Moderator:
Dr Tony Lelliott (M.Sc. Durham, PhD, Wits) works at Saide, an NGO based in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he is the Programme Leader, Teacher Development. He co-leads the OER Africa initiative and has contributed to several projects at Saide, including African Storybook, the Advanced Diploma for Technical and Vocational Teaching, and the National Senior Certificate for Adults and African Storybook. Before joining Saide, Tony was an Associate Professor, an NRF-rated researcher, and worked with Honours, Master, PhD students, and pre-service teachers at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Tony is the author of over 25 publications in refereed journals and books and has supervised 10 Doctoral and 13 master's graduates to completion.
Dicussants:
Dr. Harriet Nabushawo Mutambo is a distinguished academic and educational leader in the field of Open, Distance, and e-Learning (ODeL). She currently serves as the Dean of the School of Distance and Lifelong Learning at Makerere University. With extensive experience in distance education, she has played a key role in curriculum development, research, and mentorship in ODeL. Her work focuses on strengthening learner support systems, promoting self-regulated learning, and leveraging digital platforms in teacher education. Dr. Nabushawo is equally committed to expanding equitable access to quality education through Blended and online learning models. and actively supports capacity building for ODeL professionals across Uganda and the East African region.
Prof Antonia Makina is presently an Education Consultant in the Directorate: Curriculum Development and Transformation at the University of South Africa. Passionate about research, she has attended and presented over 30 papers at many national and international conferences in Higher education, mathematics education, and education support technologies in Open Distance Learning. She distinguished herself as the directorate’s Quality Assurance representative for regional audits (Best reflective practices) in the Department of Tuition and Facilitation of Learning. She considers herself both a transformational and authentic leader who tries to inspire colleagues to rally around a joint vision for the curriculum.
Dr. Aruna Ankiah-Gangadeen is the Deputy Director of the Mauritius Institute of Education (MIE). She joined the Institute in 1997 as a lecturer in the English Department and has occupied headship positions at the level of the English Department and the School of Arts and Humanities. She has also led the development and implementation of the curriculum and textbooks at the national level. Dr Ankiah-Gangadeen’s research interests include language-in-education policy, language teaching in a multilingual context, and curriculum policy and practice. Speaking from a postcolonial SIDS setting, she highlights the significance of a curriculum for global citizenship that adequately considers local needs and realities. As the Chairperson on the Teacher Education Committee, Dr Ankiah-Gangadeen currently oversees the development and implementation of teacher education programmes at the MIE.
Mr Victor King Anyanful is the Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) ambassador and 1st Runner-Up for the 2023 Ghana Teacher Prize (Colleges of Education), with 30 years of teaching experience. He contributed to Ghana’s Four-Year Degree Programme for Colleges of Education, Member of the committee for Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination Policy and New Computing curriculum for secondary schools in 2023. He promotes open-access resources and learner-centred pedagogy. During COVID-19, he helped transition teachers to virtual teaching. Passionate about innovation, he has published 32 works, presented at numerous conferences, and mentored student projects at OLA College of Education. His leadership is evident in departmental roles and team workshops. He actively explores and shares digital education tools and strategies.
