A Collaborative Approach to OER Policy and Guidelines Development in the Commonwealth: The Case of Botswana, Cameroon, and Sri Lanka

Abstract

Access to relevant learning resources is an important aspect in ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all as outlined in the sustainable development goal 4 (SDG4). The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has identified the development of open educational resources (OER) as a potential answer to these challenges. A total of 29 provincial/regional OER policies and guidelines were developed in Sri Lanka, Botswana, and Cameroon closely involving 608 provincial/regional policymakers from the general education system. The innovation of this project lies in the collaborative approach adopted for OER policy/guideline development where a maximum number of policymakers at the provincial/regional level have been included in the policy development process. Key applications of the approach are mass-sensitization of policymakers, identification of champions in each province or region to drive the OER agenda forward, and the development of policies/guidelines tailored to the specific needs of a particular jurisdiction. The paper will also highlight the success factors, challenges, and the follow-up activities of the project.

OER Mainstreaming in Cameroon: Perceptions and Barriers

“…The survey instruments were administered to the participants after a one-year nationwide workshop conducted to sensitise the regional pedagogic supervisors on the potentials of OER as a sustainable strategy to cut down the high cost of textbooks for both teachers and learners while enhancing learning outcomes (Abeywardena et al, 2018).…”

“…Responding to the need, COL funded a nationwide sensitisation and advocacy campaign in 2016 ( Figure 1) targeting Pedagogic Supervisors of the Ministries of Basic and Secondary Education. These were targeted because they regularly interact with teachers, supervising the quality of teaching and learning in their classrooms (Abeywardena, Karunanayaka, Nkwenti, & Tladi, 2018). As key actors in the educational system, they were assumed to be in the best position to contribute in the mainstreaming of OER into the instructional process in Cameroon.…”

Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) and Governmental Open Educational Resources (OER) Policies: Instruments of International Policy Influence

“…In the context of the literature that examines the effects of globalisation on public educational policy, numerous authors (Inamorato dos Abeywardena, et al, 2018;Abeywardena, et al, 2019;Lingard et al, 2005;Rizvi & Lingard, 2010;Shahjahan, 2012;Jakobi, 2009a;Jakobi, 2009b) have argued that public policymaking is no longer confined within national boundaries and explored the roles of IGOs and policy networks in influencing public education policy processes. Increasingly, national policymakers have been interconnected with policy actors beyond nation-states such as IGOs and other policy networks (Rizvi & Lingard, 2010;Henry et al, 2001).…”

“…The majority of previous research activities carried out in the period 2011-2020 primarily focused on documenting the adoption and growth of public OER policies worldwide and did not investigate the role of IGOs OER policy instruments on the development of the reported governmental OER policies (Hylén et al, 2012;Hoosen, 2012;Orr, Rimini & van Damme, 2015;COL, 2017;Inamorato dos Santos et al, 2017;Ossiannilsson, Hakan & Wetzler, 2020). The published information on this topic is limited to several studies or reports examining the effect of some OER policy instruments, such as technical assistance or discursive dissemination, of IGOs such as UNESCO, COL or EC, on the development of governmental OER or Open Education policies in a specific country or a group of countries in a particular geographical region (Inamorato dos ORS Impact, 2015;Abeywardena, et al, 2018;Abeywardena, et al, 2019). There is not yet a clear understanding of the instruments of OER policy influence, collectively applied by different IGOs, in the context of governmental OER policy processes and their effectiveness.…”

Towards a Devolved Model of Management of OER? The Case of the Irish Higher Education Sector

“…Ultimately, in the context of the enhancement of teaching and learning, any OER initiative should have an OEP component, which includes practices that support the reuse and production of OER through institutional policies, promote innovative pedagogical models, and respect and empower learners as co-producers on their lifelong learning paths (Ehlers, 2011). Policy change and strategic buy-in is crucial in the institutional journey as it can be an indicator of OEP maturity and provides clear evidence of a commitment to changing practice, which ultimately supports sustainability (Abeywardena, Karunanayaka, Nkwenti, & Tladi, 2018;Cronin, 2017). Given the low levels of awareness and understanding of openness in higher education in general, national and institutional policies need to place greater emphasis on OEP, and open education more generally.…”