1

ESTABLISHING OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE in FIJI:

Quality through Process.

Source Dr. V Balaji, Commonwealth of Learning, July 24th 2015

By Matai Tagicaki
ICT in Education Technologist
Fiji Higher Education Commission
ABSTRACT
We all search for guarantee in quality as consumers. Quality standards can be assured
when we take the initiative during an initial stage of process to develop a set of standard
which we may measure our products against to achieve quality and assure and meet
customer satisfaction. OER is a global concept that already has a set standard process
to ensure quality. Our challenge is localizing the global approach so that we consider
our context, to meet customer desires. As educators, our customer base are
communities, therefore we have a civil responsibility to ensure accessible educational
resources are of quality in value. This paper discusses the processes, in collaboration
with Commonwealth of Learning (COL), the Fiji OER team, working under FHEC,
will be developing OER information platform to ensure that all Fijians may access
affordable and quality resources through OER.

Published for APQN Conference in May 2016.

Matai Tagicaki and Fiji Higher Education Commission,
2016. ISBN 978-982-98132-1-3

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).
The designations employed and the presentation of material throughout this publication do not
imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of F.H.E.C. concerning the legal status
of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers
or boundaries.
The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not
necessarily those of F.H.E.C. and do not commit the Organization.
Prepared by Matai Tagicaki
Front Cover photos: Matai Tagicaki and Professor Asha Kanwar (CC-BY-4.0), Matai Tagicaki (CCBY-4.0) by Doctor V. Balaji (COL)
Cover design: Matai Tagicaki
Typeset: Matai Tagicaki

TABLE OF CONTENT

Topic

Page

Introduction

Technological Influence

Commonwealth Of Learning

Planning Dynamics

Open Educational Resources

Dynamics Specific

Digging Deeper

11

Alignment to Assure Quality

15

Conclusion

16

10

Reference

17

Introduction
Acknowledging the fact that Quality Assurance is a process where a set standard is
developed to ensure quality of a product or products. In this context I perceive Open
Educational Resources as a relevant shelf of knowledge products that will provide Fiji
and all Fijians the opportunity to access free and affordable quality educational
resources. This paper discusses an approach towards establishing an Open Education
Resources platform that strives towards assuring quality. In an attempt to not reinvent
the wheel in the process, and where the greatest challenge is adopting a technological
approach, localization of content to reflect socio economic considerations and the
integration of 21st century knowledge and skills with culture and traditional backdrops.
Knowledge is a high commodity in todays society, and quality is a relevant component
in developing a scaffold on which to create an environment, virtual or real life, that
knowledge is accessible and affordable. I will address comparison between my
traditional and cultural backdrop and the technological evolution that is sweeping
across the Pacific since the beginning of the 21st Century, and how the process in OER
contributes to Quality Assurance.

TECHNOLOGICAL INFLUENCE
The search for and creation of, a knowledgeable society is an endless human
endeavor. We develop our societies by creating new knowledge through sharing and
collaboration, an ancient but traditional way of life in the Pacific. We tend not to realize
the value of sharing until we appreciate the changes created through collaboration, and
sharing ideas constructively. Knowledge management is a curious notion, if there is still
new knowledge to be made, or if there are no more new knowledge but only new ideas
to expand upon. I am inclined to agree with Alan frost1 in his argument on Knowledge
Management, that there is still new knowledge to be created, and this by collaboration,
open sharing and interactive activities. We live in a global community that demands
interactivity of skills, knowledge and action, a community where NO MAN IS AN
ISLAND2, to ensure continuous human development.
In Fijis pursuit to achieve a knowledgeable society I find myself engaging with the
Commonwealth of Learning, discussing how best to continue the momentum for Fiji into
the eLearning future, a future where collaborative learning is encouraged, where
classrooms are turned upside down as a pedagogical and andragogic approach, where
teachers are encouraged to design lessons rather than lesson planning, where
teachers guide and not lead, where students are guided to have an intimate relationship
with the curriculum content, and in doing so I find myself in an exclusive experience of
sharing ideas, creating exponential knowledge, which now has provided a clearer
perception to Fijis direction with O.E.R. In the process of this collaboration, we created
new knowledge.
As we continue to embrace and discover the evolution of global education we must
remain focused on the curriculum and not the technology. Technological development
is only to better support the teaching of the curriculum. At the end of learning, we are
measured on how well our students have performed, and if technology cannot support
the expected outcomes, than we are at a loss. With the opportunity made available,
teachers must take the initiative to empower their teaching content with what
technology has to offer.
The opportunities that O.E.R. has provided for educational resources deficient countries
are extensive, judging from what is available online and the technology that
compliments the concept. An environment that encourages teachers to bring the
curriculum to life with videos and empowers lesson plans with resources provided by
the likes of Khans Academy. An example I may refer to is teaching Volcanism or
Geography on an Island school, where the teacher can motivate learning by using an
actual video simulation downloaded from YouTube. These are opportunities created by
accessing O.E.R.
1

