Use Of Open Educational Resources Research Articles

Assessment of the use of Open Educational Resources at five European Library and Information Science higher education institutions during and post-COVID-19 pandemic.

This article presents an analysis of the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their potential use in the post-pandemic, in Library and Information Science (LIS) higher education institutions. The research explored how OER were used and created, what were the main barriers and drivers in practice and some main lessons learned that can help to improve the quality and increase the use of OER beyond times of crisis. The research was based on fieldwork carried out in the LIS departments of the universities of Barcelona (Spain), Hildesheim (Germany), Osijek and Zagreb (Croatia) and the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies in Sofia (Bulgaria). The methodology approach was qualitative and was based on interviews with faculty and focus groups with students. Results show that faculty members were still hesitant to adopt OER since they generally did not consider them. Moreover, those who did use them did so on their own initiative and as additional resources. We discuss the different speeds of OER implementation that have been observed depending on the faculty's prior level of knowledge, and on whether their institutions and countries are prepared to support the use of OER. The promotion of post-pandemic OER involves greater capacity building, as well as collaboration and institutional support. Students' attitudes about the usefulness of OER focus on their availability. The large number of teachers and students who participated in the study, as well as the international scope of the study, constitute a strength in the treatment of a topic such as the use of OER where the user perspectives and LIS context have been little addressed in the literature.

The connection between course materials and teaching approaches

ABSTRACT This study investigated whether there was a connection between postsecondary instructors’ course material use and their teaching approach. The research was gathered through an online survey. The study focused on two approaches to teaching, teacher-focused and student-focused, with the Approaches to Teaching Inventory-Revised (ATI-R), and examined the use of open educational resources (OER) versus commercial materials. The theoretical framework that guided the study was constructivism, and the Relational 3P conceptual framework was applied to analyse the process stage of teaching. The results of the one-way MANOVA (n = 337) revealed that the effect of course material type on instructional approaches was statistically significant (F(2, 334) = 3.40, p = .034, η2p = .02). Specifically, a statistically significant difference was found for conceptual change/ student-focused (CCSF) instructional approach (F(1, 335) = 5.72, p = .017, η2p = .02), but not for the information transmission/teacher-focused instructional approach (ITTF) (F(1, 335) = 1.17, p = .281, η2p = .003). These findings have important implications for understanding the impact of course materials on teaching approaches and student learning outcomes in postsecondary education. Instructors who reported using OER scored higher on the more robust CCSF instructional approach than those who used commercial materials.

Assessment of the use of Open Educational Resources at five European Library and Information Science higher education institutions during and post-COVID-19 pandemic

This article presents an analysis of the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their potential use in the post-pandemic, in Library and Information Science (LIS) higher education institutions. The research explored how OER were used and created, what were the main barriers and drivers in practice and some main lessons learned that can help to improve the quality and increase the use of OER beyond times of crisis. The research was based on fieldwork carried out in the LIS departments of the universities of Barcelona (Spain), Hildesheim (Germany), Osijek and Zagreb (Croatia) and the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies in Sofia (Bulgaria). The methodology approach was qualitative and was based on interviews with faculty and focus groups with students. Results show that faculty members were still hesitant to adopt OER since they generally did not consider them. Moreover, those who did use them did so on their own initiative and as additional resources. We discuss the different speeds of OER implementation that have been observed depending on the faculty’s prior level of knowledge, and on whether their institutions and countries are prepared to support the use of OER. The promotion of post-pandemic OER involves greater capacity building, as well as collaboration and institutional support. Students’ attitudes about the usefulness of OER focus on their availability. The large number of teachers and students who participated in the study, as well as the international scope of the study, constitute a strength in the treatment of a topic such as the use of OER where the user perspectives and LIS context have been little addressed in the literature.

Introducing open educational resources typology to digital libraries

ABSTRACT The increased tendency towards the open education movement and the widespread use of Open Educational Resources (OER) demonstrate the potential value of sharing and reusing free digital resources among educational communities. Effective OER management, essential for all educational digital libraries, facilitates the reuse, retention, revision, remixing, and redistribution of OER. It also requires proper identification of OER. The purpose of this paper is to introduce different types of OER to digital libraries. A hybrid approach was taken which incorporated a systematic review of published articles and interviews with domain experts and a preliminary list of OER types was extracted, completed, categorised, and approved. As a result of this research, more than 90 OER types have been introduced and divided into three categories including educational content, software, and complementary materials. Identifying various types of OER in each category not only allows for better use of these resources to improve educational practices but also begins to provide an infrastructure for both human and machine use.

