RCCP II eConversation Series 8: Open Educational Resources for Higher Education in South Africa

ABOUT

During this 90 minute online RCCPII eConversation session our guest speakers from OER Africa, Tony Lelliot and Neil Butcher, will share knowledge on open educational resources and their relevance in higher education. The session will include two short presentations followed by time for discussion and questions.

Tony Lelliott will give a presentation on the concept of OER and introduction to open licensing. This presentation will also introduce the work of OER Africa and explain why the concept of OER is relevant in the context of efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning.

Neil Butcher will talk about the rationale for openness in higher education in South Africa. Building on the introductory presentation, this presentation will make an argument in favour of embracing openness in South African higher education, explaining how it is particularly relevant in the context of both changing global economic demands and South African social challenges.

The session forms part of the Rural Campuses Connection Project II (RCCPII) Capacity Development Initiative. The RCCP II eConversation Series offers online sessions covering topics relevant to researchers, support staff, and students at higher education institutions in South Africa. For more information about future sessions and other events please visit the RCCPII Calendar.

About the speakers:

Tony Lelliott is based at Saide, in South Africa, an organisation whose strapline is “Enabling Successful Open Learning for All”. He co-leads Saide’s OER Africa initiative, which focuses on OER-related professional development for faculty staff in Higher Education Institutions in Africa. He also carries out research and other school and teacher-education related projects which Saide has been commissioned to implement. Tony was previously an Associate Professor at the School of Education, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Neil Butcher is based in South Africa, from where he has provided policy and technical advice and support to a range of national and international clients regarding educational planning, uses of educational technology and distance education. Neil has travelled extensively through the developing world conducting research on educational policy, higher education, distance education, education management information systems, and educational technology for a range of organizations, governments, and donors. He works with OER Africa as the project’s OER Strategist and is also currently consulting to the World Bank on a range of project activities across several African countries and in Asia.