Factors influencing faculty innovation and adoption of open educational resources in higher education

Abstract

The goal of this mixed-method research study was to examine the adoption process and use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in higher education. The study used Rogers' (2003) Diffusions of Innovations theoretical framework to guide the description of the innovation and adoption process of OER. The significance of this research for scholar-practitioners was to investigate faculty adoption of OER to facilitate valuable and sustainable adoption of OER. In order to identify the connection between the creation and continued adoption of OER, certain aspects such as the characteristics of OER, the innovation-decision process, and the kind of supports institutions should provide have been investigated. Data has been collected for this study from targeted organizations that have participated in a Next Generation Learning Challenges grant funded project. This study used a mixed methods explanatory sequential descriptive design with a quantitative method which informed a subsequent qualitative method that produced detailed findings. Five themes emerged from the three research questions that guide this study. First off, the attributes that faculty believe constitute a valuable and sustainable faculty created OER include OER that are cost effective and focus on improving student learning and success. Secondly, the ability to customize, remix, and share OER considerably contributes to faculty adoption of OER as reported by faculty. Finally, resources from home institutions, as well as projects and grants with funding for faculty time and effort are the supports that faculty identify as meaningful to the innovation and adoption of OER. These five themes explain and reinforce the process of innovation and adoption of OER by higher education faculty.