Tessa Open Education Resources: A Springboard For Kenya’s Competency Based Curriculum

Abstract

Low availability and access to quality educational materials are some of the likely impediments to implementation of a curriculum. This study explored Open Education Practices (OEP) and in particular the use of TESSA Open Educational Resources (OER) for modeling pedagogies for Kenya’s learner centered Competency Based Curriculum. Eighty-six educators participated in the study. A literature review revealed that both CBC and TESSA OERs focus on the learner. The study revealed that some teachers had access to digital devices and Internet thus could easily access TESSA OERs. The majority (74.0%-100%) agreed that: TESSA OERs content was relevant, a core part of the curriculum, understandable and usable in teaching and modeling learner-centered pedagogy. Teachers also agreed that TESSA OERs promote students’ engagement in learning, enabled teachers’ account for learners’ prior knowledge and appropriate for effecting changes proposed in CBC. Teachers finally indicated they were willing to advocate use of TESSA OERs among their peers. The study recommends policy changes by Kenya’s Ministry of Education, Teacher Service Commission and Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development to open uptake of OEPs in the implementation of CBC and retraining of teacher educators to make meaningful change in teachers’ instructional methodology.