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

Author

Listed:
  • Nduduzo C. Ndebele

    (School of Management, IT and Governance, Department of Public Governance, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Mfundo Mandla Masuku

    (School of Built Environment and Development Studies, College of Humanities, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa)

  • Victor H. Mlambo

    (School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg P.O. Box 524, South Africa)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Nduduzo C. Ndebele & Mfundo Mandla Masuku & Victor H. Mlambo, 2023. "Funding Open Educational Resources in Higher Education: A South African Public Policy Perspective," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-16, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:12:y:2023:i:1:p:49-:d:1037605
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bob Carbaugh, 2020. "The Decline of College Textbook Publishing: Cengage Learning and McGraw-Hill," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 65(2), pages 284-299, October.
    2. Ahmed Tlili & Ronghuai Huang & Ting-Wen Chang & Fabio Nascimbeni & Daniel Burgos, 2019. "Open Educational Resources and Practices in China: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-14, September.
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