A Study on Learning Experiences of Undergraduate Textile and Design Students with Open Educational Resources

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the perceptions of textile and design undergraduate students towards the exercise and the quality of Open Educational Resources (OER) as well as their overall learning outcomes through guided reading of various OER. It is essential for students to not just learn from class lectures but also to branch out and surf into external sources. Conducting background research is an important aspect of further developing the knowledge gained during lectures and various OER materials can play a significant role in this process*. Notwithstanding the huge benefits of OER, their integration into mainstream academia has fallen short of expectations. This can be attributed to students' reluctance to use OER alongside traditional textbooks due to the lack of understanding of their intended purpose. Total 105 students from four different subjects were given guidance to locate relevant OER materials, learn them, and integrate them with existing materials. Teachers provided feedback and guidance to facilitate ongoing improvement, while also monitoring and ensuring progressive participation and performance. An online questionnaire was given to students to understand their perceptions and knowledge of OER and course structures. Following the use of OERs, 80% of students showed greater enthusiasm improving learning. It showed that students improved their examination results with the average marks from 7.15 to 7.95 with t-value of 0.04 after getting assistance of OER implying the variation in assignment marks as significant. This research confirms that OERs effectively assist students to augment their learning ability as well as achieving greater technical finesse.