http://www.knowledge-management-tools.net/knowledge-creation.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Man_Is_an_Island

In my opinion, interpreting the curriculum is task students are challenged with in any
learning environment where the teacher must be an active guide, this is what teaching
ultimately hopes to achieve, a student centered or student oriented learning
environment. Learning environments, where teachers have the ability to get students
generate intimate relationship with the curriculum content, where students are
motivated with a passion to learn. As such, we need a learning environment where
teachers have access to extensive reach and real time Educational Resources. Open
Educational Resources creates this opportunity, and encourages developmental
thinking through the process of continued development.
The OER Fiji Team has worked in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning for
the past three years towards establishing an OER UNIT in Fiji for Fijians. We have
chosen COL because of their educational infrastructure and developments in Open
Learning that has supported Nations around the world to establish OER as alternative,
accessible and affordable learning resources.

COMMONWEALTH OF LEARNING (COL)

COL's mandate is to promote and develop the use of open learning and distance
education knowledge, resources and technologies throughout the Commonwealth's 54
member states. COL has evolved into one of the world's leading distance education
providers and leads the international development in distance education along with
UNESCO. COL is the only Intergovernmental organization solely concerned with the
development of distance education.3
In 1987, Commonwealth Heads of Government came together in Vancouver and
decided to create an Education Community on the Open Distance Learning (ODL)
Platform.
The initiative was created on the idea that member states can support and help each
other using ICT.
The evolution of technology directly influenced the evolving approach of COL towards
meeting global goals in educational development. COL mainly, because of its global
focus which had to be inclusive in achieving the Global Millennium Development Goals.
From the initial approach of developing Higher Education through ICT, to an allinclusive approach to include Higher Education, Secondary Education, Primary
Education, TVET, embracing lifelong learning outcomes.
The evolution of COL dictates a commitment to promoting increase equal access to
quality education, health and lifestyle throughout member countries. This is reflected
3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Learning

through a clear progression from higher education, teacher training, and secondary
education in the formal education sector to non-formal learning related to skills
development, agriculture and health4
The evolution of COL was due to the new expected outcomes directly influenced by
global conceptual approaches of Education for All (EFA) and the Millennium
Development Goals (MDG). COL further reflects its evolved state with the progression
of its working statements, the previous theme stating learning for Development, and
the 2015 current Strategic plan theme learning for Sustainable Development.
My opinion about Global Institutions like COL, sustainability depends on assured
quality. COL has engaged many third world countries with successful projects as
CLASSROOM WITHOUT WALLS, which effectively has contributed quality outcomes.
PLANNING DYNAMICS
Define OER, its relevance to Fiji and its contribution to Global
Educational Development.

Understand the extension of development and sustainable pathway of OER

for Fiji Education.

Understand how to organize, plan, develop and apply an OER Fiji Unit, which
will network with Global Institutions to sustain and support the development
of a knowledgeable society.

Discover effective options through continuous Analysis and Evaluation of

an OER working unit to ensure quality outcomes.

