The perception of faculty members of Namibian open distance learning institutions on the use of open educational resources

Abstract

Open educational resources (OER) is a new innovation coined to bridge the educational divide by way of providing free quality learning resources. Consequently, this study explored the perception of the faculty members of the Namibian open and distance learning institutions on the use of OER as a pedagogical approach. This study was prompted by the presumption that if ODL institutions adopt open educational resources to replace costly textbooks, an increased number of the Namibian population could access education in the equitable manner. The study focused on faculty members from the three public ODL institutions in Namibia, namely, the Namibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), University of Namibia (UNAM)-Centre for Open, Distance and eLearning (CODeL) and Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST)-Centre of Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL). The following integrated theories were adopted to underpin this study: Transformative Learning Theory, Heutagogy Learning Theory, Cognitive Learning Theory and Social Learning Theory, Constructivism Learning Theory, Connectivism Theory and the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. The theories were compared to the findings to assess their applicability. This is a qualitative case underpinned by an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected through interviews, non-participant observations and document analysis, and analysed through the inductive approach. The results of this study showed inconsistency between the perception of the faculty members and the use of OER within the ODL institutions in Namibia. Although the faculty members displayed positive attitudes towards the use of OER, very little has been achieved in the use of OER within the institutions for the benefit of the Namibian ODL students. The study identified challenges that impede the adoption of OER at institutional level, such as lack of institutional policies, lack of awareness, technological factors, as well as management support. The study further crafted strategies to address challenges, including the OER design based on the Diffusion of Innovation Model. The study advanced recommendations for consideration by the institutions and the faculty members as well as suggestions for future research. The knowledge contribution made by this PhD is the proposed OER design for adoption by the ODL institutions to facilitate the use of OER by faculty members.

Ubuchule bokufunda ekuthiwa yiOpen Educational Resources (OER) licebo elitsha lokunikezela simahla ngemithombo yokufunda esemgangathweni, nelenzelwe ukukhawulelana nobunzima bokushiyashiyana emfundweni. Esi sifundo siphonononge indlela abacinga ngayo abahlohli bamaziko emfundo aseNamibia avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude (iiODL), ngokusetyenziswa kweOER njengendlela yokufundisa. Esi sifundo sisuswe kukucingela ukuba xa amaziko emfundo avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude enokusebenzisa izixhobo zokufunda ezivulekileyo endaweni yokusebenzisa iincwadi ezibiza imali eninzi, linganda inani labantu abanokuxhamla imfundo ngokulinganayo. Esi sifundo sigxininise kubahlohli bamaziko amathathu kawonkewonke, angawemfundo evulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude eNamibia, angala - iNamibian College of Open Learning (NAMCOL), iUniversity of Namibia (UNAM) - Centre for Open, Distance and eLearning (CODeL) kunye neNamibian University of Science and Technology (NUST) - Centre of Open and Lifelong Learning (COLL). Kusetyenziswe ezi ngcingane zihlangeneyo zilandelayo njengezisekelo zokukhokela esi sifundo: Ingcingane Yokufunda Okuhambelana Nenguqu (Transformative Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngokuziqhuba Komfundi (Heutagogy Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngokuqiqa Neyemfundo Esekelwe Kwezentlalo (Cognitive Learning Theory and Social Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngokuzakhela Ukuqonda (Constructivism Learning Theory), Ingcingane Yokufunda Ngoncedo Lobuchwepheshe (Connectivism Theory) kwakunye nengcingane Yokufunda Ngokunwenwa Kobuchule (Diffusion of Innovations Theory). Ezi ngcingane ziye zathelekiswa nokufunyanisisweyo ngenjongo yokukhangela ukuba zingasebenziseka kusini na. Kusetyenziswe indlela yophando ngokuzathuza nokutolika izimvo ezahlukeneyo. Iinkcukacha zolwazi okanye idatha yaqokelelwa ngokuqhuba udliwano ndlebe nabathatha inxaxheba, ukuqwalasela abangathathi nxaxheba nokuphengulula imibhalo ukuze kudalwe ingcingane entsha. Iziphumo zesi sifundo zivelise ukungahambelani phakathi kwengcinga yabahlohli nokusetyenziswa kweOER kumaziko emfundo avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude eNamibia. Nangona abahlohli bebonakalisa uthakazelelo ngokusebenzisa iOER, kuncinci kakhulu okwenziweyo malunga nokusebenzisa iOER kumaziko emfundo ekuncedeni abafundi baseNamibia kumaziko avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude. Esi sifundo sichonge imingeni ethibaza ukusetyenziswa kweOER kumaziko emfundo, mingeni leyo ifana nokungabikho kwemigaqo nkqubo, ukungabikho lwazi, imiba yobuchwepheshe kwakunye nentswela nkxaso yabalawuli. Kuqwetywe amacebo obuchule okulwa nemingeni, macebo lawo aquka ukuqulunqwa kweOER esekelwe kwingcingane Yokunwenwa Kobuchule. Kunikwe iingcebiso nezimvo ezinokuqwalaselwa ngamaziko emfundo nabahlohli ngophando olusenokulandela olu. Igalelo lolu phando luyilo olucetywayo lweOER olunokwamkelwa ngamaziko emfundo avulekileyo nafundisa abafundi bekude ukuze kukhuthazwe ukusetyenziswa kweOER ngabahlohli.

