scholarly journals Analytical Insights on the Position, Challenges, and Potential for Promoting OER in ODeL Institutions in Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia K Muganda ◽  
Athuman S Samzugi ◽  
Brenda Justine Mallinson
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Work Flow ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Institutional Repository ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Institutional Policies ◽  
Flow Process ◽  
Academic Units ◽  
Participatory Research Approach

<p>This paper shares analytical insights on the position, challenges and potential for promoting Open Educational Resources (OER) in African Open Distance and eLearning (ODeL) institutions. The researchers sought to use a participatory research approach as described by Krishnaswamy (2004), in convening a sequence of two workshops at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) as a strategy for collecting data to obtain the aforementioned insight.  The principal workshop objectives were to analyse the existing status of OER at the OUT and subsequently to share lessons learned in OER creation and production, integration and use, and hosting and dissemination. Other objectives were to discuss the rationale for an institutional OER policy and identify a suitable work-flow process for developing OER at the OUT. The workshop participants were purposively selected for their experience in co-developing OER materials with various outside organisations. The study included 28 representatives of the OUT academic units, and one facilitator from OER Africa. Research techniques used to collect data included a questionnaire, focused group discussions, presentations, and panel discussions. Results indicated that OUT staff were willing to engage with OER but had limited awareness, skills and competencies in the creation, integration and use of OER. The outcome of the study was the development of nine draft OER resolutions expressing needs that include the development of a comprehensive institutional OER policy related to existing institutional policies in order to guide, support and promote research and sustainable OER practice via holistic participation. Enabling strategies included capacity building, increased internal and external collaboration, and enhanced access to and visibility of OER via the institutional repository.</p>

Innovating for Transformation in First Nations Health Using Community-Based Participatory Research

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 1036-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grace Kyoon-Achan ◽  
Josée Lavoie ◽  
Kathi Avery Kinew ◽  
Wanda Phillips-Beck ◽  
Naser Ibrahim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
First Nations ◽  
Participatory Research ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Community Based Participatory Research ◽  
Study Data ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Sustainable Change ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Participatory Research Approach

Community-based participatory research (CBPR) provides the opportunity to engage communities for sustainable change. We share a journey to transformation in our work with eight Manitoba First Nations seeking to improve the health of their communities and discuss lessons learned. The study used community-based participatory research approach for the conceptualization of the study, data collection, analysis, and knowledge translation. It was accomplished through a variety of methods, including qualitative interviews, administrative health data analyses, surveys, and case studies. Research relationships built on strong ethics and protocols to enhance mutual commitment to support community-driven transformation. Collaborative and respectful relationships are platforms for defining and strengthening community health care priorities. We further discuss how partnerships were forged to own and sustain innovations. This article contributes a blueprint for respectful CBPR. The outcome is a community-owned, widely recognized process that is sustainable while fulfilling researcher and funding obligations.

scholarly journals Inside Out: A Curriculum for Making Grant Outputs into OER

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Quail ◽  
Sarah Coysh
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Working Group ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Open Educational Resources ◽  
Educational Resources ◽  
Open Education ◽  
Institutional Repository ◽  
Teaching Innovation ◽  
Creative Commons

Catalyzed by the passing of the York University Open Access Policy last year, a recognition has been growing at York University, like most other institutions, about the value of Open Educational Resources (OER) and more broadly, open education. This heightened awareness led to the formation of a campus-wide Open Education Working Group in January 2020. The group advocated that faculty members who receive internal funding for teaching innovation projects through York’s Academic Innovation Fund (AIF) should include a Creative Commons license on their grant outputs to facilitate the re-use, and potentially re-mixing, of the content by educators inside and outside of York University. A copy and/or link to their grant output would also be deposited into York’s institutional repository, YorkSpace. To support the 71 funded projects in achieving these lofty goals, an open education and open licensing curriculum was developed by two of the librarian members of the Open Education Working Group. This session describes how the librarians created the training program and participants will leave the session better understanding: How to develop learning modules for adult learners and apply these best practices when teaching faculty online (synchronously & asynchronously); How to access York’s open education training program and learn how they can remix the content for their own institution’s training purposes; The common types of questions and misconceptions that arise when teaching an open education and Creative Commons licensing program for faculty. Originally the program was conceived as an in-person workshop series; however, with the COVID-19 campus closure, it was redesigned into a four module synchronous and asynchronous educational program delivered via Moodle, H5P and Zoom. Modeled after the SUNY OER Community Course and materials from Abbey Elder’s OER Starter Kit, the program gave grant recipients a grounding in open educational resources, searching open course material repositories, copyright/Creative Commons licensing, and content deposit in York’s institutional repository, including OER metadata creation and accessibility considerations. The librarians modeled best practices in the use and creation of Creative Commons licensed resources throughout the program. Qualitative feedback was gathered at the end of each module in both the synchronous and asynchronous offerings of the program and will be shared with participants. The presenters will also discuss lessons learned, next steps, and some of the challenges they encountered. https://youtu.be/n6dT8UNLtJo

