Promotion Of Open Educational Resources (OER) Utilization Among Academic Staff In Chinese Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

This investigation explores the adoption of Open Educational Resources (OER) by educators, framed against the backdrop of advancing educational equity, a key objective of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). Amidst the digital era's transformative impact on education, this study seeks to identify the determinants that influence educators' willingness to embrace OER, drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) for theoretical grounding. Adopting a quantitative approach, this study analyzes 487 valid questionnaires among Chinese private higher education institutions. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to assess the interplay between performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, attitude toward the behavior, perceived behavioral control, and their effects on educators' behavioral intention and actual usage of OER. The findings underscore the critical influence of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions on educators' intentions towards OER adoption. Additionally, the study highlights the mediating role of behavioral intention in the transition from attitudinal factors to the actual application of OER, emphasizing the centrality of educators' intentions in the adoption process. By synthesizing UTAUT and TPB within the OER context, this research enriches the scholarly understanding of technology acceptance models in education. It provides valuable implications for educational policymakers, institutions, and technology developers aiming to promote OER adoption, thereby contributing to the broader goal of achieving educational equity in the digital landscape.