University Lecturers’ Feelings, Awareness and Attitudes Towards Open Education Resources: Experience from Two Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania

Objectives of the Study

The general objective of this study was to assess lecturers’ awareness, feelings, and attitudes toward the utilization of OER in two higher learning institutions in Tanzania. The study was guided by the following research questions:

1. What is the level of lecturers’ awareness towards the OER? and

2. What are the feelings of lecturers towards OER? and

3. What are the attitudes of lecturers toward OER?

Awareness of OER

Some studies have shown relative awareness of lectures in higher learning institutions of OERs. In the study by Iqbal and PM (2017) on “familiarity and consumption of OER,” in India it was learned that the majority of respondents were informed about the concept of OER and were aware that their library had an OER. Furthermore, in a study conducted by Utulu and Bolarinwa (2009) on OA initiatives adoption by Nigerian academics, it was discovered that the majority of the study participants were aware of the OER. The study further revealed that Academics in the sciences showed more promise of adopting OER as authors and readers of scholarly resources than their counterparts in the humanities, even though the study found minimal utilization among the academic staff. A study conducted by Midha and Kumar (2022) also established that the academic community of central universities in North India was aware of OERs and that the majority used OERs when they were required, with YouTube being the most frequently used OER. Furthermore, a study by Ogunleye and Okhakhu (2022) on “assessing academic staff awareness and use of open access resources in polytechnics in Lagos State” discovered that while academic staff members were aware of OERs, they encountered several obstacles when trying to use them, such as poor-quality articles, a lack of search abilities, and delayed network connectivity.

Most studies from different parts of the world have, however, shown the lack of awareness of academicians in higher learning institutions of OERs. A study by Heck et al. (2020) titled, “Open scientific practices in higher education: Discussion of survey data from the research and teaching staff in Germany,” showed that many teaching staff members are unaware of OERs and do not make their courses available online. Additionally, Matonkar and Dhuri (2021) investigated how open education and free Internet resources were used in India during the Covid-19 pandemic and discovered that the vast majority of participants were unfamiliar with OER. Further, a study by Buhomoli and Muneja (2022) shows that researchers and decision-makers have little or no awareness of issues connected to open science, such as open data and OERs. Appiah et al., (2020) conducted a study at Ghana’s Kumasi Technical University on an evocative appraisal of OER awareness, attitude, and utilization. The study revealed that the majority of academic staff (83.9%) and students (91.5%) at Kumasi Technical University were unaware of the OERs and thus rarely used such resources in their academic works. The study revealed that OERs were used in teaching, research, and consultancy services by only a few academic staff who were aware of them at the university. The study, therefore, suggested more training on awareness to increase the utilization of these resources at the university. These studies have generally recommended that OER training be held regularly to address the issues that library users face when using OERs.

Studies have also been conducted in Tanzanian higher learning institutions to assess awareness and use of OERs and established that the use of OERs is still limited especially due to the lack of awareness and resources. For instance, Baas et al., (2019) assessed ‘Teachers’ Adoption of OERs in Higher Education.’ About 42% of the teachers indicated in the questionnaire that they have heard of OERs. However, teachers’ awareness of Creative Commons was only at a14% and although some teachers may have heard of it, they were not familiar with its defining characteristics. The study concluded that the awareness of teachers can be improved by joint efforts of school leaders, educational support services, and librarians during curriculum reforms. A previous study by Samzugi and Mwinyimbegu (2013) assessed the accessibility of OERs for distance education learners at the Open University of Tanzania (OUT). The study looked at the staff and students’ levels of awareness of the types of OER available at OUT Library, access and use trends of OER by academic staff and students, challenges faced in accessing OER, and possible solutions. The findings revealed that staff and students were quite aware of the OER available at OUT and that the major use of the information found in OER is for self-learning. However, the use and accessibility of the resources were relatively low. These studies demonstrate that some lecturers in Tanzanian higher education institutions are aware of the OERs but the use of these resources is still limited.

Conceptual framework

It is presumed that using OER depends on several factors, including lecturers’ awareness of OERs in this particular circumstance. Other factors being constant, a lecturer who is aware of OERs has the required equipment and knowledge towards its implementation is more likely to use it than one who is not. Similarly, lecturers who have a positive attitude toward the use and implementation of OERs are more likely to use them than those who do not. The factors most likely to suppress OER adoption by lecturers in an institution include but are not limited to, a lack of necessary tools, bands with costs, a lack of necessary search and retrieval skills among users, and poor support from the mother institutions (Mubofu, 2019). In general, it is assumed in this study that good awareness and a positive attitude toward OERs in an environment free of the identified challenges determines the acceptance and widespread adoption of OERs by lecturers in the areas under study.

