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Frequently Asked Questions Who can use TESSA?
TESSA is primarily aimed at teacher educators looking to create or enhance primary teacher education courses or programmes in their institution. It can also be used by teachers looking to enhance their own classroom practice. Click on the >Using TESSA> button on the TESSA home page to read about how real teachers and teacher educators across Sub-Saharan Africa are using the TESSA materials. How can teacher education programmes be developed through TESSA?
The TESSA materials can be used in a wide variety of ways. You might be thinking about designing a new course or programme. The TESSA materials could provide the core content of this new course, or you could select specific aspects or sections of the materials to supplement the course design. You could use the TESSA materials to supplement existing courses or to construct individual student’s learning pathways. To find out how other institutions are developing teacher education programmes through TESSA, click the >Using TESSA> button on the TESSA home page. Where can I see an overview of all the TESSA content? Click on your country or on Pan-African materials and then click on 'site map' in the top navigation bar. This will give you links to all the TESSA materials for that area. My country is not listed – what should I do?
The TESSA materials were created by teacher education experts from across Sub-Saharan Africa. These materials have been adapted so they are appropriate for use in nine different country contexts. These are the countries that are listed on the TESSA home page. The original materials can be found by clicking the >Pan African Version> button. You might want to adapt the Pan African materials so they are more appropriate for use in your country context. If so, please share your adapted materials with the TESSA community by uploading them to TESSA Share. I work in a Teacher Education institution and I would like to become more involved with TESSA – what can I do?
TESSA has a growing list of associate members. For more information, please email your details and areas of interest and experience by clicking on the >contact us> button at the bottom of the screen. I am a teacher, but I am not attending a training or upgrading course. Can I still use the materials?
Of course! The materials are free for anybody to use. They can be used in a range of different contexts and for a variety of purposes. You can pick and choose the materials from the five module areas. They will give you lots of ideas about trying new ways of doing things in your classroom. They will help you to think about how and why you are doing these things. I have some really useful ideas for the materials that I would like to share with other teachers, what should I do?
You can share adapted materials through TESSA Share. Go to the TESSA home page and click on >TESSA Share>. Here you will find easy, step-by-step instructions for uploading your materials. Before you do this, you might find it helpful to click on >View All>. This will allow you to explore other materials that have been shared by the TESSA community. I have an idea for a new TESSA section. Can I share this with the TESSA community?
Yes, of course. On the homepage, click on >TESSA Share>. On the TESSA Share page there is a link to a document template. You can use this to structure your section. When you have completed your new section you can upload it by clicking on the >TESSA Shareback> button. I am a teacher from outside Africa – can I still use the materials?
Yes, you can. The materials were created by Sub-Saharan African teacher educators especially for use in Sub-Saharan African contexts, but anybody is free to use them. Try clicking on the >Pan African Version> button on the homepage. This will take you to the materials. They will give you lots of ideas about trying new ways of doing things in your classroom. You might want to change some aspects of them so they are more appropriate for your country context. If you do, please upload your adapted versions onto TESSA Share. What is an Open Educational Resource?
Open Educational Resources are often referred to as OERs. OERs are materials and resources that are offered freely (at no cost) to users. All of the TESSA materials are Open Educational Resources. This means you can use them in your teaching and learning. You can also adapt or alter them, translate them, integrate them with your existing materials or curricula, share them with your colleagues, etc. You can use them however you like! If I use the TESSA materials, do I have to reference TESSA?
The TESSA materials are published under a flexible Attribution-ShareAlike Creative Commons Licence. This means that if you use them (for example in the design of a new course for teacher education), you must acknowledge that they are TESSA materials. If you alter, transform or build upon the TESSA materials, we ask that you re-upload these new versions to the TESSA website through TESSA Share. This is a very quick and simple procedure and it enhances the breadth and quality of the TESSA resource bank for the whole TESSA community. I am looking for PhD funding, can TESSA help me?
TESSA currently funds three PhD students. For more information, please email your details, areas of interest and experience. You can do this by clicking on >contact us> at the bottom of the website. Can I contribute to the forum in another language?
Yes you can. You can contribute to the Pan-African Forums in both French and English. You can contribute to the country forums in whatever language is most appropriate for that country or the topic you are discussing. Download document help
The Word documents found on the TESSA site should be compatible with version of Microsoft Word 97 onwards. If you do not have a compatible version of MS Word (e.g. Word 6) you may still be able to download and adapt these materials. Options: - Download the PDF version of the file and copy the contents it into your text editor for adaptation.
- Download a version of OpenOffice which should be able to open the MS Word documents on TESSA (free copies of OpenOffice can be found at http://www.openoffice.org/)
- Download a free utility that converts Word 97 so it can be opened in Word 6. Try searching the www using ‘free convert Word 97 word 6’, for example:http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/fid,4197/download.html.
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