Conceptualisation of Open Educational Resources, Audiovisual Resources and Electronic Information Resources: A Literature-based Study of Selected Academic Libraries in Ebonyi State Nigeria

Abstract

Teaching, learning and research at every level of the education system cannot be successful without appropriate resources. Adequate, quality resources are not readily available, especially in resource-constrained countries like Nigeria. These resources come in various formats (physically and/or electronically). Audiovisual resources (AVRs), electronic information resources (EIRs) and open educational resources (OERs) are examples of teaching and learning materials that could be procured by educational institutions and accessed by students and other members of the academic community. The instrument for data collection was a literature review directed to the librarians of the selected university libraries. The educational resources—in terms of availability and usage—were presented in tables comparatively. Findings show that each of the three university libraries has certain types of AVR, EIR and OER, which are available for students’ use. Strategies for the effective use of these educational resources in Nigeria’s academic libraries were discussed. It is recommended that adequate learning facilities, other than books, be provided by the government or private individual owners of the academic libraries in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. There is also a need for academic librarians and users to keep themselves abreast of the skills necessary for the appropriate use of educational resources (subscription or free-based) in the institutions where they are available.