Higher education instructors’ perceptions of open pedagogy: an exploratory study of open pedagogy definitions in practice

ABSTRACT An increase in open educational practices, such as the use of open educational resources (OER), has caused a wide array of definitions to appear concerning open pedagogy (OP). To help clarify how OP is defined in practice, this study describes the perceptions of instructors who implemented various approaches to OP in post-secondary institutions in the eastern United States. Researchers analysed survey data from faculty who adopted open pedagogy and thematically analysed interviews to understand instructors’ perceptions and implementations of OP. Instructors found value in providing students with more control over class procedures and policies, using and creating OER, and making student learning more visible to the outside world, but voiced concerns regarding the constraints and barriers of OP, the perception of instructors not using OP, and how their OP practices were still developing. These perceptions shaped instructors’ practical definition of OP. Further research is necessary to determine best practices for OP and to better refine OP implementation and definition related to the personnel and resources needed to make pedagogy ‘open.’

Teaching practice and the use of open educational resources to hope for a transformative education

In the teaching routine, technologies are increasingly observed as an instrument of pedagogical mediation, which can favor new educational. The general objective of the research was to analyze together with doctoral professors, who attend the stricto sensu, the pertinence of using technologies and open educational resources as a learning object for the construction of knowledge based on a new educational conception. And as a problem: What is the importance of using technologies and open educational resources for a transformative pedagogical practice? The research used a qualitative action-research approach, with doctoral students in education at a large private institution in Curitiba, in which we sought to investigate the pertinence of building a pedagogical practice using technologies and open educational resources for a transformative education. As a result, it was possible to observe in the set of participants' reports that innovative pedagogical practices involve the student's protagonism and a teaching action based on dialogue through methodologies with the use of open educational resources that accompany and are part of this evolution. Keywords: Pedagogical practices; Digital Technologies; Open educational resource; Transformative education

Post-COVID-19 assessment of the use of Open Educational Resources at five European Library and Information Science higher education institutions

This article presents an analysis of the impact of Open Educational Resources (OER) during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their potential use in the post-pandemic, in Library and Information Science (LIS) higher education institutions. The research explored how OER were used and created, what were the main barriers and drivers in practice and some main lessons learned that can help to improve the quality and increase the use of OER beyond times of crisis. The research was based on fieldwork carried out in the LIS departments of the universities of Barcelona (Spain), Hildesheim (Germany), Osijek and Zagreb (Croatia) and the University of Library Studies and Information Technologies in Sofia (Bulgaria). The methodology approach was qualitative and was based on interviews with faculty and focus groups with students. Results show that faculty members were still hesitant to adopt OER since they generally did not consider them. Moreover, those who did use them did so on their own initiative and as additional resources. We discuss the different speeds of OER implementation that have been observed depending on the faculty’s prior level of knowledge, and on whether their institutions and countries are prepared to support the use of OER. The promotion of post-pandemic OER involves greater capacity building, as well as collaboration and institutional support. Students’ attitudes about the usefulness of OER focus on their availability. The large number of teachers and students who participated in the study, as well as the international scope of the study, constitute a strength in the treatment of a topic such as the use of OER where the user perspectives and LIS context have been little addressed in the literature.

AN EVALUATION OF TEACHERS' VIEWS ON OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

The objective of this study is to determine the ways in-service teachers in Türkiye make use of open educational resources and their opinions on using them. For this purpose, the explanatory sequential design has been employed. 588 teachers have participated in the quantitative part of the study; and ten have participated in the qualitative part on a voluntary basis. Data collection instruments have been (a) a personal information form developed by the researchers comprised of 16 questions and (b) a semi-structured interview form with 3 questions. The personal information form has been administered online to participants via social media. Whereas the interviews have been conducted using Zoom teleconferencing software. According to the findings, more than half of the teachers are knowledgeable on the matter of open educational resources and information resources consist of social media. It has been determined that female teachers make greater use of open educational resources than males. It has been established that the most significant affordance of open educational resources is the way it saves time and space for teachers, whereas lack of time and knowledge are the primary obstacles against using open educational resources. Additionally, the opinions of teachers show a demand from their employing organizations towards activities for raising awareness towards the matter of open educational resources and it has been shown that they wish to be encouraged on this matter. It has also been expressed that they expect quantitative and qualitative improvement of the resources provided by the Ministry of National Education, as well as support and cooperation on the use of open educational resources.

