Programme, Course and Materials Design and Development

SAIDE is deeply committed to Open Learning, an approach to all education that strives to ensure that, as many people as possible are able to take advantage of meaningful learning opportunities throughout their lives. Programme, course and materials design and development is based on the key principles of Open Learning. SAIDE understands that in order to adhere to these principles programme, course and materials design and development needs to be a multi-layered, multi-faceted process. We have captured this concept in the form of a Design Wheel.

The Design Wheel

The Design Wheel shows the relationships between programme, course and materials design and the key design issues as strands. Each of the design strands crosses all three levels of programme, course and materials design.

This concept applies to design and development across the sectors in which SAIDE works, name Teacher Education (including Early Childhood Development), Schooling, Further Education and Training, Higher Education and Community Education (including Adult Basic Education and Training).

Programme and Course design and development

For SAIDE Programme and Course design and development is about working with institutions to ensure that programmes are accessible, flexible and appropriate to the student needs in particular, but also to national needs. We work with individual institutions and facilitate communities of practice across institutions to ensure that programmes and courses give open access in relation to all strands of the design process.

Materials Design and Development

SAIDE works with collaborative teams to design and develop materials that facilitate access to learning. We encourage the use of effective teaching methodologies, in the context of coherent programmes and courses. We recognise that an important part of the design and development process is the evaluation of those materials. Where appropriate SAIDE encourages the use and adaptation of existing materials, and the licensing and distribution of materials as Open Education Resources.

SAIDE has been involved in a number of design and development projects over the years, including:

• Study of Education Series - These materials are in the process of being re-designed as open education resources and are available on OER Africa.

• Kellogg Household Food Security Facilitator Programme. Click here for more information.

• LGSETA ABET Fast Track Programme in Numeracy and Communications, ABET Levels 1-4, 2009.

• Fundamentals Phase Two: Clarify the issues around assessment language requirements and standards; Upgrade the materials in line with PLC and possibly train, 2008.

• Facilitating Outcomes Based Learning and Teaching: A Guide for Trainers and FET College Lecturers, 2006.

• Finding Your Way in the World of Work: Activity Guide for Office Administration: Level 2, 2006.

• Early Childhood Development (ECD) Fundamentals: Development of materials in Numeracy and Communication at NQF Level 1 for the training of early childhood development practitioners, 2006.

•  Early Childhood Development (ECD) Practitioner Training in Fundamentals: Development of the training capacity of ECD Practitioners using the ECD Fundamentals resources in communications and maths literacy developed in Phase One of the Zenex Foundation-sponsored project, 2006.

• Takalani Sesame: Development of a multi-media course and materials for ECD, 2006.

• We have held numerous course design and materials development workshops for institutions, by way of example: University of the Western Cape, Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance, University of Pretoria, Ministry of Education, Angola and Botswana College of Open Learning.