TESSA was conceptualised as a research and development project. The research covers a diverse range of themes and has formed the basis of a wide variety of different projects which extend beyond the original network.
The work is described under the four themes below and is largely qualitative in nature. It draws on a variety of theoretical frameworks including the Capability Approach, Socio-cultural approaches to learning and teaching, and Critical Realism; employs novel methodologies to elicit deeper understanding of the issues facing education in sub-Saharan Africa; and it has been carried out with a range of different partners from the network.
Theme 2: Schools, teaching and learning
How do teachers and schools engage with pedagogic change?
Theme 4: OER to support change in education
How are Open Educational Resources produced, contextualised and used?
EXPLORETESSA Research has set out to explore a variety of questions. The first question that arises is ‘Does it work?’ A number of evaluations have been completed of different aspects of the TESSA programme, using quantitative and qualitative methods. The evaluations are presented in Theme 1.
Other questions that arise as we delve deeper into the body of work include 'How do schools and teachers engage with pedagogic change?' (Theme 2). This explores schools, teachers and classrooms. We are keen to understand how teachers experience pedagogic change.
What are the challenges in supporting professional development for teachers and teacher educators? (Theme 3). This research focuses on Teacher Educators – the professional group best placed to mediate OER for teachers, but also in need of professional development themselves.
How are OER produced, contextualised and used in different contexts for different purposes and what are the opportunities and challenges? (Theme 4). This theme explores the versioning process and some of the ways in which OER are being used and developed.
Collectively our research illustrates the complexity of bringing about pedagogic change, but also highlights the resilience and determination of many colleagues and partners, working in challenging circumstances with large classes, limited resources within structures that are often resistant to change.
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TESSA Research themes
Research from the TESSA network is described under the four themes listed and is largely qualitative in nature. It draws on a variety of theoretical frameworks including the Capability Approach, Socio-cultural approaches to learning and teaching and Critical Realism; employs novel methodologies to elicit deeper understanding of the issues facing education in sub-Saharan Africa; and has been carried out with a range of different partners from the network.
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