Faculty Perceptions of the Use of Open Educational Resources in State Universities in Bayelsa and Rivers States Nigeria

Abstract

The paper explored faculty perceptions of the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in state universities in Bayelsa and Rivers States, Nigeria. The research was guided by two (2) questions. The researchers used a descriptive survey approach. The population of the study comprised 1787 faculty members from the four-state Universities in Bayelsa and Rivers State. Convenience sampling techniques were done as the study employed all of the respondents to the questionnaire from the entire population. Data was collected using an online questionnaire. Educational technology specialists evaluated the questionnaire. The Cronbach alpha value of 0.96 was discovered after analyzing the study’s data to look for internal consistency and reliability. The questionnaire was deemed credible based on the coefficient discovered. The frequency count, basic percentages, and mean were used to examine the data. The results showed that faculty opinions on the use of OER were favorable. It was also discovered that inadequate access to electricity, poor Internet connectivity, ignorance, a lack of library sensitization, and a lack of ICT skills were some of the main obstacles to the efficient use of OER. The researchers suggested that the universities should enhance their supply of electricity by providing alternative sources of power supply, provide adequate Internet facilities and encourage faculty to assist in encouraging students to use OER.