Zwiko zwa nnyi na nnyi zwa pfunzo (OER) ndi vhubveledzi vhuswa ha u ḓisa khethekanyo ya pfunzo nga u ṋetshedza wo vhofholowa zwiko zwa u guda zwa ndeme. Ngudo heyi yo wanulusa mbonalo ya miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini a Namibia ya zwiimiswa zwa pfunzo yo vulelwaho nnyi na nnyi ya u guda u kule (ODL) nga ha u shumisa OER sa nḓila ya pfunzo. Ngudo heyi yo ṱuṱuwedzwa nga u humbulela ha uri arali zwiimiswa zwa ODL zwo ṱanganedza OER u thivha bugu dza u gudisa dzine dza ḓura, tshivhalo tshi re nṱha tsha vhathu vha Namibia vha nga swikelela pfunzo nga nḓila i linganaho. Ngudo yo sedza kha u bva kha zwiimiswa zwa nnyi na nnyi zwa ODL zwa Namibia, zwine madzina azwo avha Gudedzi ḽa Namibia ḽa u Guda ha Nnyi na nnyi (NAMCOL), Yunivesithi ya Namibia (UNAM) – Senthara ya Nnyi na nnyi, u Guda u kule na nga Lubuvhisia (CODeL) na Yunivesithi ya Saintsi na Thekhinoḽodzhi ya Namibia (NUST) Senthara ya nnyi na nnyi ya u Guda ha Tshoṱhe (COLL). Thyeori dzo ṱanganelaho dzi tevhelaho dzo shumiswa u tikedza ngudo iyi: thyeori ya u guda ine vhagudiswa vha ṱalutshedza na u tshenzhela zwipfi zwavho, thyeori ya u ta u guda ha iwe muṋe, thyeori ya u guda ya kuhumbulele na thyeori ya u guda ya matshilisano, thyeori ine ya dzhiela nṱha nḓivho na kupfesesele kwa vhagudiswa kha tshenzhemo yavho phanḓa ha musi vha sa athu u ya tshikoloni, thyeori ya u pfesesa u guda nga didzhithala na thyeori ine ya ṱalutshedza phimo ya mihumbulo miswa na kuphaḓalele kwa thekhinoḽodzhi. Thyeori dzo vhambedzwa na mawanwa u gaganya u tea hadzo. Heyi ndi ngudo ya khwaḽithethivi yo khwaṱhisedzwaho nga tshiedziso tsha saintsi ya matshilisano. Data yo kuvhanganyiwa nga kha inthaviwu, u sedza hu si na u dzhenelela na u saukanya maṅwalo, na u saukanya nga kuitele kwa u humbula. Mvelelo dza ngudo heyi dzo sumbedza u sa vha na thevhekano ya zwithu vhukati ha kuvhonele kwa miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini na u shumiswa ha OER kha zwiimiswa zwa ODL ngei Namibia. Naho miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini yo sumbedza vhuvha ha vhuḓi kha u shumiswa ha OER, ho swikelelwa zwiṱuku kha u shumiswa ha OER kha zwiimiswa hu tshi itelwa u vhuelwa ha matshudeni a ODL a Namibia. Ngudo yo topola khaedu dze dza thithisa u ṱanganedzwa ha OER kha ḽeveḽe ya tshiimiswa, u fana na ṱhahelelo ya mbekanyamaitele dza tshiimiswa, ṱhahelelo ya tsivhudzo, zwiṱuṱuwedzi zwa thekhinoḽodzhi, na thikhedzo ya ndangulo. Zwiṱirathedzhi zwo bveledzwa u amba nga ha khaedu, hu tshi katelwa na nyolo ya OER zwo ḓi sendeka nga muanḓadzo wa nḓisedzo ya tshiedziso tsha vhubveledzi. Themendelo dza u dzhiela nṱha nga zwiimiswa na nga miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini na khumbudzo kha ṱhoḓisiso dza tshifhingani tshiḓaho zwo itwa. U shela mulenzhe ha nḓivho ho itwaho nga ngudo iyi ndi u kumedza nyolo ya OER uri i ṱanganedzwe nga zwiimiswa zwa ODL u thusa u shumiswa ha OER nga miraḓo ine ya funza yunivesithi kana magudedzini.