In order to maximize the impact of its e-learning initiatives, the IADP has focused on the training and effectiveness of students who work, or intend to work, in support of poor communities, including agricultural extension officers, in-service teachers, nurses, social workers, and doctors who practice telemedicine.

To date, the IADP has created an Open Education Resources (“OER”) platform, and supported the creation of technical interfaces with university learner management systems. It has also reviewed curriculum development, courseware design, and appropriate use of educational technology with academics. It plans to continue these interventions, and to develop further the functionality and front end of the OER platform, in association with OER Africa. The IADP has also identified several prospective communities of practice, and it has started to populate the platform with relevant OER resources.

Experience has shown that, in addition to identifying synergies and encouraging academic staff to collaborate in the development, adaptation, and sharing of e-learning resources, the IADP needs to tailor its interventions to specific needs, and engage on a continuing basis to ensure that the communities of practice are sustainable. This is a time consuming activity, and the IADP intends to be very selective and ensure that its interventions are demand driven and supported by active monitoring and evaluation.

The IADP has also identified and researched an area of critical importance for development, namely support for language and literacy. So far, it has prepared a concept paper that focuses on the appropriate use of ICT in the classroom, and it proposes to develop the concept during 2009 with a view to designing an intervention for which significant interest has already been expressed by academic staff, government agencies, and funding sources.