Pre-Service Teachers’ Awareness and Attitude Towards the Use of Open Educational Resources for Learning in Kano State, Nigeria

This study focused on the pre-service teachers’ awareness and attitude towards the use of Open Educational Resources for learning in Kano State, Nigeria. The research adopted a descriptive research design. A total of 315 pre-service teachers from two colleges of education out of four colleges in the state were purposively selected and these colleges of education are Federal College of Education, Kano and Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, Kumbotso. The reliability results were 0.77 for Awareness and 0.79 for Attitude, Mean and simple percentages were used to analyse the research questions, while the hypotheses were tested using a t-test at 0.05 significant level. The findings revealed among others those pre-service teachers had a good awareness of the existence of OER and their attitude towards the use of OER for learning was positive. Also, there was no significant difference between the male and female pre-service teachers in their awareness and attitude towards the use of OER for learning in the sampled colleges of education-based gender. The study concluded among others that the awareness and positive attitude of pre-service teachers could affect the use of OER. The study recommended among others that federal, and State governments and colleges’ management should encourage pre-service teachers to adopt OER more in their learning and other academic activities.

Exploring the Factors That Influence K-12 Teachers’ Use of Open Educational Resources

Exploring the Factors That Influence K-12 Teachers’ Use of Open Educational Resources

Methodology of teaching future computer science teachers to create and use open educational resources

Relevance. At the moment, getting an education is not limited to attending higher educational institutions, the development of the Internet and the emergence of an increasing number of open and accessible online educational courses opens up new learning opportunities.Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to substantiate the need to format the education system of future computer science teachers based on the creation and use of open educational resources in their learning process.Methodology. The methodological basis of the study is based on the use of such research methods as analysis, synthesis, and actualisation applied in the framework of a pedagogical experiment.Results. The result of the study is the assessment of the degree of development of Internet technologies and educational resources aimed at ensuring the accessibility of education. The world experience of forming an optimal model of education, which is aimed at training future computer science teachers to create and use OER, has been considered. The results demonstrate that for the effective use of open educational resources, it is necessary to ensure their safety. It is also determined that not all open educational resources meet the required level of quality of the information and educational materials provided by them. It is indicated that modern society is at the stage that demonstrates a high level of trust and loyalty to various educational Internet materials and resources, which necessitates their comprehensive study.Conclusions. A clear understanding of the requirements of modern society for the process of obtaining education indicates the ways to adapt the educational environment. The significance of the results is expressed in the development of the methodology of the teaching process of modern computer science teachers based on the creation, implementation, and use of open educational resources.

A competence framework for educators to boost open educational practices in higher education

ABSTRACT Despite the recognition of the benefits that can be achieved through the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) and, more broadly, Open Educational Practices (OEP), there has been little research on the competences that are needed to enable educators to utilise such practices. To contribute to closing this gap, this paper presents a framework of the competences that educators in higher education should develop in order to effectively engage in OEP. The framework development was based on an in-depth analysis of a set of existing successful open teaching practices, which allowed to identify the underlying competences needed to engage in each one of them. The competence framework consists of one transversal attitude (that of being open to constructively engaging in OEP) and two competence categories (those relating to OER and those relating to open pedagogies). These two categories include a total of eight competences, described in detail through the corresponding knowledge and skills. The paper closes with a reflection on how to facilitate the attainment of these competences, that could become a key part of existing capacity building actions for educators at all levels, and suggests some directions for possible future research.

