Researching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approach

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dc.contributor.authorCox, Glendaen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2014-10-28T14:13:50Z
dc.date.available2014-10-28T14:13:50Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.description.abstractHigher education and associated institutions are beginning to share teaching materials known as Open Educational Resources (OER) or open courseware across the globe. Their success depends largely on the willingness of academics at these institutions to add their teaching resources. In a survey of the literature on OER there are several articles that discuss reasons why academics should contribute teaching materials. There are fewer articles that refer to academics' concerns or why they choose not to contribute their teaching resources. There have been only a few reported empirical studies thus far, and most of the studies have not been framed within any particular theoretical perspective. Hence there is a need to explore possible theories that might help to conceptualise and explain what enables or constrains the open education movement. This study aims to ascertain whether Engeström's activity theory and its principle of contradictions is a sufficiently versatile and insightful lens to investigate non-participation of OER contribution. Activity theory was found to be useful for framing the literature and three interviews with University of Cape Town (UCT) academics and for surfacing some of the constraints in the system. The key concerns that emerged centred around the rules in the institution concerning promotion and what is valued by the institution. At present this institution places value on research and until value is placed on sharing teaching materials as OER, it is unlikely that there will be large-scale voluntary contribution to the UCT OpenContent directory.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationCox, G. (2013). Researching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approach. <i>E-Learning and Digital Media</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8898en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationCox, Glenda "Researching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approach." <i>E-Learning and Digital Media</i> (2013) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8898en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationCox, G. 2013. Researching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approach. E-Learning and Digital Media.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn2042-7530en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Cox, Glenda AB - Higher education and associated institutions are beginning to share teaching materials known as Open Educational Resources (OER) or open courseware across the globe. Their success depends largely on the willingness of academics at these institutions to add their teaching resources. In a survey of the literature on OER there are several articles that discuss reasons why academics should contribute teaching materials. There are fewer articles that refer to academics' concerns or why they choose not to contribute their teaching resources. There have been only a few reported empirical studies thus far, and most of the studies have not been framed within any particular theoretical perspective. Hence there is a need to explore possible theories that might help to conceptualise and explain what enables or constrains the open education movement. This study aims to ascertain whether Engeström's activity theory and its principle of contradictions is a sufficiently versatile and insightful lens to investigate non-participation of OER contribution. Activity theory was found to be useful for framing the literature and three interviews with University of Cape Town (UCT) academics and for surfacing some of the constraints in the system. The key concerns that emerged centred around the rules in the institution concerning promotion and what is valued by the institution. At present this institution places value on research and until value is placed on sharing teaching materials as OER, it is unlikely that there will be large-scale voluntary contribution to the UCT OpenContent directory. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - E-Learning and Digital Media LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 SM - 2042-7530 T1 - Researching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approach TI - Researching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approach UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8898 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/8898
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationCox G. Researching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approach. E-Learning and Digital Media. 2013; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8898.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherSymposium Journalsen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentCILTen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyCentre for Higher Education Developmenten_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceE-Learning and Digital Mediaen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.2304/elea.2013.10.2.148en_ZA
dc.titleResearching resistance to open education resource contribution: an activity theory approachen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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