OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER) HAS MUCH TO OFFER SOUTH AFRICA

Open Educational Resources has much to offer South Africa - Selwyn Milborrow

As an innovation facilitator and co-founder of a community initiative called Victory In Innovation, I am excited about how much Open Educational Resources (OER) as a support resource has to offer. On 26 March 2015 I attended a presentation by a colleague, Gino Fransman from the Academic Literacies and Writing team in the Centre for Teaching Learning and Media (CTLM) at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU).

Fransman explained how OER can be explored by lecturers and students for various disciplines and used in multiple Teaching and Learning (T&L) activities. OER has been a catchphrase in global education since 2002 when Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) first announced that it would release all its courseware online. Courseware refers here to full T&L materials, some including textbooks, lecture notes, videos and images and more. What is significant here, however, is that these full T&L packs, now known as Open Course Ware (OCW), span several disciplines and interests. It was released as full learning objects, some similar to modules currently offered at NMMU or that NMMU could offer. These MIT, along with hundreds of other institutions around the world’s learning objects, were released and made available freely and openly, and have enjoyed engagements from hundreds of thousands of knowledge seekers, writers, practitioners and researchers alike.

Fransman mentioned that in South Africa, OER as a support resource has much to offer, both for the educator, the researcher, and the institution. He talked about the use of technology in the classroom by both lecturer and student. They have access to smartphones, tablets, computers and free Wi-Fi which could be used as an aid in the classroom. Educators around the world are now increasingly taking advantage of social media services and tools. A recent survey showed that 61 percent of teachers, principals, and librarians are active in at least one social media space. Many use those spaces for professional development - attending webinars, watching YouTube videos, listening to podcasts, or participating on blogs (edWeb.net, 2010).

Fransman, known for collecting and sharing data that he collects with his mobile devices during field work or travels abroad, alerted the audience to the fact that lecturers and students use Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media in their personal lives, and that those same tools can be put to academic use.

Sir Ken Robinson said in a Ted presentation entitled Bring on the revolution, that fundamental innovation in education is needed. He quoted Abraham Lincoln who said, “The dogmas of the quiet past, are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves…” What is remarkable is that Lincoln called on the nation to “rise with the occasion, and not to the occasion.” Robinson makes the case stronger by adding that “many of our ideas has been formed not to meet the circumstances of this century, but to cope with the circumstances of the previous century.” (Ted.com, 2010).

I therefor encourage heads of educational institutions to be open and encourage lecturers, researchers and practitioners alike to embark on the paradigm shifting vehicle called OER. Invite them to rise with the occasion and start utilising the resources around them and engaging in OER. This could also open the possibility of an income for your work published online.

Gino Fransman is a Global Open Graduate Network (GO_GN) PhD researcher currently, is actively involved in Open Advocacy, and researches the developing of OER-based T&L materials, tools and strategies.

I share the same sentiment of Sir Ken Robinson who said that “Creativity is as important in education as literature. We should treat it with the same status.” I conclude my contribution with a quote from Khalil Gibran who wrote, "A teacher who is indeed wise does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather leads you to the threshold of your mind."

Selwyn Milborrow is an author, poet, novelist, blogger and CNN iReporter

www.selwynmilborrowwriter.blogspot.com

AN EXCERPT FROM MY NEW NOVEL "SHADES OF FORGIVENESS"

An excerpt from “Shades of forgiveness” a novel by Selwyn Milborrow: “Dan Walter's pulse quickened as he looked over his shoulder. He unlocked his front door and eased it open and listened. If someone had broken in, chances were they were long gone. He stepped inside and paused again to listen. One thing you could say about Dan, he was extremely cautious. Once again he thought of the text message he received on his way home. Maybe he should have contacted the police. What if his ex-wife's husband followed through with his threat? He felt fear rising but instinctively pushed back the emotion. There is nothing to fear but fear itself, he thought to himself. It's a good thing it wasn't Grace's weekend with him. He would never forgive the person that would hurt his daughter. He hesitated, and then pulled the key from his front door. He pushed the door open farther. With confidence building, he entered the hallway. Quietly, he moved through the house. He stole a quick glance into the bathroom. It was undisturbed. He went to the wash basin, and splashed cold water on his face. He sighed heavily and checked his cell phone. He stared at it for a moment, closed it and took a deep breath.”

Selwyn’s book was endorsed by Dr Martha Casazza from Chicago in the USA: “Selwyn Milborrow has written a thriller with twists and turns that will keep the reader's attention right up until the end. The story takes place in a work environment that is very familiar. Embedded in the message is an inspirational thread that sends a powerful message to all readers. We can only hope that Selwyn Milborrow continues to write.”

DANCING WITH KATRINA (POEM)

dancing with katrina

  

when the cloud fist marched forth from the sea

and closed in around orleans

sky and cnn’s cameras followed

the tidal waves through the streets

of a pre-earth marshland

you started to plunder and rape

your values exposed to the bone

because everywhere you carry with you

a seed of hate and death

will it ever get through to you

what an urgent message I want to bring to you?

humanity, will you ever learn to respect me?

look, I am the great equalizer –

mother nature is my name.

  

© 2015 Selwyn Milborrow

As published in Sharp magazine – Arts &Culture Faculty, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

BLAUW MAANDAG (NEDERLANDSE GEDIG)

blauw maandag

(voor Anne-Sophie)

ik ben normaal heel enthousiast
tog vandaag een beetje ziekerig
mijn klasgenootjes vond dat grappig
en zeg hullie hebben slechte dingen
gehoord uit België

ik ben normaal heel enthousiast
maar ik zei niets vandaag
en wandelde naar huis
om beter te worden tegen maandag

ONTHOUD JE NOG? (DUTCH POEM)

onthoud je nog?

(voor Veerle Vrindts)

"weet je nog hoe we samen
hand in hand uit de schoolpoort kwamen
onafscheidelijk vrienden voor altijd?"

nog voor die hemel vanaand
in die suide van afrika afdaal
wil ek hierdie gedig offer
aan 'n vriend en digter

want as daar tye kom
wanneer die kliek van isi-xhosa
ons zuid-afrika/belgië band oproep
is daar altyd die genade
dat ons die skrywerspen
kan opneem

INSPIRATION FOR WRITING

No matter how much you love writing, there will always be days when you need inspiration. Inspiration is not just a desirable thing, it’s an integral part of the writing process. Every writer needs to find inspiration in order to produce inspired writing. And sometimes, it can come from the unlikeliest sources.

I highly recommend journal writing for any writer. It doesn’t have to be fancy, or something you write in every day. Once or twice a week is okay. Using a plain notebook will do, although a nice journal can be motivating. Write down thoughts, inspirations, quotes, pieces of good writing, plot ideas and new characters. Then go back to this journal when you need ideas or inspiration.

FIND TIME TO WRITE

·        Forget the excuse that you do not have time to write. Everyone has time to write. You will find time to write if you want to badly enough. It just means that you must cut back on TV and movies.

      

     Writers make sacrifices. Suzanne Berne wrote her first book having determined to set aside at least five minutes a day in which to write. She achieved her daily five minutes and within a year published her first book. Kingsley Amis wrote at least a thousand words a day. With five minutes a day or a thousand words a day you will achieve much more than punishing yourself with a four-hour writing session.

     

     There’s a saying: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” Most of us should have started writing long before this. But we can’t do anything about that. Don’t fret. Let go and start writing.