Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative study
Historically, copyright regulations have posed challenges in the dissemination of educational resources, leading to financial barriers, limited access, and outdated materials. Open Educational Resources (OER) offer free access to materials, addressing these issues and promoting equitable learning gl...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125001937 |
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| author | Enala Sharon Lufungulo Jiyou Jia Kennedy Mwila |
| author_facet | Enala Sharon Lufungulo Jiyou Jia Kennedy Mwila |
| author_sort | Enala Sharon Lufungulo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Historically, copyright regulations have posed challenges in the dissemination of educational resources, leading to financial barriers, limited access, and outdated materials. Open Educational Resources (OER) offer free access to materials, addressing these issues and promoting equitable learning globally. This study examines the integration of OERs among primary school educators in Zambian community schools. Grounded in Connectivism, Diffusion of Innovations Theory, and the OER Adoption Pyramid, this research explores how personal values, institutional support, technology, OER awareness, and cultural reception influence educators' decisions to adopt OER. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 34 participants, two focus group discussions, document analysis, and social media data. The study was conducted in Lusaka and Chipata, focusing on participants actively involved in using OER provided by an NGO in collaboration with Zambia's Ministry of Education. The findings highlight the significant role of individual preferences, institutional frameworks, and infrastructure in OER adoption. It emphasises the importance of policy development, professional training, and capacity building to overcome barriers. While this study is limited in scope, it advocates for future research on nationwide OER adoption, policy impact, and sustainability to deepen understanding and foster inclusive OER integration. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9bfcdd3e19a4f578985585e29ddc271 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2590-2911 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9bfcdd3e19a4f578985585e29ddc2712025-08-20T02:37:09ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011110146510.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101465Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative studyEnala Sharon Lufungulo0Jiyou Jia1Kennedy Mwila2Corresponding author. University of Zambia, School of Education, Department of Primary Education, GER Campus, Box 32379, Zambia.; Peking University, Graduate School of Education, 5 Yiheyuan Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, ChinaPeking University, Graduate School of Education, 5 Yiheyuan Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, ChinaPeking University, Graduate School of Education, 5 Yiheyuan Rd, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871, ChinaHistorically, copyright regulations have posed challenges in the dissemination of educational resources, leading to financial barriers, limited access, and outdated materials. Open Educational Resources (OER) offer free access to materials, addressing these issues and promoting equitable learning globally. This study examines the integration of OERs among primary school educators in Zambian community schools. Grounded in Connectivism, Diffusion of Innovations Theory, and the OER Adoption Pyramid, this research explores how personal values, institutional support, technology, OER awareness, and cultural reception influence educators' decisions to adopt OER. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 34 participants, two focus group discussions, document analysis, and social media data. The study was conducted in Lusaka and Chipata, focusing on participants actively involved in using OER provided by an NGO in collaboration with Zambia's Ministry of Education. The findings highlight the significant role of individual preferences, institutional frameworks, and infrastructure in OER adoption. It emphasises the importance of policy development, professional training, and capacity building to overcome barriers. While this study is limited in scope, it advocates for future research on nationwide OER adoption, policy impact, and sustainability to deepen understanding and foster inclusive OER integration.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125001937Teaching/learning strategiesTeacher professional developmentLearning communitiesElementary educationArchitectures for educational technology systems |
| spellingShingle | Enala Sharon Lufungulo Jiyou Jia Kennedy Mwila Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative study Social Sciences and Humanities Open Teaching/learning strategies Teacher professional development Learning communities Elementary education Architectures for educational technology systems |
| title | Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative study |
| title_full | Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative study |
| title_short | Exploring factors of open educational resources (OER) in Zambian community schools: A qualitative study |
| title_sort | exploring factors of open educational resources oer in zambian community schools a qualitative study |
| topic | Teaching/learning strategies Teacher professional development Learning communities Elementary education Architectures for educational technology systems |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125001937 |
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