Open University of Tanzania Case Study
The Open University of Tanzania (OUT) is an open and distance learning (ODL) institution, operating through a network of 30 regional centres and ten coordinating centres spread throughout the United Republic of Tanzania and beyond the country borders to other parts of Africa. OUT has engaged in several open educational resources (OER) initiatives, starting from 2008 when it began working with OER Africa.
This case study considers the broader implementation of OER at OUT, and in particular ‘The Institutionalization of OER Practices Project’, a collaboration between OER Africa and OUT, that ran between 2008 and 2016.
OER Africa collaborated with the OUT management team, the OUT Institute of Educational and Management Technologies (IEMT), and the OUT Library to implement the activities of the Institutionalization of OER Practices Project. The project was framed by a Participatory Action Research approach designed to share and disseminate the project outcomes. The project focused on the following:
- developing an OER Policy,
- developing and piloting OER material,
- conducting capacity building seminars and workshops to sensitize staff about OER, teaching, and research, and
- preparing scholarly publications.
OUT was involved in other OER initiatives focused on developing OER and received support from other organizations including the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in developing its OER Policy. Thus, where available, additional information on these activities and efforts are also noted below.
This summary is based on a desktop review, a questionnaire completed by a representative at OUT, and interviews with three representatives from the university (from the library department and the Institute of Educational and Management Technologies).