Creation of African-Based, Open Curricular Materials: The AgShare Method

Abstract: 
Working in partnership with four universities around East Africa, the AgShare planning and pilot project produced exciting results through the creation of African-based, open curricular materials that are easily localised. This work involved the incorporation of new faculty processes, active learning, and engagement by universities with community stakeholders. It also involved a graduate student learning and research agenda that focuses on serving the smallholder farm community. The process of growing open, shareable African-led resource based curricula can contribute towards sustainable agriculture productivity if they are based on solid research by university faculty and their students, coupled with input at the local level.
Travaillant en partenariat avec quatre universités à travers l’Afrique orientale, le projet pilote et de planification d’AgShare a produit des résultats intéressants par la création des matériels de programmes pédagogiques ouverts et basés en Afrique, qui sont facilement localisés. Ce travail a nécessité la prise en compte des processus nouveaux au sein des facultés, l’apprentissage actif et l’engagement des universités avec les intervenants communautaires. Il a également impliqué l’apprentissage d’un étudiant de troisième cycle et un programme de recherche axé sur le service communautaire au sein des petites exploitations. Les processus d’accroissement des programmes ouverts basés sur les ressources partageables amenées en Afrique peuvent contribuer à la productivité agricole durable s’ils sont fondés sur de solides recherches par les professeurs d’université et leurs étudiants, couplés avec la contribution au niveau local.
Language: 
English
Extended abstracts submitted under Strengthening S&T Capacity in Africa
Date of publication: 
2012
Collection: 
RUFORUM Conferences and Workshops
Agris Subject Categories: 
Licence conditions: 
Open Access
Access restriction: 
Form: 
Printed resource
Publisher: 
Notes: 

The 2012 RUFORUM Biennial Conference is the third in the series. The main objective of the Biennial conferences is to provide a platform for agricultural research for development stakeholders in Africa and beyond to actively exchange findings and experiences, while at the same time learning lessons towards improving performance of the agricultural sector and ultimately people’s livelihoods. The biennial conference is RUFORUM’s most comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholers in agriculture. It is especially dedicated to graduate students and their supervisors, grantees in RUFORUM member universities and alumni. It is a platform for peer review, quality control, mentorship, networking and shared learning. The third Biennial Conference was attended by 657 participants.This record contains an extended abstract accepted under the theme of Strengthening S&T Capacity in Africa.