Figure 5.1: Activities in the first six months of the ACEMaths project
1st workshop: 11/12 Sept. 2006 1. Launch project. 2. Establish pilot team and curriculum for pilot module.
Materials review 1. Review materials – whole team. 2. Explore technology options – Saide.
2nd workshop: 30 Oct. 2006 1. Select materials to be used. 2. Plan adaptation of selected materials.
Draft and licensing 1. Prepare draft adapted module. 2. Comment on draft. 3. Revise draft. 4. Negotiate licensing of materials.
3rd workshop: 5/6 May 2007 1. Develop approach and activities for final unit. 2. Obtain commitment to use. 3. Discuss plans for take-up research.
Pilot version: by mid-April 2007 1. Write final unit. 2. Comment on final unit. 3. Lay out and proofread to create pilot version. 4. Participating academics adapt and print materials from website. Source: Welch & Sapire (2008, p. 4).
The process was informed by the following principles, as articulated on the ACEMaths project website (www.oerafrica.org/acemaths/ACEMathsProjectHome/ PrinciplesUnderpinningtheProcess/tabid/872/Default.aspx): • Use a team approach to adapt the materials, with a team of teacher educators from different institutions. If institutions work together and agree to share materials and approaches, not only will the time involved in adaptation be reduced, but the opportunity for learning from sharing of resources will be maximised. The goal in a project of this kind is not only to get a good product, but to engage teacher educators in discussions about what is good.
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