Educators and librarians who want to learn more about teaching with technology will find this Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Introduction to Technology-Enabled Learning (TEL), informative and engaging. Using up-to-date learning design and simple, accessible technology, the course runs on an easy-to-use learning platform available via the Internet. The course is designed for teachers who want to build on their knowledge and practice in teaching and learning with technology. It will run over five weeks and requires approximately three to five hours of time each week. Designed to accommodate busy schedules, the course offers flexibility with options for learning the content. You will learn from readings, videos, discussions with other participants and instructors, meaningful exercises, quizzes and short assignments. Certification is available for those who wish to complete all required exercises and quizzes. Read more
TEL4MOOC-Brochure-2019PCF9: The Edinburgh Statement
The 9th Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF9), co-organised by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and The Open University (OU) was hosted in Edinburgh from 9-12 September 2019.
Mindful of relevant international statements including:
The Nadi Declaration from the last Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers (CCEM) in 2018, which encouraged the implementation of specific actions to provide the opportunity for at least 12 years of quality education and learning for girls and boys by 2030 by investing in skilled, motivated and supportive teachers, educational facilities, and focusing on education reforms, guided by the principle to leave no one behind;
the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 4 of ensuring ‘inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all’;
the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018 youth forum actions which include: skill sharing, entrepreneurship education and greater opportunities for young people to access enterprise funding;
And The 2016 Kuala Lumpur Declaration as established by the delegation at PCF8: promoting lifelong learning through appropriate technologies; reinforcing skills development for sustainable livelihoods; encouraging research and innovation to promote access and equity; enhancing teacher training through policy and practice; emphasising the role of leadership and learner-centered pedagogies in facilitating inclusivity; and reinforcing the commitment of the commonwealth through ODL to collaboratively support small island nations and developing countries to address economic, energy and climate change challenges and build resilience for the future.
Forum partners from over 60 countries believe that it is possible to significantly accelerate progress towards the aim and targets of SDG4 by prioritising the several collective actions now. These actions are outlined in the Edinburgh Statement.
Article based on the abstract from the Edinburgh Statement 2.0.
Call for proposals to COL to enhance Open Schooling
The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is committed to a vision of all out-of-school children and youth having an opportunity to access and succeed in schooling.
COL’s Open Schooling portfolio (see https://www.col.org/programmes/open-schooling) seeks proposals for support to enhance open schooling practice. Our current focus is on interventions that will have a direct impact positively on learners and learning resulting in improved enrolment, retention, pass rates and/or progression.
Proposals to be considered for the 2019-2020 financial year need to be received by 18 October 2019.
NIOS Diploma in Open Schooling Programme Workshop
NIOS organized two days workshop on orientation of Course Co-coordinators of Diploma in Open Schooling Programme on 19 th – 20 th August, 2019 wherein delegates from The Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), Namibia, The National Institute of Education (NIE), Sri Lanka, Open School, Bangladesh Open University, Mauritius Institute of Training and Development, Ministry of General Education, Zambia and Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Belize participated making it a grand success. This is an International Diploma Programme which would capacity build open school functionaries in the Commonwealth countries. It was a unique opportunity for the participants for information sharing and brainstorming.
The delegates were registered and trained on SWAYAM MOOCs www.swayam.gov.in portal of Government of India which would help them access Indian Courses free of cost in their respective regions.
Prof. C.B. Sharma, Chairman NIOS inaugurated the programme mentioning it as a dream project of NIOS. He congratulated all for being a part of the programme. He further thanked the Commonwealth of Learning for resource sharing among different parts of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth of Learning APTUS Training in Zambia
Image: ICT teacher Mr. Emmanuel Mwale introducing other members of staff to the use of Aptus and Notesmaster Platform
Participants from twenty Open Innovative Schools (OIS) undergo training in the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) both online and offline using an APTUS Gadget. The training was conducted by the Ministry of General Education in collaboration with the Commonwealth of Learning (COL). It was facilitated by two Consultants, namely Mr Dean Dundas from Notesmaster and Ms Wilhelmina Louw from Namibian College of Open Learning. The 20 Centre Managers and 20 Communications Information Technology teachers underwent a week-long training in Lusaka, Zambia.
