2024/09/07 by Ibrahim, Aminu Kazeem
paper · doi:10.60787/nodelj.v1i1.5
The disturbing cases of cash starved among higher institutions of learning in Nigeria due to governments delayed, reduced and sometimes refused funding with consequences on quality in standard and outputs. This re-occurring experiences that is now spreading to ODeL institutions calls for workable strategies, rethink and replanning that can lead to cost reduction in resources and infrastructure. This may prevent unforeseen financial meltdown among ODeL institutions in Nigeria. The situation makes the paper begins with clarification of Open Educational Resources, OER, OER resources, policies, license, massive open online courses, MOOC, OER repositories, open courseware, learning modules, open textbooks, streaming videos, online tutorials and others with their reuse, revise, remix, redistribute and retain in Nigeria context as reliable option for cost reduction in ODeL resources and infrastructure. Following critical examination of phenomenal rise of OERs across the globe, the paper also justifies the benefits of freely available OER resources when used by ODeL institutions. The results include, freeing institutions from cost of course materials production thereby, providing avenue for reallocation of time and resources meant for course materials production to learner supports and services and other critical areas of the ODeL institutions. The paper recommended various steps that can be followed by ODeL institution in making OER practices to be integrated into the ODeL institutions’ culture. This includes, establishment of OER unit or directorate, OER institution committee, OER policy framework and creating collaborative learning environment that will make the ODeL institutions benefit maximally from OERs global community.