Thirteenth International Conference on e-Learning & Innovative Pedagogies

Abstract

The open educational resources (OER) policies developed in South African higher education institutions seem to be deficient in addressing issues of open access and e-learning. This study seeks to establish whether the existing OER policies are comprehensive and explicit in addressing the realities of open access and e-learning in education. In the republic of South Africa, there are twenty-six universities that cater for higher and tertiary education from undergraduate to doctoral and post-doctoral level. However, despite the existence of these institutions there is a crisis because they encounter challenges in accommodating the high number of high school graduates (matriculants) due to the inadequacy of space. Even those who are admitted experience challenges in accessing learning resources because of escalating costs. The study employs a qualitative approach based on document analysis to analyse OER and related policies with reference to how they are addressing the issue of openness and e-learning in Higher education. The study identifies gaps since the OER policies in the selected institutions under study do not complement each other and still, not all institutions seem to have existing policies. The study recommends that the policy makers should take cognizance of aligning or harmonizing OER with open access and e-learning policies because the usage of the former inform the latter. The study recommends that Higher Education institutions in South Africa should adapt and implement OER policies that articulate the issues of social and epistemic justice for the benefit of the country.