacity and development key; DW: remix and reuse capacity and development key for addressing the challenge of cultural imperialism: CN: raising awareness of what OERs (their nature and definition).

Giota Alevizou
5:02pm 12 August 2009

Link for TESSA: http://www.tessafrica.net/

Juliette Culver
9:33am 13 August 2009

OUNL's Fred Mulder: wikiwijs to motivate teachers using OERs; tensions over the defintion; Beyond the planning phase: "Committment is fine, engagement is better".

Giota Alevizou
4:36pm 14 August 2009