Re-posted from Commonwealth of Learning website | 16 Oct, 2024
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The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and the Pacific Centre for Flexible and Open Learning for Development (PACFOLD) recently held a three-day ‘Regional Workshop on OER for STEM Education’ at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji. The event brought together 41 participants, including nine representatives from other Pacific countries.
This workshop is part of the broader Partnership for Open, Distance, and Flexible Learning in the Pacific, funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and aimed at leveraging Open Educational Resources (OER) and Generative AI to improve the quality of STEM education in the Pacific region.
Participants, drawn from a diverse range of secondary schools and ministry departments, explored how integrating OER with Generative AI could help address the challenges in STEM education by enabling the creation of adaptable, locally relevant lesson plans and educational content.
While officiating during the opening session, Senior Curriculum Specialist at the Ministry of Education, Ms Rihana Hussain, thanked COL for continued support and said, “This partnership enables us to rethink and innovate STEM education strategies without leaving behind the teachers in rural and remote schools. By leveraging OER and Generative AI, we are empowering teachers to deliver more engaging lessons in order to improve student learning outcomes in their respective contexts.”
A key highlight of the workshop was the development and peer review of over 100 lesson plans and educational resources created using the AI-Powered OER Generator – a pioneering technology used by COL. This technology allows teachers to create customised educational content quickly and efficiently while ensuring that their materials are tailored to the specific needs of their students.
A regional mentoring team comprising mentors from Fiji, Solomon Islands and Tonga was critical in ensuring active participation in pre- and in-workshop activities.
One participant said of the workshop, “This is a very helpful technology that makes teachers look forward to teach and prepare efficiently in the future.”
COL’s Education Specialist: Teacher Education, Dr Betty Ogange, said, “With a growing pool of mentors drawn locally and from the region, this training model should lay the foundation for a sustainable community of practice, where STEM educators can continue to share insights, resources, and innovations online long after the workshop.”