Methodology

This study was conducted at the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy (MNMA) and the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM). The study involved only teaching staff who were purposively selected for the study. By narrowing the scope to staff members involved in teaching, the study aimed to delve deeper into the awareness and feelings/attitudes of this target group towards OERs. The study adopted a quantitative research approach. Only staff involved in teaching and who were likely to make use of OERs in their academics were included in the study. This targeted approach allowed for a more in-depth exploration of the perspectives and experiences of individuals who are directly engaged in teaching and have a higher likelihood of knowing and/or utilizing OERs. A closed-ended questionnaire was developed using Google Forms and verified by two senior lecturers to ensure the validity and reliability of the data. The questionnaire in Google form (See Appendix A) was circulated to the official WhatsApp groups of teaching staff from the respective institutions for them to fill in and remained open for three weeks, this enabled participants to fill in the form and allow the researchers to proceed with data analysis and report writing. A total of 52 respondents properly filled in the survey and submitted it for further analysis. Data collected were transported into Excel for cleaning and finally were transported into Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) version 20 computer programme for calculation of descriptive Statistics. Lastly, results were presented in tables, which showed the outcomes of the analysis as percentages and frequencies.

Experience of Lecturers

Participants in the study were asked to indicate their teaching experience in higher education institutions. The analysis revealed that 38 (72.1%) of the 52 respondents had more than one year of teaching experience and 14 (26.9%) had less than one year of teaching experience. It was critical to know the participant’s experiences because the more experienced they are, the more likely they are to be familiar with the OER. This is because experienced teachers are more likely to be familiar with OER because of the length of time in teaching which can make them learn new technologies like OERs as well as adaptability after knowing the value of online teaching resources. Further, a greater number of more experienced teaching staff implies that the data was gathered from genuine people, which increases the data’s validity and reliability. Similar observations have been reported by Mishra and Singh (2017) where most respondents (41%) had 6-15 years of teaching experience and were deemed to be suitable for providing information about their attitudes concerning higher education faculty attitude, motivation, and perception of quality and barriers towards OER in India.

Negative feelings towards OERs

On the aspect of sharing education resources, the study analysis revealed that 55.8% of the respondents were not ready to share education materials that they prepared for a long time. The results suggest a reluctance to embrace OERs and a lack of understanding of the potential benefits of sharing resources (Butcher, 2015). OERs have the potential to improve access to quality education, particularly in low-resource settings, and can foster collaboration and innovation in the field of education. By refusing to share their educational materials, educators may be missing out on opportunities to learn from their colleagues and contribute to the broader educational community.

In terms of giving colleagues the advantage of sharing education resources, the results revealed that 48.1% of the respondents said they did not want to give their colleagues the advantage of using their education resources. These results may mean that there is a lack of trust or collaboration between colleagues, which can negatively impact the overall quality of education and learning outcomes (Ezenwoye & Nyam, 2020). By hoarding resources and not sharing knowledge, educators may be hindering the growth and development of their colleagues, as well as limiting their potential for learning and improvement.

Concerning support for making materials openly available online, the findings revealed that 57.7% of the study participants felt that they had no support for making materials openly available online. This shows that they were ready to prepare the education resources but they needed support on how to make them freely available online. Making OERs freely available online can be a great way to share your educational materials with a wider audience. Some steps include: choosing a platform, choosing a license, formatting the materials you want to share, uploading your materials, and lastly, Promoting your materials (GitHub, 2023). These steps show that it is not easy to share the OERs online and thus support from skilled personnel is critical.

Regarding concerns over copyright issues, the findings revealed that 63.5% of the respondents felt that they had concerns over copyright issues. OERs are teaching and learning materials that are freely available and can be modified, shared, and used for educational purposes without violating copyright laws. However, concerns over copyright issues can arise when using OERs, particularly when adapting or modifying existing materials. some of the key copyright concerns related to OERs, with references to relevant sources for more information Attribution, Derivative works, Fair use, and the public domain: materials that are in the public domain can be used freely without the need for permission or attribution.

On the fear of criticism from colleagues on the quality of content, 50% of the respondents noted that they feared criticism from their colleagues on the quality of content which indicates that they were aware of the OER but they were not ready to share the resources due to fear of being criticized. It is completely understandable to feel anxious or fearful about receiving criticism from colleagues, especially when it comes to something as subjective as the quality of the content (McAndrew & Santos, 2018). However, it’s important to remember that constructive criticism can be valuable feedback that can help you improve your work and grow as a professional.