Perception and use of open educational resources (OERs) by distance learning students of University of Ibadan, Nigeria

The study examined perception of open educational resources (OERs) by the distance learning students (DLS) of University of Ibadan. Survey research method was adopted for the study; 300 level and 400 level undergraduates‟ of the Distance Learning Centre of University of Ibadan were selected for the study. Questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. Data collected were analysed using frequency and percentages. The results reveal that majority (37.8%) are matured adults with understanding of Open Educational Resources (OERs) and that without the management and adequate use of OERs by students and teachers for communication and knowledge sharing, achieving sustainable education will be difficult. Digitised projects (20.0%), learning modules (11.1%) and open access journals (11.1%) were the main resources being perceived to be OERs in the institution. The students feel happy using open education resources developed by other universities and institutions (mean=3.33), and also noted that they feel happy sharing OERs with others (mean=3.29). Electronic resources, digitised projects (7, 15.6%), and YouTube (6, 13.3%) were the main resources used to supplement lecture notes, course notes and research work among distance learning students. Challenging factors revealed are lack of institutional support and institutional technology. Training of education personnel in the proper use of technologies for learning and teaching is very germane, therefore, the provision of adequate funding and training of human capital, as well as capacity building, are recommended for the attainment of sustainable education in Nigeria. OERs are indispensable in the bid for sustainable education development hence periodic training and retraining of students and teachers in the use of OERs are also recommended, for enhancing the Nigerian educational system.

The impact of open educational resources on student achievement: A meta-analysis

The cost of course materials has continued to increase over time. Consequently, the use of Open Education Resources (OER) have become increasingly popular among instructors and institutions as a method of reducing college costs. Furthermore, using OER also reduces inequity in higher education by increasing the accessibility of course materials to all students. The present study investigated the efficacy of courses that used OER compared to those that did not on student achievement. Twenty-six articles were included in this meta-analysis. In OER courses, there was a higher completion rate with students earning at least a C (k = 12; d = 0.29) or at least a D (k = 6; d = 0.61). Furthermore, OER courses were associated with a higher course grade (k = 26; d = 0.17). These findings suggest that adopting OER can be a scalable, cost-effective, powerful, and successful method for educators and institutions to reduce the cost of attending college while bolstering student success.

Designing agile pathways for climate adaptation skill development

Capacity building for advancing climate-change leadership has become a critical workforce development requirement for both professionals and front-line workers. As the World Economic Forum Jobs 2020 report noted, there is an increasing need to provide short-timeframe opportunities for reskilling and upskilling that will keep step with the increasing issues of the climate crisis. Micro-credentials have been proposed as a strategy to enable the ongoing development of knowledge and skills to address this workforce development requirement, which we examine in the context of a university initiative that has prototyped skill pathways to address key climate adaptation themes.We report and discuss the strategic use of the Climate Adaptation Competency Framework (2020)–a Creative Commons-licensed (CC) open competency framework–along with the use of open educational resources to create agile pathways to skill development for climate adaptation and action. The pathways we have designed and are testing combine self-directed learning resources, individual and group activities, and authentic assessment practices to validate skill development. Micro-credentials are awarded from a university continuing and professional studies division to learners from multiple practice domains for demonstrations of competence.

Виклики та перспективи забезпечення інформаційної прозорості в умовах цифровізації освіти та економіки

This article examines the challenges and prospects of ensuring information transparency in the context of digitalization of education and the economy. The paper explores key aspects of information transparency, its significance, and impact on the development of the educational sector and digital economy in modern conditions. The benefits of transparency in online education are analyzed, particularly in the development of learning materials, student assessment, and determination of teacher qualifications. Research demonstrating the positive impact of transparency on increasing student trust in the quality of online courses and ensuring fair treatment of all participants in the educational process is considered. Special attention is paid to issues of academic integrity in the digital age. Challenges related to preventing plagiarism, copyright infringement, and other violations of academic ethics are discussed. A comprehensive approach is proposed, combining technological solutions, educational measures, and clear procedures to ensure transparency and academic integrity in the digital educational environment. Problems of confidentiality and protection of student data as a key aspect of information transparency in education are examined. Challenges associated with balancing the need for transparency in educational processes and protecting students' personal data are analyzed. The importance of developing clear privacy policies, implementing data protection technologies, and raising awareness among all participants in the educational process about potential risks and security measures is emphasized. In the context of the digital economy, the advantages and challenges of ensuring transparency in the creation, dissemination, and use of open educational resources are considered. Necessary procedures for peer review, evaluation, and attribution of authorship to improve the quality and trust in open educational materials are discussed. Challenges related to data bias that can lead to inaccurate or false conclusions and decisions are analyzed. Sources and consequences of data bias, such as lack of representativeness, inaccuracies in data collection, and algorithmic biases, are examined. Approaches to detecting and minimizing bias are proposed, and the importance of transparency in data processing methods is emphasized. Significant attention is given to the role of digital literacy in ensuring information transparency. Aspects of user perception and interpretation of data, as well as information providers' understanding of audience needs and expectations, are considered. The need for continuous learning and skill enhancement to bridge the digital divide and ensure effective use of transparent information is emphasized. The article also analyzes successful initiatives in ensuring information transparency in various fields, including public administration, the corporate sector, and education. Success factors such as political will, active civil society participation, and the use of innovative technologies are examined. The work emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to ensuring information transparency that would consider issues of security, confidentiality, and data protection. The need to develop effective technological solutions and policies that would ensure proper data protection in combination with a high level of transparency is emphasized. The conclusions state that information transparency is an integral component of the effective functioning of educational processes and the digital economy. It contributes to improving quality, accountability, trust, and innovation, while requiring a balanced approach and consideration of security and privacy issues. Ensuring an appropriate level of transparency requires close cooperation among all stakeholders, implementation of advanced technological solutions, and improvement of the regulatory framework.

