Each year, the Open Education conference provides a collaborative space where those interested in open educational resources, open pedagogy and open education initiatives share ideas and talk together. This year’s OpenEd20 was no exception. The dynamic Open Education Conference 2020 was hosted from Colorado, USA, but presented virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions. The virtual format opened the conference to a far greater group of attendees who would not normally have the means to attend such gatherings in person. In an effort to include all voices, the organisers also provided scholarships to those who could not attend due to the conference fee, striving to realize education that is accessible, affordable, equitable and inclusive to everyone.
Dr Isabel Tarling represented the Two Oceans Graduate Institute at the Open Education Conference 2020 held from 9 – 13 November 2020. She presented a paper: ‘Openness and Flexibility: Growing a learning design mindset in Malawi’s Teacher Training Colleges’.
The presentation shared the results of a project she conducted with the Malawian Ministry of Science, Technology and Education, and the German government’s international division, GIZ in 2020. The GIZ sponsored devices and data to the lecturers at Malawi’s teacher training colleges. Dr Tarling and colleagues used design thinking to develop an online course that would equip the lecturers to integrate technologies in their teaching and learning practices. Watch the presentation here: