Access to Open Educational Resources among Postgraduate Students in the Faculty of Education: A Case of Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined postgraduate students’ access to Open Educational Resources (OERs) at the Faculty of Education at Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Library, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Despite the increasing availability of OERs in academic libraries, there is limited empirical evidence of their effectiveness in supporting lifelong learning among postgraduate students in Nigerian universities.
This study adopted a quantitative research approach and a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised 155 postgraduate students (PGDE, M. Ed, and PhD), and an enumerative (census) approach was employed, whereby all members of the population were included in the study. A total of 155 questionnaires were administered, of which 151 were completed and returned, yielding a response rate of 97.4. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, and mean scores. The findings revealed that Open Educational Resources (OERs) are widely available and accessible to postgraduate students, who demonstrated positive awareness and utilisation of these resources.
Respondents perceived OERs as supporting self-directed learning, continuous knowledge acquisition, and research activities. However, inadequate institutional support, limited familiarity with some OERs platforms, and infrastructural challenges constrain their optimal utilisation for lifelong learning. The study concluded that effective OERs utilisation requires sustained institutional support, user education, and improved digital infrastructure. It recommends that academic libraries strengthen awareness and training programmes to promote the continuous use of OERs for lifelong learning.