This idea of Open Innovative Schooling has aroused a lot of interest among the teaching and instructional staff especially the use of the global learning platform – Notesmaster. This has enhanced teacher’s preparedness in their teaching as the Ministry of General Education/ Open Educational Resources (MoGE/OER) provides readily available resources that are freely accessible on the Notesmaster Learning Management System (LMS). Above all, the developed MoGE/OER on Notesmaster platform are in the public domain, that is; they can be revisited, reused, repurposed, remixed and redistributed. A teacher can adapt and adopt the material to suit one’s teaching requirements.
This training has been rolled out to all to all skills and academic staff at Kabwe School for Continuing Education (SCE). Teachers and Instructors alike were also given an opportunity to learn about the concept of Open Innovative Schooling (OIS).
Kabwe School for Continuing Education through Technology Assisted Learning will take their District to the next level through the use of OER in an effort to implement the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) pillar six (6) which emphasizes on “leaving no one behind”. The OERs have contributed to a growing body of shared and valuable educational resources for both teachers and learners. The use of technology in teaching has now been appreciated. Some of our teachers have now become proponents of technology-enabled learning after having the feel of Notesmaster LMS.
In addition to the MOGE/OER on Notesmaster platform the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) has also procured the APTUS developed by) has also been appreciated as it provides a repository of quality educational resources similar to those found on the Notesmaster platform. The fact that the Aptus needs no internet connectivity has been seen as the ideal alternative to the online Notesmaster as long as it is constantly uploaded with more resources. The Aptus has virtually eliminated the challenges that come with internet connectivity compounded by the high cost of bundles in this part of the world.
Undoubtedly, the concept of open schooling and the use of technology in learning will increase access to quality education which will be beneficial to the out-of-school learners and also those who are in regular schooling.
Article contributed by Mr Elias Mbotwa Chanda, Open Innovative Schooling (OIS) – Centre Manager, Kabwe School for Continuing Education
PCF9 Online Forum
Participate in the PCF9 Online Forum from 17 June to 12 July 2019!
The theme of PCF9 is ‘Innovations for Quality Education and Lifelong Learning.’ This Online Forum will be comprised of four sessions, based on the sub-themes of PCF9:
Employability
Equity and Inclusion
Opening up Education
Technology
To join the Online Forum, please select at least one session and complete the registration form.
Register now for PCF9 Online Forum
The ninth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning (PCF9) will take place from 9-12 September 2019 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Can’t wait?
You can participate in the PCF9 Online Forum from 17 June to 12 July 2019!
The theme of PCF9 is ‘Innovations for Quality Education and Lifelong Learning.’ This Online Forum will be comprised of four sessions, based on the sub-themes of PCF9:
- Employability
- Equity and Inclusion
- Opening up Education
- Technology
To join the Online Forum, please select at least one session and complete the registration form.
Learn and Understand Open Educational Resources
Open Educational Resources and the open movement have recently evolved and in many ways challenge age-old educational traditions and conventions. The popularity of the Internet and the ability to copy and distribute digital content has played a major role in this regard.
There are various challenges that practitioners face when it comes to harnessing Open Educational Resources. Some of the challenges that users of Open Educational Resources often face are the sourcing of appropriate Open Educational Resources, understanding open licences, requirement of new skills, the predominance of the traditional mindset, robust internet connectivity, good ICT availability and incentivisation of lesson creation.
Understanding Open Educational Resources (OER) is a free online course from the Commonwealth of Learning that is designed to improve your knowledge as a practitioner. The course is short and takes about 2 hours in total to complete. But many learners like to adopt a strategy to complete the course in several sittings.
MOOC on Sustainable Business
We are pleased to inform you that the Commonwealth of Learning has collaborated with the Open University of Mauritius to develop a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) entitled ‘Introduction to Sustainable Development in Business.’
This course covers topics including the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the challenges and complexities in achieving them, as well as sustainable trade, sustainable production and consumption, perspectives on the sustainable business scorecard and more. The MOOC will begin on 31 May 2019 and continue for a four-week period. A certificate of completion will be awarded by the Open University of Mauritius with the Commonwealth of Learning.
We encourage you to disseminate this information to students at your institution/potential candidates in your organisation. Please find attached a flyer for the course that can be distributed to the students. To register and find out more information, they can visit www.mooc4dev.org/node/297.
