Completed Programmes

This page described programmes completed by Open Development & Education. For current programmes, click here.

TVET Research in Sub-Saharan Africa

Open Development & Education is undertaking research in TVET in sub-Saharan Africa for GOVET on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The German Office for International Cooperation in Vocational Education and Training (GOVET) is the national German vocational education and training cooperation partner for international collaboration. This project assessed the state of research regarding TVET (technical and vocational education and training) in sub-Saharan Africa and identified key research, researchers and research organisations. We undertook a content analysis of over 300 relevant publications, which are supplemented by interviews, a “structured community review” (SCR) and focus groups. The project resulted in recommendations for German bilateral cooperation in the area of TVET research. GOVET is part of the German Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Bundesinstitut für Berufsbildung, Germany) situated within the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Germany), which will allocate funding based on the recommendations of this report. The report is now available in English and German.

TPD for Secondary Mathematics Teachers in Cameroon

Client: COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING (FEBRUARY 2019 – MAY 2019)

The project consisted of

  • a desktop review of teacher professional development (TPD) projects and models of relevance to Mathematics teaching in Sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries;
  • a situation analysis of mathematics teaching in secondary schools in Cameroon (including the extent of use of inclusive pedagogies);
  • a review of the current status of teacher professional development in Cameroon, including national policies;
  • capturing teacher professional development initiatives for secondary school teachers, including teacher digital learning and mathematics education.

Further, the project will reviewed COL’s strategy, content and key resources for COL’s Blueprint and Toolkit for school-based (TPD), including future intervention scenarios for technology-enabled teacher professional development in inclusive mathematics education in Cameroon (including possibilities with eLearning, microlearning and establishing communities of practice). Finally, the project identified potential partner institutions in Cameroon, including the potential role of the Ministry of Secondary Education.

Haßler, B., D’Angelo, S., Walker, H., & Marsden, M. (2019). Synthesis of Reviews on Teacher Professional Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cambridge, UK: Open Development & Education. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3497271 (Available here: https://docs.opendeved.net/lib/SC8FTPC4.)

Modules for Teacher Professional Development

Client: SAVE THE CHILDREN (December 2018 – February 2019)

Save the Children has developed an open-source set of teacher professional development modules, the ‘Foundations of Teaching’ (http://www.foundations-of-teaching.org), providing multiple ways for teachers to develop foundational teaching competencies. In this project, we developed three new comprehensive modules:

  • Conflict Sensitive Education/Peace Education,
  • Positive Discipline/Codes of Conduct, and
  • Girls’ Education.

In addition, we developed documented effective practices in teacher development, to further enhance the existing model.

Interactive Teaching Programme for Community Schools

Client: ROGER FEDERER FOUNDATION (January 2016 – March 2018)

This activity supported the Roger Federer Foundation in the development and implementation of in-service professional development programmes, promoting the solving of “persistent problems of practice”, such as rote learning. The iACT programme for unqualified teachers in Zambian community is delivered through tablets as work-based learning. The programme focuses on raising learning outcomes within the Zambian curriculum, and strategically utilises technology to supplement school-based teacher development. The programme is designed for scale, and will ultimately reach 30,000 teachers in community schools in Zambia. A new programme focussing on early childhood education in Namibia is planned, and we are currently assessing the research literature and active engagement.

Support for Donor Organisations

Client: Digital Impact Alliance; conducted in partnership with: Jigsaw

This programme support donors, including governmental and non-governmental donors and ministries, regarding their digital development policies, and particularly the Principles for Digital Development. It seeks to design programmes and resources, including work-based learning, that will effectively and efficiently shape policy development and implementation.

Haßler, B., Brugha, M., Muyoya, C., Mitchell, J., Hollow, D., & Jackson, A. (2018). Donor Organizations & the Principles for Digital Development: A Landscape Assessment and Gap Analysis. (Principles for Digital Development — Resource Development Program Asset No. 1). Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1204703. (Available here: https://docs.opendeved.net/lib/I2CG3TP3)

Raising Quality in Higher Education 

ZAMBIA EDUCATION SECTOR SUPPORT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (ZESSTA) (July 2017)

Support to the Zambian Ministry of Higher Education and Ministry of General Education on raising quality in higher education (universities and teacher colleges), particularly focussing on the use of ICT to improve enable high-quality curriculum teaching and learning, given the overall conditions of large classes. The support is embedded in the Ministry, with close interaction at all levels. The work includes the development of a distributed self-paced learning programme, delivered through a combination of Moodle and WhatsApp, promoting 21st-century teaching and learning skills, including learning with ICT skills, as well as Leadership for Learning.

Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL)

Client: CAMBRIDGE EDUCATION (July 2015 – December 2016)

We had responsibility for programme Component 1 (Coaching, Tutor Professional Development) of the T-TEL programme in Ghana (£17m, UKaid / DFID). This included the design and execution of a three-year professional development programme for college lecturers in the 40 Ghanaian tertiary Colleges of Education (pre-service teacher education). The programme covers subject-pedagogy, use of technology in education, gender-sensitive pedagogy, and integrates video and multimedia. The role had a particular focus on the appropriate use of technology in education delivery and the use of ICT in monitoring and evaluation, including an in-depth ICT-survey of all colleges. The role included supervision of the five regional project managers, as well as conducting extensive staff development in the areas of communication and basic ICT use. It involved close collaboration with the Government of Ghana National Council for Tertiary Education.

The extensive materials from the programme are available here.

Perspectives on Technology, Resources and Learning

Client: ARM

four projects; February 2014 – April 2016

  • White paper entitled ”Perspectives on Technology, Resources and Learning — Productive Classroom Practices, Effective Teacher Professional Development”;
  • white paper on tablet-use in schools (also published as an academic paper);
  • short film highlighting tablet-based learning in Zambia;
  • developing a strategy for engagement with the education sector, including an external communications strategy.

British Council 

Feb 2015 – June 2015

Development of the teacher professional development programme with global reach in a consortium of seven organisations. Trialling of materials in Lebanon. The programme can be undertaken both face-to-face, as well as online delivered through the British Council learning platform.

Raspberry Pi Foundation 

December 2014 – March 2015

Surveying the current use of Raspberry Pi in sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific focus on applications within education (including primary, secondary and higher education), as well as applications supporting infrastructure for education. Collaborating with partners in over 12 African countries.  Developing a strategy for Raspberry Pi in SSA.

African Virtual University

November 2014

Contributed to AVU-TEP teacher education programme. Developed French and Portuguese versions of the OER Guidance for Schools for use in anglophone and lusophone Africa.

OER Guidance for Schools

Client: Leicester City Council 

May 2014 – October 2014

Developed the OER Guidance for Schools, an education programme supporting teachers and school staff with understanding and making use of open licensing, and creating and sharing their own Open Educational Resources. The OER Guidance has received praise for exceptional clarity of presentation, and successful teacher workshops are being conducted on an ongoing basis.

Campaign for Female Education (Camfed)

October 2008 – June 2011

Together with Aptivate, we developed and delivered a technology professional development programme to support the development of business skills for women in deep-rural Zambia; established a rural resource centre to offer courses and digital skills development for young women; established monitoring and evaluation procedures to support rural businesses.

UNESCO 

February 2009 – June 2009

Facilitated an OER Community discussion on access to Open Educational Resources; conceptualisation of the three OER freedoms (legal, technological, participatory).