Utilization of open educational resources in teacher education programmes of Makerere University and Kyambogo University

Abstract

The study explored lecturers’ and teacher trainees’ utilization of Open Educational Resources (OER) in the different teacher education programs offered at Makerere University and Kyambogo University. It specifically sought to examine the major forms of OER utilized, the specific courses in which OER is currently put to use, teacher trainees’ knowledge of the existence of OER and the challenges hindering the effective use of OER at these universities. An exploratory study design was used to familiarize the researcher with OER and its adoption at the participating universities. Data were collected using self administered questionnaires, interview guides, observation checklists and document analysis. Data was presented and analyzed using both statistical methods and narrative techniques.

The study revealed that there is minimal use of around 20% of the different forms of OER at both universities. It also disclosed that some lecturers have adopted the use of OER in different pedagogical settings at Kyambogo University and Makerere University. However, despite the effort of some lecturers to use OER in some courses offered in the different teacher education courses at the participating universities, many teacher trainees plus some other lecturers were hearing about OER for the first time during the data collection process. But even then, there are numerous hurdles ranging from inadequate (or sometimes inexistent) ICT infrastructure in both computer labs and lecture rooms. Other challenges to the utilization of OER at either Kyambogo University or Makerere University revealed by this study were poor attitude of both lecturers and teacher trainees towards the use of OER (and ICT facilities in general), financial limitations, inadequate knowledge of using OER (and generally ICT facilities), lack of knowledge of its existence and poor administration of the participating universities. It was concluded that the two universities have just started adopting a few of the different forms of OER as the biggest percentage of the teacher trainees who participated in this study were not completely aware of its existence. It was therefore recommended that workshops should be organized for both lecturers and teacher trainees of Kyambogo University and Makerere University to notify to them of the existence of OER, the different OER initiatives in place and the best forms of OER applicable to the different teacher education programs. But most important, adequate ICT infrastructure should be put in place both in lecture rooms and computer rooms to enhance access and use of OER by lecturers and teacher trainees in the different teacher education programs.