Botswana is a South African country that gained independence in 1966 and has since transformed from a poor to middle-income country thanks to diamond mining. The Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL) was established in 1998 and partnered with the Botswana Ministry of Education and Commonwealth of Learning to produce open educational resources to support secondary education. The project trained teachers in instructional design and using technologies like Moodle. Challenges included inadequate time and access to computers/internet for teachers, but providing laptops and mobile internet helped address these. Overall the project increased BOCODOL's capacity to develop OER and produced teaching resources that can benefit the education system.

2. Background of Botswana
Background of Botswana
 A South-African country
 A South-African country
 Independence in 1966
 Independence in 1966
Transformed from poor to a
Transformed from poor to a
middle-income country
middle-income country
Diamond mining is dominant
Diamond mining is dominant
contributor to economy
contributor to economy
Population is just over 2
Population is just over 2
millions
millions

3. Educational Context
Educational Context
 Developments in education system guided by two main policies
 Developments in education system guided by two main policies
 The first policy (1977) ….
 The first policy (1977) ….
 Focused on building peace and harmony
 Focused on building peace and harmony
 Provided scope to expand educational opportunities
 Provided scope to expand educational opportunities
The second policy (1994) …. Intended to prepare Botswana to
The second policy (1994) …. Intended to prepare Botswana to
move from agro-based to industrialized economy
move from agro-based to industrialized economy
 Primary enrolments became almost 100 percent
 Primary enrolments became almost 100 percent
 Challenge faced on increasing percentage of transition from
 Challenge faced on increasing percentage of transition from
junior secondary to senior secondary and to tertiary education
junior secondary to senior secondary and to tertiary education
 The Distance Education Division needed up gradation.
 The Distance Education Division needed up gradation.

4. Establishment of BOCODOL
Establishment of BOCODOL
 Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL)
 Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL)
established in 1998 to extend education to out-of-school youth
established in 1998 to extend education to out-of-school youth
and adults
and adults
 Mission to provide quality, innovative ODL programmes and
 Mission to provide quality, innovative ODL programmes and
services to clients for global competitiveness
services to clients for global competitiveness
 Now in process of becoming an open university, but open
 Now in process of becoming an open university, but open
schooling will continue
schooling will continue
 Established strategic partnerships nationally and internationally
 Established strategic partnerships nationally and internationally
 In 2006, received international award for Institutional Excellence
 In 2006, received international award for Institutional Excellence
in Distance Education from COL
in Distance Education from COL

5. Scope of the OER Project in Botswana
Scope of the OER Project in Botswana
 One of five countries in OER development by partnership project
 One of five countries in OER development by partnership project
BOCODOL and Botswana Ministry of Education and Skills
BOCODOL and Botswana Ministry of Education and Skills
Development in partnership with COL to produce open education
Development in partnership with COL to produce open education
materials to support secondary-level education across the country
materials to support secondary-level education across the country
 Initial time frame of 14 to 16 months, divided into two phases
 Initial time frame of 14 to 16 months, divided into two phases
 First phase --developing print-based materials
 First phase developing print-based materials
 Second phase --developing online materials
 Second phase developing online materials
 At the highest level, project coordinated by a steering committee
 At the highest level, project coordinated by a steering committee
 Executive Director of BOCODOL on committee for Botswana
 Executive Director of BOCODOL on committee for Botswana

6. Role of BOCODOL as a Project Coordinator
Role of BOCODOL as a Project Coordinator
 In Botswana, BOCODOL given mandate and responsibility to
 In Botswana, BOCODOL given mandate and responsibility to
coordinate the project on behalf of the ministry
coordinate the project on behalf of the ministry
Objectives of the OER Project
Objectives of the OER Project
 Development of high-quality OER
 Development of high-quality OER
Professional development of teachers to increase effective use of
Professional development of teachers to increase effective use of
technology in classroom
technology in classroom
 Development of learner-support materials for teachers.
 Development of learner-support materials for teachers.

7. Professional Development
Professional Development
 Five two-week-long workshops, 3 by COL and 2 by the Country
 Five two-week-long workshops, 3 by COL and 2 by the Country
Management Committee (CMC)
Management Committee (CMC)
 First COL workshop
 First COL workshop
 Taught how to develop the course blueprint
 Taught how to develop the course blueprint
 Introduced participants to communication tools
 Introduced participants to communication tools
 The second COL workshop conducted online
 The second COL workshop conducted online
 To train participants in using Moodle
 To train participants in using Moodle
 The third COL workshop
 The third COL workshop
 Trained to develop online materials.
 Trained to develop online materials.
 4th and 5th writing workshops organized by CMC
 4th and 5th writing workshops organized by CMC

8. Professional Development
Professional Development
 Knowledge and skills gained by OER project team members:
 Knowledge and skills gained by OER project team members:
 Developing open educational resources using print
 Developing open educational resources using print
 Gaining a full understanding of OER
 Gaining a full understanding of OER
 Developing the online materials
 Developing the online materials
 Assessing and supporting the online learners
 Assessing and supporting the online learners
 Using different communication platforms
 Using different communication platforms

