Track Session Type
Creation: OER Creation & Management, Copyright, Licensing, and CC101, Instructional Design and Ed Tech for OER, Open Pedagogy
Presentation Type
Presentation
OER Level of Expertise
Intermediate
Audience
Faculty, instructional designer, Staff
Leveraging Openness: Exploring OER Integration for Enhanced Blended Learning Design at the University of Namibia
Session Abstract
Blended learning integrating online and face-to-face instruction is an increasingly prevalent model in higher education globally. However, effective design of blended programmes poses challenges, especially in resource-constrained contexts. This study explores the potential of open educational resources (OER) to augment blended course development processes at the University of Namibia. The University of Namibia's vision is to contribute to the achievement of national and international development goals through the pursuit of translational research, quality training and innovation. The accompanying mission statement is thus: To be a sustainable international hub of excellence in higher education, training, research and innovation by 2030. The University of Namibia is the largest university in Namibia. Qualitative data will be gathered from instructors across disciplines who have recently created or taught blended courses regarding design approaches, resource gaps and OER perceptions through surveys and interviews. Document analysis of learning outcomes and module content in redesigned courses will be conducted. The aim is to assess the extent to which OER can support blended course redesign in terms of finding relevant quality materials, fostering pedagogical innovation and promoting cost savings. Study findings will inform institutional policies on incentive structures to encourage OER adoption and develop faculty capacity in open resource curation, attribution, licensing and remixing through professional development. By illuminating instructor experiences in improving blended programme design leveraging OER in a developing country setting, this research contributes empirical insights to guide context-appropriate OER integration and advocacy strategies at African universities more broadly. The goal is democratising access to world-class curriculum content to help achieve quality blended learning implementations across academic programs at the University of Namibia and beyond. There might be need to concentrate the hands-on activity on a particular aspect. This will be decided when I know who are the session participants and what particular background they have.
Keywords
Blended learning, Open educational resources (OER), Course development, Cost savings, African universities
Objectives of the Session
- Assess the extent to which OER can support blended course redesign at the University of Namibia in terms of finding relevant materials, enabling pedagogical innovation, and promoting cost savings.
- Inform institutional policies to encourage OER adoption through incentive structures and develop faculty capacity in open resource curation, attribution, licensing and remixing.
- Contribute empirical insights from the instructor experiences at the University of Namibia to guide context-appropriate OER integration and advocacy strategies at other African universities more broadly.
Full Description of the Session
Participants will likely come from a range of backgrounds - administrators, library staff, instructional designers and faculty across disciplines. Facilitated small and large group discussions will allow these stakeholders to share perspectives on the potential for OER to transform teaching and learning at the University of Namibia. Rich debates may unfold around striking the right balance between cost savings and pedagogical effectiveness when integrating OER.
Hands-on activities would require participants to collaboratively search OER repositories, evaluate the licensing and quality of materials, and explore ways they could be adapted and remixed. Peer-to-peer coaching may organically develop, with quick learners assisting those less familiar with OER. Laughter and frustration may both arise during this process of mutual discovery.
Brainstorming sessions could lead to animated exchanges as people pitch ideas back and forth for innovating curricula with OER. The session leaders would aim to create a judgment-free environment so creativity can flourish. Groups would be tasked with developing concrete proposals for OER integration in blended contexts across institutional, national and African higher education landscapes.
Throughout the sessions, a spirit of openness and collective purpose should emerge. The shared mission will be to chart an actionable path forward that leverages OER and empowers teaching faculty. Participants would feel they are contributing to something bigger than themselves or their institutional roles. The collaboration itself will help lay foundations for continued OER momentum at the University and beyond.
Presenter Bios
Associate Professor Karen Ferreira-Meyers (Institute of Distance Education, University of Eswatini, Eswatini) holds a PhD in French and Francophone literature – autofiction and autobiography and four MA degrees. She also has a strong track record in teacher development in Southern African contexts and expertise in the area of blended, distance and e-learning and teaching. Her research interests are varied: from teacher training, Open, Distance and e-Learning (ODeL), Open Education, Open Schooling, teaching and learning of languages (English, French and Portuguese in particular), doctoral studies, teacher professional development, Artificial Intelligence, online facilitation, digital transformation, self-directed learning, quality assurance in education, micro-credentials, instructional design, to autofiction and autobiography, crime and detective fiction, African literatures in so-called European languages. She has published over 100 papers in English and in French, various book chapters, two books and more than 100 book reviews, many of which are on African literature. She enjoys working collaboratively and has been tasked with the leading of project teams on several occasions.
Publishing Permission
1
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Start Date
4-4-2024 10:00 AM
End Date
4-4-2024 10:50 AM
Leveraging Openness: Exploring OER Integration for Enhanced Blended Learning Design at the University of Namibia
Participants will likely come from a range of backgrounds - administrators, library staff, instructional designers and faculty across disciplines. Facilitated small and large group discussions will allow these stakeholders to share perspectives on the potential for OER to transform teaching and learning at the University of Namibia. Rich debates may unfold around striking the right balance between cost savings and pedagogical effectiveness when integrating OER.
Hands-on activities would require participants to collaboratively search OER repositories, evaluate the licensing and quality of materials, and explore ways they could be adapted and remixed. Peer-to-peer coaching may organically develop, with quick learners assisting those less familiar with OER. Laughter and frustration may both arise during this process of mutual discovery.
Brainstorming sessions could lead to animated exchanges as people pitch ideas back and forth for innovating curricula with OER. The session leaders would aim to create a judgment-free environment so creativity can flourish. Groups would be tasked with developing concrete proposals for OER integration in blended contexts across institutional, national and African higher education landscapes.
Throughout the sessions, a spirit of openness and collective purpose should emerge. The shared mission will be to chart an actionable path forward that leverages OER and empowers teaching faculty. Participants would feel they are contributing to something bigger than themselves or their institutional roles. The collaboration itself will help lay foundations for continued OER momentum at the University and beyond.