Establish a Model Unit that is inclined to global change, flexible and

adaptable.

http://allinschool.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/OOSC-2014-Non-formal-education-for-OOSC-final.pdf

OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES (OER)

Resources (OERs) are any type of educational materials that are in the public
domain or introduced with an open license. The nature of these open materials
means that anyone can legally and freely copy, use, adapt and re-share them.
OERs range from textbooks to curricula, syllabi, lecture notes, assignments, tests,
projects, audio, video and animation.5
The Paris declaration The Declaration marks a historic moment in the growing
movement for Open Educational Resources and calls on governments worldwide
to openly license publicly funded educational materials for public use. 6
The word OPEN strongly emphasizes the Concept behind O.E.R., that there are
little or no barriers. I interpret this as a passionate approach to share knowledge,
where there is knowledge abundance in the world, with societies or communities
that live in educational information deficit. Fiji, a third world country, O.E.R. offers
an opportunity that empowers teachers, students, parents and other stakeholders
in Education with real time information and open access. In my opinion, this is a
globally evolved interactive approach in educational resources sharing, one can
argue that it is not a new approach, but I will say that it is global and impacting
Countries new to the concept of Open and Free Sharing of information, an
opportunity to stay informed with global education developments.
The opportunities that O.E.R.s has provided for educational resources deficient
countries are extensive, judging from what is available online and the technology
that complements the concept. An environment that encourages teachers to
bring the curriculum to life with videos and empowers lesson plans with
resources provided by Khan's Academy. A mental picture I normally use is
teaching Volcanism, in Geography, on the Island schools, where the teacher can
motivate learning by using an actual video simulation downloaded from
YouTube. These are opportunities created by accessing O.E.R. As such, we
need a learning environment where teachers have access to extensive reach
and real time Educational Resources. Open Educational Resources creates this
opportunity, and encourages developmental thinking through the process of
continued development.

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to-knowledge/openeducational-resources/what-are-open-educational-resources-oers/
6

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/access-to-knowledge/openeducational-resources/what-is-the-paris-oer-declaration/

DYNAMICS SPECIFIC
Technology enabled Learning
Students today need access to the digital tools and media rich resources that will
help them explore, understand, and express themselves in the world they will
inherit
Partnership for 21st Century Skills (n.d.)7: COL will work with
governments, industry and academic institutions to
Develop ICT in education and OER policies and
strengthen policy implementation.
Strengthen research on technology enabled learning for
evidence based advocacy and decision making.
Develop relevant and innovative courses for developing 21 st
century skills.
Use technology enabled learning for program delivery.
Promote the use of open technologies and OER for skills
development.
Implement tested models at scale and develop new models.
Education
Accessibility to quality education is still a great challenge today,
despite the availability of modern technology. The Ministry of Education is
continuously challenged on methods and pathways to addressing these
challenges. As Pacific Islands, this is one of our greatest challenges, making
quality resources accessible and affordable.
I.

Open/Innovative Schooling - COL will work with governments and

institutions to8:
Develop quality curriculum content in TVET subjects (aligned to
skills needed for the world of work) using OER and various
educational technologies.
Enhance the quality of conventional schooling through the
introduction of viable and cost effective models, including
virtual schooling.

http://oasis.col.org/bitstream/handle/11599/826/COL%20SYP__96%20dpi_FINAL%20WEB%20single%20p
ages.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y
8

https://www.col.org/news/connectionsedtech-news/connections-november-2015-vol20-no3

10

Improve learner retention and success rates through open

schools.
Teacher Education COL will support teacher education institutions to9:
Develop relevant context-based and pedagogically sound
programs for teachers and teacher educators.
Improve institutional capacity to use ODL and ICTs effectively
so that more teachers can be trained in academic and
vocational streams.
Improve the quality of teaching and learning to ensure
positive learning outcomes.
Develop OER materials and scale up the adoption and
adaptation of OER
Higher Education COL will work with governments and higher education
institutions to10:
Support the development and implementation of national
and institutional ODL policies and systems.
Promote curriculum reform in support of labor market needs.
Provide technical assistance to new open universities
and support the transition of conventional institutions to
dual-mode provisions.
Facilitate institutional networking and collaboration in the
development, adoption and use of ODL, MOOCS and
OER.
Support the professional development of policy makers and
practitioners.
Regional Support Commonwealth Educational Media Center for Asia
(CEMCA) will work with partners to11:
Promote the development, adoption and use of OER through
policy support and capacity building.
Integrate ICT in teacher education programs.

Support the development of OER based courses for skills

development.
9

Teacher Education, Page 14, COL Strategic Plan 2015 2021. May 2016.

10

Higher Education, Page 15, COL Strategic Plan 2015-20121. May 2016.

