Assessment of pre-service teachers’ information and communication technology literacy and use of open educational resources

Abstract

The practice of education is changing globally in response to education for all (EFA) and the millennium development goals (MDG). Open educational resources (OER) offer viable opportunity as a tool to enable realistic outreach by incorporating innovative strategies in teaching and learning. Therefore, present generation of pre-service teachers need to be empowered with information and communication technology (ICT) skills to effectively utilize OER needed for the on-going transformation in education. However, there seems to be a digital divide and gender gap in the awareness and use of OER in this part of the globe and the developed world. This study assessed pre-service teachers ICT literacy necessary for effective deployment of technology in exploit of open educational resources. It also appraised the pre-service teachers’ awareness of the concept of OER as well as their experience, involvement and use of OER in their educational pursuit. Data were collected using structured questionnaire items from pre-service teachers of two tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The major findings of the study’s survey indicated that although most of the participants are very skillful in ICT usage but they are not very aware of the existence of OER. Hence, they have not been using OER as envisaged for empowerment and transformation in their learning environment brought about by current dispensation of open learning. Interestingly, they are very eager to be trained in the rudiments of OER. The results indicated there is an urgent need for their professional development to include enlightenment and training in the rudiments of OER in line with the global practice. This would enable them function effectively as agents of empowerment and transformation in the present day literate society. // Paper ID: 200