Articles and Updates

There have been several recent calls for Continuous Professional Development (CPD) to take a more prominent role at the higher education level. OER Africa is in the process of developing three CPD frameworks to structure capacity building for academics, academic librarians, and senior management in higher education institutions.

Well-designed and implemented national education policy is an indispensable tool for creating and sustaining vibrant Open Educational Resource (OER) ecosystems and promoting OER adoption. A new report by Neil Butcher & Associates provides insight into the current global OER policy landscape, outlining their research on national OER policy development and implementation.

Since 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has celebrated the International Day of Education on 24 January. This, year the theme is “to invest in people, prioritize education.” This week, we draw parallels between the International Day of Education, the OER Recommendation, and OER capacity building.

UNESCO’s OER Recommendation contains an action area on accessibility, inclusion, and equity which addresses the underlying issues that are necessary to both produce and use OER. But what does effective, inclusive, and equitable access to quality OER mean and how is it being realized? Just as importantly, what are the inherent complexities?

The 5th of October is International Teachers’ Day! Part of why the world nominates one day a year to pat teachers on the back is because parents and students DO appreciate those educators who find ways to keep students excited about learning.

What initiatives or organizations do you know of who are transforming literacy learning spaces in Africa? UNESCO marks International Literacy Day every year to remind people of the importance of literacy as a matter of dignity and human rights. The theme for this year’s International Literacy Day is ‘Transforming Literacy Learning Spaces’.