Click here to download the course brochure.
MOOC BrochurefVisit of Teacher Trainees to NIOS
Teacher trainees pursuing Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programme from Jagannath Institute of Education, Greater Noida, India visited National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) HQ, Noida on 15 th April, 2019 to learn about NIOS, it’s functioning and initiatives towards ensuring accessible and quality education for all. The participants were oriented on some key aspects of open schooling such as curriculum planning & development of self-learning material, vocational education, student support services and ICT Interventions including the development of Massive Open Online Courses. A total of 65 teacher trainees participated in the said programme.
Article originally contributed by Dr. Madhur Bhatia
Photos of the event below.
OECS-Notesmaster Montserrat Report
What is the OECS-MOE Montserrat Program?
The Organization of Eastern Caribbean States-Notesmaster Montserrat Initiative was launched 26-27 November, 2018. The program has goals of introducing primary level teachers to new e-Learning technologies and increasing the numbers of high-quality learning resources available to stakeholders across the OECS, in dedicated subject-based repositories. The content output from this programme will be accessible through the forthcoming OECS Learning Hub, which is being developed by Notesmaster in partnership with the OECS EDMU, and through which all member states will experience a highly supportive eLearning environment. Notesmaster is also supporting CXC® in developing its new Learning Institute platform and this will provide on-demand training to all Montserrat stakeholders. Training will be conducted by CXC® and include sensitization of students, parents and teachers on newly released syllabuses, exams, SBAs, instructional materials and all other related areas.
OECS-Notesmaster Regional plans for MOE-Montserrat and all other Member States
The forthcoming OECS Learning Hub will host and conduct the current Early Learner Program (ELP) and all future initiatives. Users will experience a virtual, user-friendly space, through which interactive content, lessons and workshops will be delivered. The hub will also serve to link all of the current, upcoming and proposed OECS-CXC-NM programs together, providing a single networking experience. This OECS Hub, Notesmaster 2019 and the CXC Learning Institute, will carry a single sign-on; meaning the same username and password created for Notesmaster, will be used to access the OECS HUB and the CXC LI, thereby promoting a seamless browser experience across the three different platforms.
In summary, Notesmaster will support MOE-Montserrat and its learning communities by supporting them in realizing their own ICT goals. The partnership will also integrate MOE-Montserrat closely with the regional activities of other OECS member states and also with the region’s examinations provider. The outcomes are designed to boost the MOE-Montserrat’s ICT capabilities. A range of customization features will give MOE-Montserrat personnel, greater control over the experiences enjoyed by stakeholders and foster greater collaboration as they work alongside the OECS EDMU in this new digital environment. The results will give a teacher access to their own content, content from their MOE, content from the EDMU, content from CXC® and content from all the other CXC® participating territories. The platform will foster a social sharing approach to content dissemination and facilitate on-demand and scheduled live learning. The platform will also promote the continued creation and dissemination of Open Educational Resources, as it supports a number of content creation activities in 2019, across the Caribbean.
Article originally contributed by Damon Clarke, Director, Notesmaster Caribbean
Notesmaster UNICEF Report: Trinidad and Tobago
NotesMaster is proud to partner with UNICEF Eastern Caribbean in improving educational initiatives through Information and Communication Technology (ICT). This renewed approach to education will ensure that every child receives equal learning opportunities that begin from early childhood, through to high school and prepares them with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive on a path to a promising future.
For the girl who grows up poor in a remote rural area, staying in school and learning can protect her from child marriage, intimate-partner violence and continued poverty. For the boy who lives in an urban slum, schooling instead of child labour can provide him with the skills needed for a better-paying and more fulfilling job as an adult. For children in emergencies, education offers safety, a sense of normality and the knowledge needed to build a more peaceful future.
The first of many initiatives between UNICEF ECA and NotesMaster Caribbean commenced on May 13th. Training a set of highly motivated educators to develop OERs aimed at catering to multiple learning styles and employing ICT best practices in the classroom. The week-long training and development was held at the Cipriani Labour College in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). All participants received a certificate of recognition (sample shown below).
Article originally contributed by Damon Clarke, Director, Notesmaster Caribbean