9. Impact on Open School Culture
Impact on Open School Culture
 Supporting work of teachers
 Supporting work of teachers
 Improving quality of education
 Improving quality of education
 Promoting self-directed study
 Promoting self-directed study
 Increasing awareness of benefits of OER materials
 Increasing awareness of benefits of OER materials
Instructional Design
Instructional Design
Use of ICTs
Use of ICTs
 Communication, information, document-sharing and project
 Communication, information, document-sharing and project
management were internet-based
management were internet-based
 Used Basecamp, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, WikiEducator, etc.
 Used Basecamp, Skype, Facebook, Twitter, WikiEducator, etc.
Quality Control
Quality Control

10. Timelines
Timelines
 Initial timelines could not be maintained for not understanding
 Initial timelines could not be maintained for not understanding
the magnitude of job and workload
the magnitude of job and workload
Copyright issues
Copyright issues
 Copyright principles observed
 Copyright principles observed
 Creative Commons licenses included in draft Copyright Policy
 Creative Commons licenses included in draft Copyright Policy
 Workshop organized for BOCODOL staff
 Workshop organized for BOCODOL staff
Collaboration
Collaboration
 Collaboration made with other country teams
 Collaboration made with other country teams

11. Sustainability
Sustainability
 Address challenges faced to lay foundation for sustainability
 Address challenges faced to lay foundation for sustainability
 Cascade knowledge acquired to other teachers/educators
 Cascade knowledge acquired to other teachers/educators
 Ensure that ideals behind using OER are internalized by all
 Ensure that ideals behind using OER are internalized by all
 Build communities of people interested in OER development
 Build communities of people interested in OER development
 Regular training on new approaches to developing ODL materials
 Regular training on new approaches to developing ODL materials
 Training for resource personnel, monitoring and evaluation
 Training for resource personnel, monitoring and evaluation

12. Readiness of BOCODOL to continue with the initiative
Readiness of BOCODOL to continue with the initiative
 College has adequate ICT infrastructure to support future
 College has adequate ICT infrastructure to support future
initiatives
initiatives
 College is working on developing an OER and Copyright Policy to
 College is working on developing an OER and Copyright Policy to
mainstream OER into the institution’s operations
mainstream OER into the institution’s operations
 All these initiatives indicate that the college is committed to the
 All these initiatives indicate that the college is committed to the
use of OER
use of OER

13. Contracts/agreements with non-BOCODOL staff
Contracts/agreements with non-BOCODOL staff
 Project in time and commitment required was not very clear
 Project in time and commitment required was not very clear
 BOCODOL had to convince other institutions to get teachers free
 BOCODOL had to convince other institutions to get teachers free
Access to computers by teachers
Access to computers by teachers
 Teachers had to work outside working hours
 Teachers had to work outside working hours
 BOCODOL loaned laptops to all for 24-hour access to computers
 BOCODOL loaned laptops to all for 24-hour access to computers
Access to the internet by teachers
Access to the internet by teachers
 Internet access only during working hours with low bandwidth
 Internet access only during working hours with low bandwidth
 Was overcome by providing mobile internet access to all teachers
 Was overcome by providing mobile internet access to all teachers

14. Adequate release time for teachers
Adequate release time for teachers
 Teachers were not released from their regular commitments
 Teachers were not released from their regular commitments
 Gave priority to core work and put aside project, caused delays
 Gave priority to core work and put aside project, caused delays
Financial support
Financial support
 Writers were not happy with project rates
 Writers were not happy with project rates
 Rates for non-BOCODOL staff participants eventually increased
 Rates for non-BOCODOL staff participants eventually increased
Workload
Workload
 Participants faced difficulties in managing workload for not being
 Participants faced difficulties in managing workload for not being
relieved of their normal responsibilities
relieved of their normal responsibilities

15. Future of OER in education delivery within the country
Future of OER in education delivery within the country
 Capacity for developing OER within BOCODOL has increased
 Capacity for developing OER within BOCODOL has increased
College has undertaken various initiatives to ensure sustainable
College has undertaken various initiatives to ensure sustainable
use of OER
use of OER
A positive outcome of project --material created will be available
A positive outcome of project material created will be available
for use by all in the education system
for use by all in the education system
All that is needed now --means to cascade knowledge and skills
All that is needed now means to cascade knowledge and skills
acquired for benefit of others
acquired for benefit of others

16. Challenges and how they were addressed
Challenges and how they were addressed

17. Benefits of the project to the country
Benefits of the project to the country
 Through involvement in project, BOCODOL has produced useful
 Through involvement in project, BOCODOL has produced useful
teaching and learning resources for open schooling
teaching and learning resources for open schooling
 The materials can be used by teachers while teaching or by
 The materials can be used by teachers while teaching or by
individual learners as self-directed study resources
individual learners as self-directed study resources
Opportunities for future collaboration
Opportunities for future collaboration
 College now participates in a number of collaborative projects to
 College now participates in a number of collaborative projects to
produce OER course material
produce OER course material
 There are plans to participate in more number collaborative
 There are plans to participate in more number collaborative
projects internationally
projects internationally