Lessons Learned from Open Education Resources Co-Creation Between Students and Academics in the Global South

Abstract

This study reports on the lessons learnt by lecturers and students in co-creating Open Educational Resources (OERs) through the processes of construction, contextualisation, and collaboration, using Ubuntu, an African philosophy; student agency; decolonisation; and open pedagogy to ground its approach. Adopting an interpretivist paradigm, six Master-in-Education students co-created an OER with their lecturers using lecture notes and formative assessments during the current study in 2021/2022. Data were collected using an open-ended questionnaire administered through Google Forms, completed by students involved in creating the OER. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that open educational practices could allow students to construct and share their ideas through ownership of learning, collaboration,contextualisation, and access to learning through openness. By participating in the construction and sharing of knowledge, collaboration, and contextual aspects, students, with their lecturers, can co-create OERs aligned to the African context and applicable to real-life situations. Student agency and epistemic justice have the potential to revolutionise education in the Global South by optimising open education practices that are inclusive, locally relevant, and innovative. Through collaborative efforts among various stakeholders, including higher education institutions that offer the same types of programmes, successful OER co-creation is essential. With knowledge sharing and a commitment to equitable access, educators and students can collectively address educational challenges and contribute to a more vibrant and dynamic educational ecosystem.