What do we mean by open and on-line education for Haiti?

For more than a year, I have been engaged in discussions with various partners in Haiti, Canada, and the US as we discuss establishing open, on-line education for Haiti. The reasons for developing open, on-line learning are fairly clear and I'll touch on this further in a future blog post.

But what do we mean by open, on-line learning?

By open, we mean that we want to create resources that are available for any teacher or school administrator in Haiti (and beyond). If an educator has access to a computer (or smartphone) with an internet connection, he or she could view the resources which are available. Open also means that educators (whether in Haiti or elsewhere) can create resources which they think would be beneficial for all. In other words, open to create and open to access ... at no cost or remuneration.

By on-line, we mean that  the resources would be organized into topics and available via an internet connection. We are currently working on developing a learning management system (LMS) where these resources will be available for educators. A LMS is like a depository of resources but it is also active since it provides opportunities for discussions. During our October trip, we will be meeting with the various partners and unveiling a trial version of the LMS. We have registered a domain name for our LMS (to be unveiled shortly) where people can check out a variety of resources and teaching modules.

Teaching modules will focus on a specific topic (e.g. how to use math manipulatives in primary school classrooms, how to support teacher professional development, how to develop a budget for a school, etc.). They may include a short video featuring a Haitian educator as well as a discussion forum where educators can ask questions or respond to others.

It is my belief that having open, on-line education is an excellent supplement to the various teaching and leadership workshops and resources which are being developed and initiated in Haiti. Stay tuned for more exciting details on open, on-line education for Haiti!