Faculty and Student Perceptions of Open Pedagogy: A Case Study From British Columbia, Canada

A transformation in teaching and learning happens when students move from being consumers to creators of knowledge. While there is a growing body of research available on the use of open education resources by faculty and students, there is comparatively little research available with regards to open pedagogy (OP) in higher education. The few studies that have explored the perceptions of OP have focused on one specific OP practice in a small context (one or two course sections). The present review study surveyed the perceptions of faculty and students at a Canadian university across several courses and a range of types of OP. Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed students and faculty alike were positive about the benefits and impacts of engaging in OP, but each expressed challenges with needing greater time for OP. Additionally, while students experienced challenges with process, faculty experienced challenges with supports. Recommendations are provided for ways faculty can support students when engaging in OP and ways institutions can support faculty who engage in OP. Ultimately, knowing more about the experiences and perspectives of students and faculty could help inform the development of best practices for faculty who wish to use OP with students.

Framework for Evaluating the Creation and Adaptation of Open Textbooks

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in dramatic growth in the use of open education resources, such as open textbooks, as classes moved online around the world. This highlighted the importance of evaluating the creation and adaptation of open textbooks used in online courses. In reviewing the research literature, I found existing rubrics or frameworks were outdated and lacked criteria that are important in today’s digital age. Therefore, I synthesized the evaluation and quality criteria from 31 articles into a single framework, which online instructors can consider using as they create or adapt an open textbook. The criteria include content, accessibility, technology, open licenses, instructional design, and a new category I termed verification.

Assessing The Awareness and Perception of Open Educational Resources (OER) among Nigerian University Students: A Case Study

This study investigated Nigerian university students’ awareness and how this influences their perception and use of Open Educational Resources (OER). The study adopted a descriptive method of quantitative research. 4 research questions were developed and answered and a hypothesis was also tested to determine the relationship between students’ awareness of and their perceptions of OER. Percentage, frequency, mean, standard deviation and t-test were used for the analysis. A correlation coefficient was employed to test the hypothesis. The findings of the study were: Nigeria university students have a high level of awareness of OER; the most popular OER among the Nigeria university students were Coursera, EdX, and OpenStax; OER are generally well-perceived by Nigerian university students; lack of digital literacy skills and lack of adequate knowledge to determine the quality assurance of OER are the only challenges hindering the effective use of OER among the students, and there is a significant relationship between awareness and the perception of OER by the students. The study concluded that the majority of Nigerian university students are familiar with OER and have positive perceptions of OER. The research recommends that educational institutions provide training on digital literacy skills for students to access and effectively use these OER. Also, efforts should be made to improve the quality assurance mechanisms for OER, including the involvement of educational experts in reviewing and curating OER materials. Lastly, universities, lecturers and librarians should continue to promote OER usage in teaching and learning activities to promote its adoption.

RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE USE OF OER IN DESIGNING A COURSE

The focus of this review paper is to provide data-based recommendations for the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs), which are customised by the lecturer and possibly curated by the students. The use of OER has been advocated mainly because of the cost savings to students, as they are a free or low-cost alternative to traditional textbooks. However, this article also uses students' responses to find new ways of using OERs to enhance student learning in the classroom. Strategies offered are encouraging the use of OERs and curating them to improve student networking through discussion as well as within a student team.