Useful Resources for Teachers and Learners

Learning Resources

The use of ICTs in education has become very widespread over the last decade, and there are many significant initiatives in e-learning and m-learning across the Commonwealth.  The Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) does not pretend to maintain expertise in all aspects of ICT and education, but it is focusing its main proactive energies on the use of ICTs to support skills development and entrepreneurship.  We do, though, respond to members needs and requests for assistance and advice in other aspects of the use of ICTs in education/learning, and participate actively in international dialogues in this area.  The CTO, for example, chairs the ITU’s m-Powering Development Initiative Working Group on m-Education.

One of the requests that we often receive from members is for advice about the various available sources of existing learning content that they might use or adapt for use in their own contexts, particularly for primary and secondary education.  Whilst we strongly encourage people to develop their own local content that reflects their needs, cultures and contexts, there are indeed numerous good sources of such content, many of which are free and can be adapted to suit such needs. This page is designed to provide links to some of the most valuable such primary and secondary educational resources that teachers and learners might find to be of use (click on the + signed boxes below to access links; resources are listed alphabetically). 

Resources available from our members are particularly highlighted through the use of their logos where appropriate.

General Learning Resources

Resources from CTO ICT Sector Members:

Other resources

  • Association of Teacher Websites – provides a wealth of links to websites developed mainly by teachers, in a user friendly searchable format
  • BBC Schools – a very extensive amount of learning information mainly designed to serve the UK curriculum, with clear sections on primary and secondary resources, as well as much other useful material.  It is regularly updated, and also includes a specific section entitled Commonwealth Class developed in collaboration with the British Council and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
  • Curriki – free to use learning and teaching content from content providers and educators from around the world
  • e-Learning for Kids – established in 2004, aims to be the source for childhood learning on the Internet – available from anywhere and without charge
  • Khan Academy – a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere
  • Intel’s educational resources – links to all of Intel’s programmes and learning resources, many of which are free
Science resources
  • The Exploratorium – “a twenty-first-century learning laboratory, an eye-opening, always-changing, playful place to explore and tinker”
  • The Open Directory Project’s list of science educational resources
  • Planet Science – under the guidance of Tinopolis Interactive, Planet Science exists to offer young scientists of school age the inspiration and excitement that will support their study of science at school and beyond
Mathematics resources

Geography resources

History resources

Languages

Art resources
Open Educational Resource Initiatives

Although many links accessible through this page are derived from Open Educational Resource (OER) Initiatives, the links below provide access to some of the best such initiatives in the Commonwealth and beyond

The following section provides links to some of the broadcast material, also available online, that offers learning opportunities through edutainment:

Broadcast resources on TV and radio, including edutainment
  • Makutano Junction – TV edutainment soap opera covering the daily lives of people in Kenya.  Makutano Junction viewers identify issues of interest to them, such as income-generation, mental and physical health, and rights and responsibilities of good citizens, which are then incorporated into the storylines (Makutano Junction site for UK teachers providing video resources and learning activities based on the series)
  • Shamba Shape Up – a very successful  practical, make-over style TV series aimed at East Africa’s rapidly growing rural and peri-urban TV audience, designed mainly to give farmers practical advice

Acknowledgements:
This page of the CTO’s site is a ‘project in progress’.  Do please recommend high quality resources that you would like to see added, by completing our contact form.  We are most grateful to the following for their advice and suggestions: Enrico Calandro, Dalila Coelho, Kaire Holmen, Shipra Sharma, Anand Sheombar, Laurent Straskraba, John Traxler, and Paul West

For further information:

For more information on the programme please contact:
Capacity Development and Training Division
44 (0) 208 600 3800
44 (0) 208 600 3819