Rethinking practice in higher education: a study on how the use of Open Educational Resources triggers the adoption of Open Educational Practice

Abstract

This study explores how the practices of higher education educators evolve
towards open educational practice (OEP) as they use open educational resources
(OER) as a form of social media. Drawing on the theories of self-regulated
learning (SRL) and cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT), the study provides
a novel way of analysing learning and development at work by focusing on related
tensions. The interview data were, fi rstly, analysed by a thematic categorisation of
six sub-categories of self-regulated learning and, secondly, by using the method
of discursive manifestations of contradictions. The fi ndings evidence that
educators fi nd that their OEP does not fi t easily within the current educational
system. They have to balance conventional forms of education at scale with new
and emerging open forms of education. This creates tensions indicating that
educators need support in evolving their educational practice towards OEP and
to refl ect on what this change means for their practice.