The utility of non-formal education in addressing the school dropout phenomenon : a case study of Asifundeni Secondary School in Makonde District Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 41-69
Author(s):  
Francis Muchenje ◽  
◽  
Pedzisai Goronga
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
School Dropout ◽  
School Level ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Secondary School Level

The study sought to explore students' views on the utility of non-formal education in addressing the school dropout phenomenon at secondary school level. Qualitative research approach was adopted and a case study design was utilised. The population consisted of all the students in the non-formal programme at the school from which a sample of 11 students (2 male and 9 female) was selected through purposive stratified sampling technique. Data were gathered through structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Non-formal education was seen to address the school dropout phenomenon by providing school drop outs with an opportunity to continue their education and hence becomes a form of empowerment. A number of challenges such as lack of adequate tuition in some subjects, lack of conducive learning environment as well as negative perception of non-formal education held by pupils in the formal stream and community members were identified. The study recommends that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education should review the staffing situation in schools to ensure the availability of teachers in the various subjects in the non-formal stream. Schools should make an effort to provide appropriate learning facilities for students in the nonformal stream. Furthermore, schools should conscientise their communities on the importance of non-formal education.

scholarly journals Gasification of Biomass in Supercritical Water, Challenges for the Process Design—Lessons Learned from the Operation Experience of the First Dedicated Pilot Plant

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 455
Author(s):  
Nikolaos Boukis ◽  
I. Katharina Stoll
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Supercritical Water ◽  
Process Design ◽  
Pilot Plant ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Flow Process ◽  
Combustible Gas ◽  
Supercritical Water Gasification ◽  
Robust Process

Gasification of organic matter under the conditions of supercritical water (T > 374 °C, p > 221 bar) is an allothermal, continuous flow process suitable to convert materials with high moisture content (<20 wt.% dry matter) into a combustible gas. The gasification of organic matter with water as a solvent offers several benefits, particularly the omission of an energy-intensive drying process. The reactions are fast, and mean residence times inside the reactor are consequently low (less than 5 min). However, there are still various challenges to be met. The combination of high temperature and pressure and the low concentration of organic matter require a robust process design. Additionally, the low value of the feed and the product predestinate the process for decentralized applications, which is a challenge for the economics of an application. The present contribution summarizes the experience gained during more than 10 years of operation of the first dedicated pilot plant for supercritical water gasification of biomass. The emphasis lies on highlighting the challenges in process design. In addition to some fundamental results gained from comparable laboratory plants, selected experimental results of the pilot plant “VERENA” (acronym for the German expression “experimental facility for the energetic exploitation of agricultural matter”) are presented.

scholarly journals Integrating a Sport-Based Trauma-Sensitive Program in a National Youth-Serving Organization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Shaikh ◽  
C. Bean ◽  
L. Bergholz ◽  
M. Rojas ◽  
M. Ali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Program Development ◽  
Program Implementation ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Academic Community ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Community Context ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Action Research Approach ◽  
Interdisciplinary Partnership

AbstractThere is a pressing need to equip youth-serving community organizations to respond to the unique needs of trauma-exposed children. Early prevention measures can be an effective means of redirecting children to self-regulatory healing, while facilitating their transition toward strength-based thriving. Sport can offer a powerful opportunity to reach these children; however there remains little information on how to effectively develop, deliver, evaluate, and sustain trauma-sensitive sport programs in a community context. The purpose of this paper is to outline a case study of integrating sport-based trauma-sensitive practices with BGC Canada’s national Bounce Back League program. An interdisciplinary partnership of academic, community, and practice experts used a community-based participatory action research approach, paired with a knowledge translational approach, to guide the process of program development. Mixed methods (e.g., surveys, logbooks, interviews, focus groups, online communications) were used to generate ongoing insights of staff’s training experiences, successes and challenges of program implementation, and potential impact of program on club members. Several stages of program development are described, including: (a) collaboratively planning the program; (b) piloting the program to three clubs; (c) adapting the program using pilot insights; (d) expanding the adapted program to ten clubs; and (e) creating opportunities to maintain, sustain, and scale-out practices throughout grant duration and beyond. Lessons learned regarding the leadership team’s experiences in terms of developing, adapting, and integrating trauma-sensitive practices in this community context are shared.

Disability and Social Exclusion

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elina I. Tobias ◽  
Sourav Mukhopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Focus Group Discussions ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Community Activities ◽  
Individual Interviews

This article explores the experiences of social exclusion of individuals with visual impairment (IWVI) as they negotiate their daily lives in their homes and societal settings in the Oshana and Oshikoto regions of Namibia. Employing qualitative research approach, this research tried to better understand the lived experiences of IWVI. Nine IWVI with ages ranging from 30 to 90 years were initially engaged in focus group discussions, followed by semi-structured in-depth individual interviews. The findings of this research indicated that IWVI experience exclusion from education, employment and social and community participation as well as relationships. Based on these findings, we suggest more inclusive policies to address social exclusion of IWVI. At the same time, this group of individuals should be empowered to participate in community activities to promote interaction with people without visual impairments.

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