About us

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About us

The UCT OpenContent directory is the web portal for accessing open teaching and learning content from UCT. Produced by the Open Educational Resources project in the Centre for Educational Technology at UCT with the support of the Shuttleworth Foundation, the directory aims to showcase the teaching efforts of UCT academics and encourage the publication of open resources.

What is open content?

The term 'open content' is commonly used to refer to an internet-driven worldwide community effort through which educational resources can be accessed free of charge across the globe. Generally referred to as ‘digitised materials offered freely and openly for educators, students and self-learners to use and reuse for teaching, learning and research’, open content includes:

• Learning content: syllabi, full courses, modules, learning objects, lecture notes, presentation and data collections.
• Tools: content development tools, online learning communities, and software to support the creation, delivery, use and improvement of open learning content.
• Implementation resources: intellectual property licenses to promote open publishing of resources and guidelines for design and best practice.

 
Effective use of open content has the potential to help you:

• Raise your individual, departmental and institutional profile.
• Facilitate increased and effective community engagement.
• Enhance your current teaching practice.
• Provide a means of archiving teaching materials.
• Provide channels for receiving feedback on your teaching materials for peers across the globe.
• Enhance your contribution to the global Knowledge Commons and facilitate better localised sharing of knowledge.

 
UCT OER resources do not:

• Provide a UCT qualification.
• Provide access to UCT faculty.
• Necessarily reflect the full course structure of listed resources.

 
UCT and the Cape Town Open Education Declaration

UCT has shown its commitment to openness in education by signing the Cape Town Open Education Declaration (CTOED), one of a number of global Declarations committed to accelerating efforts to promote open resources, technology and teaching practices in education. Taking the approach of open education as a living idea, the CTOED aims to foster a movement driven by individual interest and contribution. Read more about the Cape Town Open Education Declaration and become a signatory.