Regarding why the giveaway or share education resources to other universities, 46.2% said that they did not see any reason why the University should give away education resources to other universities. This implies that a significant proportion of the respondents are questioning the benefits of sharing educational resources with other universities. They may be concerned about the costs or effort required to make their resources available to others, or they may be uncertain about the value of sharing resources. Alternatively, they may have concerns about the potential impact of sharing resources on their own institution’s reputation or competitiveness (McAndrew & Santos, 2018). In general, this response suggests that there may be some resistance or reluctance among educators to participate in resource-sharing initiatives and that more work may be needed to address these concerns and promote the benefits of collaborative resource-sharing.

Responses on whether or not OERs covers limited subjects and disciplines revealed that 67.3% of the participants felt that OERs cover limited subjects and disciplines. The result highlights the need for continued investment and development in OERs. While OERs have gained traction in recent years, there may be gaps in the subjects and disciplines they cover (Hilton et al., 2010). In order to fully realize the potential of OERs, it may be necessary to continue investing in their creation and dissemination, with a focus on addressing areas where there may be gaps.

Regarding the availability of contents in native language, data have revealed that 55.8% of the study participants noted that the contents OERs are not available in their native language. The results underscore the importance of promoting and supporting multilingualism in education (McAndrew & Santos, 2018). By embracing a diversity of languages and cultures, educators and institutions may be able to better serve the needs of learners from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, it suggests that educators and institutions may need to explore a variety of resources and approaches to meet the needs of learners who may face language barriers. While OERs can be a valuable tool, it may be necessary to supplement them with other resources or approaches to provide a more inclusive learning experience for all learners.

Positive feelings towards OERs

With regards to belief in the idea of OERs for teaching and learning, the results revealed that 78.8% of the respondents believed in the idea of OERs for teaching and learning. This suggests that educators see value in the use of OERs in education and are supportive of the principles of openness, collaboration, and sharing that underpin the OER movement. This positive attitude towards OERs could have several implications. It may encourage more educators to use and create OERs, which could help to expand the availability of high-quality educational resources and improve access to education for learners worldwide. It may also contribute to the growth and sustainability of the OER movement, as more educators become aware of the benefits of open education and are willing to support it (McAndrew & Santos, 2018). Generally, this result suggests that there is a strong level of support for OERs among educators, which is a positive sign for the continued growth and development of the OER movement.

Regarding how one feels about when someone to adapts his/her resources, it was revealed that 73.1% of the respondents noted that they would be happy for someone to adapt their resources. This response implies that a large majority of the respondents are open to the idea of their educational resources being adapted and used by others. This suggests that educators are generally receptive to the idea of collaborative resource development, and are willing to contribute to a larger pool of resources that can be shared and adapted by others to meet their needs. This openness to adaptation could lead to the development of more diverse and flexible resources, as educators are more likely to create materials that can be adapted to different contexts and learning needs. Overall, this response is a positive sign for the growth and development of collaborative resource-sharing initiatives, as it suggests that there is a strong willingness among educators to work together to create and share resources that can benefit a wider community of learners.

The findings on how OERs enhance the reputation of my institution have revealed that 73.1% of the study participants noted that OERs enhanced the reputation of their institutions. This suggests that the use of OERs can contribute to the overall quality and effectiveness of education at an institutional level. By using and adapting high-quality OERs, institutions can improve the educational experiences of their students and demonstrate their commitment to innovation and excellence in teaching and learning. Additionally, it indicates that institutions that are actively involved in the creation and sharing of OERs are likely to be viewed more positively by their peers and stakeholders. This could help to enhance their profile and reputation in the education community and may lead to increased collaboration and partnerships with other institutions.

On the other hand, findings on sharing OERs to enhance one’s reputation, data have indicated that 65.4% of the respondents revealed that sharing education resources enhanced their reputation as academicians. This indicates that sharing OERs can be seen as a form of professional development for educators. By sharing their knowledge and expertise through the creation of high-quality OERs, educators can demonstrate their skills and commitment to teaching and learning, which may be recognized by their peers and colleagues. This result also highlights the potential benefits of OERs in terms of networking and collaboration. Educators who are actively involved in the creation and sharing of OERs may have more opportunities to connect with colleagues and peers, both within their institution and beyond, which could lead to new collaborations and partnerships.

Data on sharing OERs increases my citation index in academic social media: have indicated that 61% of the respondent felt that sharing education resources increased their citation index in academic social media. This shows that sharing OERs can be seen as a way to increase scholarly visibility and impact. By making their work openly available through OERs, educators may be able to reach a wider audience and increase their chances of being cited and recognized by other scholars in their field (Hilton, III, Wiley, Stein & Johnson, 2010). The findings also suggest that suggests that the use of OERs can contribute to the professional advancement of educators. By increasing their citation index and scholarly impact, educators may be able to advance their careers and increase their professional opportunities.