This study uses a case study approach to examine the development of a massive open online course (MOOC) on intervention and implementation research in infectious diseases of poverty for learners in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Implementation research (IR) seeks to understand and address barriers to effective implementation of health…

In this paper, we adopt a critical lens to investigate educators' understanding of both traditional and alternative textbooks and examine how open pedagogy may call for a rethinking of textbooks and how they are used in a pedagogical setting. Within the context of open pedagogy, including open textbooks, we conducted workshops that involved…

An international online mentoring programme Open Education for a Better World (OE4BW) has been developed to unlock the potential of open education in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The programme provides an innovative approach to building Open Educational Resources, connecting developers of educational materials with experts…

Working from the perspective of open and online learning for widening participation in higher education, this article advances a new conceptual model to guide practitioners and researchers in maximising the enablers and minimising the constraints to foundation level online learning for equity students. The model is adapted from technology for…

Highly skilled manpower is critical for sustainable socio-economic development. However, participation in higher education in Africa continues to be the lowest in the world. Even though some contact universities have adopted the dual-mode strategy to expand access, they continue to enrol fewer students through their open and distance learning…

Open Education (OE), a generic term for a collection of practices that seek to broaden the access to education through digital means, has gained increasing traction and popularity over the last years and from various corners, both globally and in European circles. Rather than taking the technologies OE makes use of at face value, this article…

Advent of digital technologies and open learning spaces have superbly influenced higher education worldwide both in the formal and open universities. Open education is emerged as contemporary approach to learning and teaching. Teachers' professional development in open education is a recognized and stimulating research area. MOOCs are innovative…

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…

The Three Tier system of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) which was put in place with 73rd amendment in the constitution of India, is a major initiative for democratic decentralization. PRIs are acting successfully and gradually becoming more powerful and resourceful. Now most of the Panchayets, including block and village level, are having…

The curricula in higher education not only provides guidance and direction for students, but aligns with industry standards to safeguard quality offerings in specific programs. While there has been increasing focus on the importance of the curriculum particularly for first year university students, very little is known about the curriculum and…

This paper highlights some key historical perspectives and antecedents of African Indigenous knowledge (AIK) and practices while identifying 'open' futures and opportunities for the application of digital technologies for educational opportunities that build on this cultural base. The role and negative impact of colonialism in the…

While the mainstream discourse around Open and Distance Learning (ODL) centers on standardization, scalability, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness, I return to a much more contextual and humane understanding of teaching and learning in ODL through feminist pedagogy. I begin my inquiry by discussing women students' experiences through the notion of…

One of the oft-cited advantages of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is that they provide access opportunities for learners that they might not otherwise have, for example, offering continuing professional development, complementing traditional courses of study, or opening up new areas of knowledge (Ferguson & Sharples, 2014; Hollands &…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the implementation and evaluation of knowledge management and e-transformation strategies of higher educational institutions in distance education. After an evaluation of higher educational practices in different countries, distance education was considered a different strategy and was emphasized…

There is growing demand for access to higher education (HE) in developing countries in the midst of limited resources. Open and distance education (ODL) has become a pivotal component of HE; many developing countries have developed their own models of ODL that are consistent with their national contexts. Research has shown that many developing…