OER AWARENESS AND USAGE AMONG OPEN AND DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS IN SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Sunday Abidemi Itasanmi

Abstract


This study assessed Open Educational Resources (OER) awareness level and usage among Open and Distance Learning (ODL) students in South-western Nigeria. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study. Three ODL institutions (University of Ibadan Distance Learning Centre, National Open University of Nigeria, Ibadan Study centre and University of Lagos Distance Learning Institute) were purposively selected. A structured questionnaire titled "OER awareness and usage Questionnaire" with Cronbach alpha coefficient of .954 was used as data collection instrument. Data collected were analysed using frequency count, simple percentages, mean, standard deviation and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Results of the study revealed that OER awareness among ODL students was on the average while OER usage was high. Lack of orientation on the availability and use of OER and insufficient ICT facilities in the school to access OER materials, amongst others were challenges ODL students faced using OER. It was, therefore, recommended that there should be conscious efforts by ODL institutions to devise means to increase the level of OER awareness among students and sensitise them on the inherent benefits in OER usage.

Keywords


awareness, Open Educational Resources, open and distance learning, South-western Nigeria, usage

Full Text:

PDF

References


Akomolafe, O. C., & Adegun, O. A. (2014). Utilisation of Open Educational Resources (OER) and quality assurance in Universities in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/3001

Arunkumar, K. R., & Kannan, P. (2020). Awareness and use of Open Education Resources (OER) among PG students: A study of Alagappa University. Retrieved from https://www.igi-global.com/viewtitlesample.aspx?id=244995&ptid=235708&t=Awareness%20and%20Use%20of%20Open%20Education%20Resources%20(OER)%20Among%20PG%20Students:%20A%20Study%20of%20Alagappa%20University&isxn=9781799822011

Biao, I. (2012). Open and distance learning: Achievements and challenges in a developing sub-educational sector in Africa. Distance Education. doi:10.5772/48080

Butcher, N. (2015). A basic guide to Open Educational Resources (OER). Retrieved from https://oerknowledgecloud.org/sites/oerknowledgecloud.org/files/215804e.pdf

Canvas. (n.d.). The importance of Open Education Resources. Retrieved from https://canvas.instructure.com/courses/815700/pages/the-importance-of-open-education-resources

Cooney, C. (2017). What impacts do OER have on students? Students share their experiences with a health psychology OER at New York City College of Technology. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(4). doi:10.19173/irrodl.v18i4.3111

Gambo, R. D., & Aliyu, S. M. (2017). Use of Open Educational Resources and print educational materials by Federal College of Education Katsina, Nigeria: A study. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 37(6), 437. doi:10.14429/djlit.37.6.10628

Ghosh, S., Nath, J., Agarwal, S., & Nath, A. (2012). Open and Distance Learning (ODL) education system: Past, present and future – A systematic study of an alternative education system. Journal of Global Research in Computer Science, 3(4), 53-57. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276031945_OPEN_AND_DISTANCE_LEARNING_ODL_EDUCATION_SYSTEM_PAST_PRESENT_AND_FUTURE_-_A_SYSTEMATIC_STUDY_OF_AN_ALTERNATIVE_EDUCATION_SYSTEM.

Grimaldi, P. J., Mallick, D. B., Waters, A. E., & Baraniuk, R. G. (2019). Do open educational resources improve student learning? Implications of the access hypothesis. Plos One, 14(3). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0212508

Haas, M., Ebner, M., & Schön, S. (2018). Practical usage of OER material in the EFL Classroom. Advanced Learning and Teaching Environments - Innovation, Contents and Methods. doi:10.5772/intechopen.72452

Hewlett Foundation. (2016). Open Educational Resources. Retrieved from https://hewlett.org/strategy/open-educational-resources/

Hu, E., Li, Y., Li, J., & Huang, W. (2015). Open Educational Resources (OER) usage and barriers: A study from Zhejiang University, China. Educational Technology Research and Development, 63(6), 957-974. doi:10.1007/s11423-015-9398-1