11

Regional Support, Page 21, COL Strategic Plan 2015-2012. May 2016.

11

Empower marginalized communities, including women, through

the use of community media.

Undertake research in emerging technologies, including mobile

devices.

Collaborate to develop communities of practice for the

sustainability and scalability projects.
Pacific Centre for Open and Flexible Learning for Development
(PACFOLD) PENFOLDs priorities include: (COL will support PACFOLD to
achieve these objectives.)12
Advocacy and capacity building for flexible and open learning for
sustainable development;
Development of regional and national policies on open, distance
and flexible learning; and
Research in flexible and open learning.
APTUS mobile learning device
Classroom without walls
100,000 video resources,
100,000
textbook
resources
Learning Management
System
(LMS)
MOODLE
Affordable and accessible.
100,000 resources from Wikipedia

DIGGING DEEPER
In the pursuit of qualifying principles and processes, the following suggestions
and opinions were contributed to my search for a quality and improved process.
Outcomes
Collaboration is also a tool which should never to be left idle but efficiently
utilized to ensure that our direction is clear and concise. Dr Sanjay reiterated
the following on establishing an OER Unit - To ensure continuity at the end of
12

OACFOLD, Page 22, COL Strategic Plan 2015-2021. May 2016.

12

the final stage, the expected outcome must link into the next stage of
development13.
Identify expected Outcomes
Plan towards achieving the outcome
No more than 2 full time staff - a manager ICT and a
manager OER
Prepare a Unit Constitution/Policy/S.O.P.

Roles and Responsibilities of the Staff that may be

attached to the Unit for special assignments.
Work Plan - identify activities for the next 5 years, than plan
for each year
Identify budget allocation targets - What kind of budget?
What are you budgeting for?
Activities - Establishing of Repository, Training of Trainers,
Conversion plan and timeline, etc...
Dr Godson Gatsha, PHD, is the Education Specialist for the Higher Education
Division - Because of the level Lecturers teach, they are encouraged to
research and update their content using the Large Universities like M.I.T.,
Stanford University, Harvard University, and Open University U.K open
repository. In doing so they draw from not only a single source but multiple,
which should point towards an effective and powerful content. We now have
direction to initiate an awareness and advocacy program14.
Formulation of a National and Institutional ODL Policy that
includes OER
Awareness and Advocacy
Capacity building
COL support
After continuous discussions I realize that the greatest measure of OER success
will be effectively determined by the success of rural and remote rural schools
that will use OER. If O.E.R.s can be accessed by students on remote Islands
with very minimal or no disruption, than we can say that the program is indeed
13

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130401151715/https:/www.education.gov.uk/publications/
eOrderingDownload/DCSF-00266-2008.pdf
14

Dr Godson, personal communication, July, 2015.

13

successful, realizing that classroom learning evaluation will also be a

determination of how effective the resources in its contextualized format. Fiji
rural remote schools are challenged by the non-availability of electricity and live
around rugged geographical environment. Some of the other Island Nations are
facing land mass extinction because of rising sea levels together with Fiji. IF it
can be out on data that OER has effectively affected the lives of these children
through educating them to understand the world better and contribute effectively
to the global community that will be one of the great measures for success.
Commonwealth of Learning has created a wonderful mobile machine that is built
to address these challenges.
Aptus is a portable wireless device, size no bigger than a pocket book. It is
powered by battery also a size of a pocket book and can host up to 30 wireless
devices in a single session. It has a range of 30 meters and can be increased to
a thousand meters. The device has 100,000 OER texts, a complete repository of
textbooks and other resources, and also hosts a Moodle platform program. The
Aptus has the capability to provide access and support for our rural and remote
schools. Aptus has the capacity to provide affordable real time information for
teachers.

Fiji to adopt the Aptus device because of its

affordability and student centered approach

Aptus is flexible, manageable, user friendly,

specifically for teacher student interactivity, mobile and Wi-Fi
friendly.

COL is prepared to support Fiji in manufacturing

more devices and provide consultation.

COL provided 2 devices free. 1 unit is for the

Minister for Education and 1 to the attach for further
research and familiarity.

Identify a project location

Identify age target group ( preferable middle school)

Designing Training - basically for teachers on how

to facilitate learning through online platform.

