Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective

The direct crediting of book allowances to student accounts was, among other reasons, underpinned by the belief that students would be able to substitute prescribed study material with online content. The article attempts to understand if the local open educational resources (OER) funding policy env...

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Main Authors: Nduduzo C. Ndebele, Mfundo Mandla Masuku, Victor H. Mlambo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-01-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/1/49
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author Nduduzo C. Ndebele
Mfundo Mandla Masuku
Victor H. Mlambo
author_facet Nduduzo C. Ndebele
Mfundo Mandla Masuku
Victor H. Mlambo
author_sort Nduduzo C. Ndebele
collection DOAJ
description The direct crediting of book allowances to student accounts was, among other reasons, underpinned by the belief that students would be able to substitute prescribed study material with online content. The article attempts to understand if the local open educational resources (OER) funding policy environment was prepared for this significant transformation. The paper applied a critical theory paradigm and a documentary research strategy to identify policy-level documents on OER funding in the South African higher education sector. Content analysis was then applied to review what they said about OER funding. These outcomes were then measured against the National Policy Development Framework 2020, which also dominated the study’s conceptual framework. The study’s significant findings were that the OER funding policy did not meet the policymaking principles of the framework, and this exposed Higher Education to a poorly funded OER environment. The study recommended hastening the finalization of OER policy and the flexible application of current policy terms to include OER as a fundable higher education cause.
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spelling doaj.art-fea26f0ecb8c41719b227816ffa755bd2023-12-01T00:34:05ZengMDPI AGSocial Sciences2076-07602023-01-011214910.3390/socsci12010049Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy PerspectiveNduduzo C. Ndebele0Mfundo Mandla Masuku1Victor H. Mlambo2School of Management, IT and Governance, Department of Public Governance, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaSchool of Built Environment and Development Studies, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South AfricaSchool of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg P.O. Box 524, South AfricaThe direct crediting of book allowances to student accounts was, among other reasons, underpinned by the belief that students would be able to substitute prescribed study material with online content. The article attempts to understand if the local open educational resources (OER) funding policy environment was prepared for this significant transformation. The paper applied a critical theory paradigm and a documentary research strategy to identify policy-level documents on OER funding in the South African higher education sector. Content analysis was then applied to review what they said about OER funding. These outcomes were then measured against the National Policy Development Framework 2020, which also dominated the study’s conceptual framework. The study’s significant findings were that the OER funding policy did not meet the policymaking principles of the framework, and this exposed Higher Education to a poorly funded OER environment. The study recommended hastening the finalization of OER policy and the flexible application of current policy terms to include OER as a fundable higher education cause.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/1/49open educational resourceshigher educationfundingSouth Africa
spellingShingle Nduduzo C. Ndebele
Mfundo Mandla Masuku
Victor H. Mlambo
Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective
Social Sciences
open educational resources
higher education
funding
South Africa
title Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective
title_full Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective
title_fullStr Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective
title_full_unstemmed Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective
title_short Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective
title_sort funding open educational resources in higher education a south african public policy perspective
topic open educational resources
higher education
funding
South Africa
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/1/49
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AT mfundomandlamasuku fundingopeneducationalresourcesinhighereducationasouthafricanpublicpolicyperspective
AT victorhmlambo fundingopeneducationalresourcesinhighereducationasouthafricanpublicpolicyperspective