Ibrahim, D. Z., & Silong, A. D. (n.d.). Barriers to self-directed learning in a virtual environment among adult students. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.131.327&rep=rep1&type=pdf

Ikahihifo, T. K., Spring, K. J., Rosecrans, J., & Watson, J. (2017). Assessing the savings from Open Educational Resources on student academic goals. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(7). doi:10.19173/irrodl.v18i7.2754

Jegede, O. (2016). Open and distance learning practices in Nigerian higher institutions of Learning. Retrieved from http://www.olugbemirojegede.com/odl_practices_in_tertiary_institutions_in_nigeria.pdf

Jena, S. S. (n.d.). OER for distance learning: Means to knowledge empowerment for developing nations. Retrieved from https://wikieducator.org/images/9/90/PID_188.pdf

Kumar, G. P., & Raja, M. V. (2019). A study on awareness and attitude towards Open Educational Resources in higher education students. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335790901_A_STUDY_ON_AWARENESS_AND_ATTITUDE_TOWARDS_OPEN_EDUCATIONAL_RESOURCES_IN_HIGHER_EDUCATION_STUDENTS

Kurelovic, E. K. (2015). Advantages and limitations of usage of Open Educational Resources in small countries. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 2(1), 136. doi:10.21890/ijres.92299

McKenzie, L. (2017). More faculty members are using OER, survey finds. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2017/12/19/more-faculty-members-are-using-oer-survey-finds

Musingafi, M. C., Mapuranga, B., Chiwanza, K., & Zebron, S. (2015). Challenges for Open and Distance learning (ODL) students: Experiences from students of the Zimbabwe Open University. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(18), 59-66. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1079750.pdf.

Mwinyimbegu, C. M. (2018). The role of libraries and librarians in Open Educational Resources in Tanzania: the case of selected public university libraries. Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal). Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/libphilprac/2097

Onaifo, D. (2016). Alternate academy: Investigating the use of Open Educational Resources by students at the University of Lagos in Nigeria. Retrieved from https://oerknowledgecloud.org/sites/oerknowledgecloud.org/files/Investigating the Use of Open Educational Resources by Students in Nigeria.pdf

Otonko, J. (2012). University education in Nigeria: History, successes, failures and the way forward. International Journal of Technology and Inclusive Education, 1(2), 44-48. doi:10.20533/ijtie.2047.0533.2012.0007

Petiska, E. (2018). Usage of Open Educational Resources (OER) by students of environmental disciplines in the Czech Republic. Envigogika, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.14712/18023061.548

Pounds, A., & Bostock, J. (2019). Open Educational Resources (OER) in higher education courses in aquaculture and fisheries: Opportunities, barriers, and future perspectives. Aquaculture International, 27(3), 695-710. doi: 10.1007/s10499-019-00355-9

Reed Library. (n.d.). Open Educational Resources (OER) & reed library: Defining OER. Retrieved from https://fredonia.libguides.com/oer/define

Shear, L., Means, B., and Lundh, P. (2015). Research on open: OER research hub review and futures for research on OER. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International. Retrieved from https://www.hewlett.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/OERRH%20Evaluation%20Final%20Report%20June%202015.pdf

Wiley, D. (2007). On the sustainability of Open Educational Resource initiatives in higher education. Retrieved from https://www.oecd.org/education/ceri/38645447.pdf

Wiley, D. (n.d.). Defining the "Open" in open content and Open Educational Resources. Retrieved from http://www.opencontent.org/definition/

Worldometers. (2017). Countries in the world by population (2019). Retrieved from https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/




DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/ijiet.v4i2.2643

Article Metrics

Abstract view : 2334 times
PDF view: 1045 times

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Indexed and abstracted in:

 

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under CC BY-SA.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

IJIET DOI: https://doi.org/10.24071/ijiet

p-ISSN: 2548-8422 (since 5 January 2017); e-ISSN: 2548-8430 (since 5 January 2017)

Flag Counter

IJIET (International Journal of Indonesian Education and Teaching) is published by the Institute for Research and Community Services of Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.