Moving Forward with TESSA: What is the potential for MOOCS?
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The document discusses the potential for MOOCs to support the new 2016-2019 strategy of TESSA, a program that produces open educational resources for teachers. It describes a MOOC that was run for teacher educators in India that had over 10,000 participants from 135 countries. The MOOC helped address limitations in traditional teacher education by modeling learner-centered pedagogy and reflecting classroom realities. It also discusses how a MOOC tailored for African countries could help achieve the new TESSA strategy goals by providing culturally relevant content for teacher educators through online and face-to-face support.
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Moving Forward with TESSA: What is the potential for MOOCS?
- 1. Moving forward with TESSA Kris Stutchbury, The Open University, UK
- 2. Moving forward with TESSA:Moving forward with TESSA: what is the potential forwhat is the potential for MOOCs?MOOCs? TESSA and the new TESSA strategyTESSA and the new TESSA strategy 2016-20192016-2019 Our experience of running a MOOC forOur experience of running a MOOC for teacher educators in Indiateacher educators in India How a TESSA MOOC could support theHow a TESSA MOOC could support the strategystrategy
- 3. TESSA – Resources and aTESSA – Resources and a programme of activitiesprogramme of activities CollaborativelyCollaboratively produced resourcesproduced resources for teachersfor teachers Versioned for 10Versioned for 10 African countriesAfrican countries A network of teacherA network of teacher educators workingeducators working together to improvetogether to improve teachingteaching
- 4. TESSA materialsTESSA materials Promote student learningPromote student learning Promote teacher learningPromote teacher learning Linked to curriculumLinked to curriculum Engage studentsEngage students Show teachers how to putShow teachers how to put theory into practicetheory into practice Creating a demand forCreating a demand for professional developmentprofessional development from teachersfrom teachers All are Open EducationalAll are Open Educational Resources (OER)Resources (OER)
- 5. The TESSA StrategyThe TESSA Strategy
- 6. Teacher EducationTeacher Education Too theoreticalToo theoretical Does not model learner-centred pedagogyDoes not model learner-centred pedagogy Does not reflect classroom realitiesDoes not reflect classroom realities
- 7. MOOCsMOOCs Massive Open Online CourseMassive Open Online Course Free with the option to pay forFree with the option to pay for accreditationaccreditation Presented on an electronic platform –Presented on an electronic platform – FutureLearn, EdX, CourseraFutureLearn, EdX, Coursera New models of learningNew models of learning Quizzes and peer-reviewQuizzes and peer-review Different forms of MOOCDifferent forms of MOOC
- 8. Learning DesignLearning Design 6 weeks , 3-4 hours a6 weeks , 3-4 hours a weekweek Audience – teacherAudience – teacher educatorseducators Socio-cultural modelSocio-cultural model of learningof learning Variety of types ofVariety of types of activityactivity Quizzes, peer-reviewQuizzes, peer-review Low band-widthLow band-width
- 11. MOOC OutcomesMOOC Outcomes Pilot – 3185 participantsPilot – 3185 participants Main MOOC – 10236 participantsMain MOOC – 10236 participants Completion rate of 51%Completion rate of 51% 500 classes took place in 7 states500 classes took place in 7 states 135 countries, 73 in the global south135 countries, 73 in the global south 45% female, 55% male45% female, 55% male 38% from rural communities38% from rural communities
- 12. Lessons learntLessons learnt Importance of learning designImportance of learning design Length and demandLength and demand Value of supportValue of support Created an appetite for online learningCreated an appetite for online learning
- 13. A MOOC for Africa?A MOOC for Africa? Culturally relevant – fit national agendasCulturally relevant – fit national agendas Clear target audience – teacherClear target audience – teacher educators?educators? Regular assessmentsRegular assessments Partners? – universities, colleges, NGOs,Partners? – universities, colleges, NGOs, national organisationsnational organisations
- 14. Further readingFurther reading www.tessafrica.netwww.tessafrica.net www.tess-india.edu.inwww.tess-india.edu.in www.edX.orgwww.edX.org (search for ‘Enhancing teacher education through(search for ‘Enhancing teacher education through OER’)OER’) Siemens, G. (2013). Massive Open Online Courses: Innovation inSiemens, G. (2013). Massive Open Online Courses: Innovation in Education? InEducation? In Open Educational Resources: Innovation, researchOpen Educational Resources: Innovation, research and Practiceand Practice (Vol. 5–15). Vancouver: Commonwealth of Learning(Vol. 5–15). Vancouver: Commonwealth of Learning and Athabasca University.and Athabasca University. Putnam, T., & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledgePutnam, T., & Borko, H. (2000). What do new views of knowledge and thinking have to say about research on teacher learning?and thinking have to say about research on teacher learning? Education ResearcherEducation Researcher,, 2929(1), 4–15.(1), 4–15. Moon, B., & Umar, A. (2013). Reorientating the agenda aroundMoon, B., & Umar, A. (2013). Reorientating the agenda around teacher education and development. In B. Moon (Ed.),teacher education and development. In B. Moon (Ed.), TeacherTeacher Education and the challenge of development: a global analysisEducation and the challenge of development: a global analysis (pp.(pp. 227–238). Abingdon: Routledge.227–238). Abingdon: Routledge.