Training approach to focus on mLearning.

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Teachers are critical partners of OER. The importance of Teacher involvement in

using, research and creating OERs cannot be emphasized enough. The depth of
knowledge that can be discovered through global collaboration is unfathomable.
Collaboration motivates creation of new knowledge, influencing global perception
on how children may be guided with powerful information to view the world and
encouraged to form opinion and make decisions as citizens of this planet. DR
Jessica Aguti, Education Specialist - Teacher Education, has worked with
Teacher Training Institution in the South African region. Her role is to provide
support and Consultation on behalf of COL. She shares her experiences and
names three steps as critical stages when consulting with Teacher Education
Institutions, and they are
Sensitize - To create awareness within Institutions of how
important OER is to Teachers. This word is used to emphasize that
acceptance of the concept should be based on the perception of
necessity.
Examine - and choose the right learning materials. Ensure
that the OER materials used are contextualized to meet the
geographical, social, economic and political environment of that
country.
Design - training, integrate OER into the Teacher
Training course content.
This is one of Fijis critical areas of need when it comes to OER. There has never
been an approach made to the Fiji Teacher Education Institutions, generally
because there was no direction. Discussions with Dr Aguti have certainly brought
light on a National Direction.
I would like to think that the fate of mankind is in the hands of Educators. As
Educators, we have an obligation to humanity to include value and ethics in our
content. The Vice President of COL, Mr. Vis Naidoo, echoed my sentiments by
stating, an Educator's greatest challenge is figuring out how do we use
Education as a platform for Economic and Social Development. The people
will take the world forward, the path taken depends on how education has
guided their perception and decision. I reflected on this statement to discover
how it holds personal values for me, for it was the passion to contribute positively
to Humanity that I chose to pursue teaching. A powerful and motivating

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statement.

ALIGNMENT TO ASSURE QUALITY

1. Encourage continued consultation with Commonwealth of Learning.
2. Establishment of an OER Unit under FHEC.
3. Develop an OER work plan as part of the MOE 5 years Minister's strategic
plan achievable overseen by Director FHEC and Director CDU/TVET.
4. Consolidate all eLearning MOE programs under O.D.L; formulate a
National and Institutional Policy to formalize the alignment because of
future evolution and development in ICT learning.
5. Prepare a budget proposal for OER unit administration, management,
process, National advocacy and awareness, continuous
training/professional development for all Education Stakeholders, research
and development, purchase of computer hardware and software including
APTUS units, ensure successive plan for the next 5 years beginning 4th
quarter 2015.

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CONCLUSION
The dynamics of the process to ensure quality seems overwhelming with a lot of
considerations, but it is about identifying the platform on which to construct a
conceptual scaffold. Fijis National Policy on OER has provided this in a timely
fashion. The rest of the process is focused on aligning towards to national
Document. In this process, I suggest the summary of the following in the process:
1. National Framework the National Policy on OER.
2. Socio Economic Considerations Traditional and Cultural backdrops.
3. Available tools and support Aptus, COL, UNESCO, LMS, Repository
4. Dynamics Specific Advocating existing Institutional Infrastructure and QA
policies (ISNB, existing Quality Assurance Policies)
5. Creative Commons.
The process needs to be flexible and not rigid, because systems and approaches
evolve with technology, and must have the ability to adopt new knowledge.
In establishing and adopting OER, localized to Fiji for Fijians, discovery of
approaches and appreciation of existing QA structures blend to create a local QA
process.

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Reference:

1. Dr Jessica Aguti, personal communication, July, 2015.

2. Dr Venkataraman Balaji, personal communication, July, 2015.
3. Dr Godson Gatsha, personal communication, July, 2015.
4. Dr Sanjaya Mishra, personal communication, July, 2015.
5. Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, Pacific Sea Level
Monirong
Project,
2015,
[http://www.bom.gov.au/pacific/projects/pslm/].
6. Commonwealth of Learning Strategic Plan 2015 2021, pages 13,
14, 15, 19, 21, and 22. May 2015.
7. KMT an Educational KM Site, Knowledge Creation- Alan Frost m
Sc, 2015,
[http://www.knowledge-management-tools.net/knowledgecreation.html].
8. Wikipedia, No man is an Island, 2015,
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Man_Is_an_Island].