Acceptance and Barriers of Open Educational Resources in the Context of Indian Higher Education

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to highlight the role and awareness of and barriers to Open Educational Resources (OERs) in Indian higher education, specifically in the State of Uttarakhand. This study further investigates the factors that hinder the progress of OER acceptance in the teaching and learning process of higher education and suggests ways to overcome these barriers. Acceptance and barriers of OERs in Indian higher education have been analyzed with the help of responses received from 204 participants (students) through questionnaire, who are either enrolled in ODL or the conventional system of education in the state of Uttarakhand (India). This study found that post-graduate programme learners are more aware of access to OERs and the majority of learners reported that training/workshops based on OERs are beneficial for them. Findings from this study will be helpful in understanding the obstacles and hindrances faced by the learners and respective institutions in the process of offering OERs. This study was conducted during the COVID-19 lockdown period.