Editor's Notes
- TESSA – teacher education in sub-Saharan Africa is a project which supports teachers and teacher educators in developing more active approaches to learning. It is rooted in the school curriculum. It started in 2005, its highly collaborative, uses OER and is still going strong having recently secured new core funding.
- This talk is in three parts. I will introduce TESSA and the new strategy, describe our experience of running a MOOC, and should how we will use a MOOC to deliver the TESSA strategy. TESSA started in 2005. Recently secured new funding and are developing a strategy for 2016 – 2019. Our experience in India suggests that a MOOC could be a an effective way of implementing parts of the strategy. This talk will explain what we learnt from the TESS-India MOOC and how it might work in Africa.
- TESSA is a network of teacher educators. At the heart of TESSA is a bank of Open Education Resources, linked to the curriculum designed to support teachers in developing more participatory approaches in their classroom. It supports active learning, student-centred pedagogy. It is only when lessons become more learner-centred that students have the opportunity to develop 21st century skills such as creativity, problem-solving and critical analysis and teachers can start to think about how to introduce ICT into the classroom. Although they were written sometime ago, the OER are just as relevant as they always were.
- TESSA materials are designed to disrupt. They open up possibilities for the teacher. By trying activities in their classrooms, they will learn. There is evidence that TESSA primary has created a demand – what this means is that students like Kevin realise that they have a great deal to learn and start to wonder how they can learn it. Eg Indian teacher – ‘I was the greatest teacher – very confident. I now realise I am the worst teacher, but I am getting better’.
- There are three elements to the TESSA strategy for the next three year. Funded by the Ferguson Foundation, we will be aiming to 1. improve access to the TESSA OER – develop website, mobile friendly, learner pathways, easier to find materials 2. develop the capacity of teacher educators to be more effective 3. widen participation by involving more institutions and more individuals working in specific countries We are planning a range of activties, across the network and in selected countries. A key focus of the strategy is teacher educators. In the past we have worked in universities; in the future we are keen to extend this to Colleges and to Government structures. Our vision is that TESSA is better known and more widely used and that it becomes self-sustaining. To achieve this we are keen to build partnerships.
- Teacher education is in crisis. Courses are too theoretical, do not model learner-centred pedagogy and do not reflect classroom realities. In TESSA we have focussed on teacher educators to mediate TESSA materials. Teachers and teacher educators are being asked to adopt a sort f pedagogy that they have not experienced themselves. The rationale underpinning the MOOC was that teacher educators have the potential to broker real change in teaching and learning (Murphy & Wolfenden, 2013) (Cochran-Smith, 2006). If they can be persuaded to design courses that truly model student-centred pedagogy and focus on the practicalities of classroom teaching, while setting them in a strong conceptual framework which sets out a clear vision for teaching, then real change could be achieved. Are teacher educators equipped to bring about the changes required? In a sister project in India, we decided to tackle this problem through the provision of a MOOC.
- Massive Open Online Courses – free, run by universities, aim is to draw people in. Massive refers to the number of enrolment Free, presented on a platform. Involve new models of learning – choice, motivation, new models of assessment. Some MOOCs mimic traditional lectures, some are crowd-sourced. The TESSA india MOOC was a task-based ‘hybrid’ model which involved online learning alongside face-to-face support.
- Short – 6 weeks, 3-4 hour a week, specifically targeted TE, socio-cultural view of learning – dialogue, learning through practice, culturally relevant activities Reading/assimilating, producing something, communicating on the forum or through peer review, applying ideas in their own context The MOOC modelled the view of teaching and learning that we are trying to promote. We ran a pilot in June/July and the main MOOC in Nov/Dec – made changes based on the comments, feedback but also on how they responded to the activities.
- Worked through Government mechanisms. Drew on cultural norms and SCERT nominated participants in 7 states – told them to do the MOOC – but provided face-to-face class with a facilitator trained by the OU. In the pilot phase – 200 nominated particpants – 132 went on to become facilitators in the main MOOC
- About 200 nominated, 130 different countries. Overall 11% completion, but of the nominated group, 83% completion – importance of the support. The MOOC created a ‘buzz’ – completely new way of learning – learners taking responsibility – activities authentic and valuable Increase in digital literacy. People found a way of navigating the problems
- Overwhelmingly positive experience 98% of participants said the activities were relevant to their professional role Length and demand were about right – changed this after the pilot The different forms of support made a difference All the problems we anticipated around connectivity and ICT skills were there but not a problem.
- We have learnt that a MOOC must be culturally relevant – based on TESSA materials – but fit the national agenda – which seems to be how to integrate ICT into classrooms Target audience – TE. Other successfully completed the MOOC – and took something from it. But by writing to a target audience it had coherence and relevance. Weekly assessments important for motivation Building partnerships is a key part of our strategy – people will turn to TESSA OER as a matter of choice. The MOOC would give a focus for partnership activity and could leave a fantastic legacy.