Teachers' Informal Learning Characteristics in Using Open Educational Resources in Relation to Their Innovative Work Behavior

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Title: Teachers' Informal Learning Characteristics in Using Open Educational Resources in Relation to Their Innovative Work Behavior
Language: English
Authors: Al-Awidi, Hamed Mubarak (ORCID 0000-0002-0012-1000), Al-Furaih, Suad Abdul Aziz
Source: International Journal of Information and Learning Technology. 2023 40(2):113-129.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 17
Publication Date: 2023
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Public School Teachers, Teacher Characteristics, Teacher Behavior, Informal Education, Open Educational Resources, Instructional Innovation, Teacher Workshops, Faculty Development, Lifelong Learning
Geographic Terms: Kuwait
DOI: 10.1108/IJILT-03-2022-0057
ISSN: 2056-4880
Abstract: Purpose: Informal learning is an effective and motivating strategy to support the learning process. Informal learning has received increased attention recently due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, finding effective ways to facilitate innovative teaching and learning through open educational resources (OER) is a vital issue. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the informal learning characteristics (ILC) (i.e. observation, imitation, exploration, innovation and articulation) of teachers in using OER and whether these characteristics have any relationship with teachers' innovative work behavior (IWB, i.e. opportunity exploration, idea generation, idea promotion and idea realization) in schools. Design/methodology/approach: The current study utilized a descriptive quantitative survey approach. A survey with three parts was developed: the Open Educational Resources Scale (OERS), the Teachers' Informal Learning Characteristics Scale (TILCS) and the Teachers' Innovative Work Behavior Scale (TIWBS). The information was gathered from a sample of 2,024 teachers working in Kuwait's public schools through an online survey. Findings: The results revealed that social media, YouTube, PowerPoint and games were the most common open resources used by teachers. Teachers' responses on the TILCS showed that observation was the most common among teachers and exploration was the second. Responses on the TIWBS showed that idea generation was the highest. When using OER, the results showed that all five subscales of the TILCS and all four subscales of the TIWBS were linked in a good way. Research limitations/implications: This study had several limitations that should be considered in future research. First, the data collection method was self-report. Future research necessitates adopting qualitative methods such as participant observations where IWB can be monitored and documented. Another limitation is almost all teachers have smartphone with Internet access, which may have affected the results. This situation might not be found in other countries since a large percentage of young people in Kuwait use information and communication technology as is the case in other Gulf region countries. Practical implications: This study expects that this kind of support will be reflected on teachers' IWB which accelerates teachers' movement toward upper IWB tasks such as idea promotion and idea realization. This support will motivate teachers to transform teachers' innovative ideas into useful applications and try to assist teachers' colleagues through conducting workshops or inviting well-known educators to present their experiences to school personnel. Social implications: This study can be a guide to help teachers be independent, self-directed, problem-solving-oriented and internally motivated by incorporating the assumptions of andragogy theory. Furthermore, this study points out the high tendency of teachers to use OER and helps to plan teachers' professional development programs that take Andragogical tendencies into account in addition to developing teachers' lifelong learning skills. Originality/value: The results implied that teachers have obvious ILC toward OER, specifically through observation and exploration to create their own innovations in their work environments. With the appropriate internal and external incentives and support from school administrators, this study expects that teachers will move forward toward upper informal learning stages such as innovation and articulation and toward upper tasks in IWB such as idea promotion and idea realization. As a result, schools as places of work can go through a lot of changes if new OER-related applications and workshops are added.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2023
Accession Number: EJ1372007
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Teachers' Informal Learning Characteristics in Using Open Educational Resources in Relation to Their Innovative Work Behavior
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Al-Awidi%2C+Hamed+Mubarak%22">Al-Awidi, Hamed Mubarak</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0012-1000">0000-0002-0012-1000</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Al-Furaih%2C+Suad+Abdul+Aziz%22">Al-Furaih, Suad Abdul Aziz</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Information+and+Learning+Technology%22"><i>International Journal of Information and Learning Technology</i></searchLink>. 2023 40(2):113-129.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 17
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+School+Teachers%22">Public School Teachers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Characteristics%22">Teacher Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Behavior%22">Teacher Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Informal+Education%22">Informal Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Open+Educational+Resources%22">Open Educational Resources</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Innovation%22">Instructional Innovation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Workshops%22">Teacher Workshops</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Lifelong+Learning%22">Lifelong Learning</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Kuwait%22">Kuwait</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/IJILT-03-2022-0057
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  Data: 2056-4880
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Purpose: Informal learning is an effective and motivating strategy to support the learning process. Informal learning has received increased attention recently due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, finding effective ways to facilitate innovative teaching and learning through open educational resources (OER) is a vital issue. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the informal learning characteristics (ILC) (i.e. observation, imitation, exploration, innovation and articulation) of teachers in using OER and whether these characteristics have any relationship with teachers' innovative work behavior (IWB, i.e. opportunity exploration, idea generation, idea promotion and idea realization) in schools. Design/methodology/approach: The current study utilized a descriptive quantitative survey approach. A survey with three parts was developed: the Open Educational Resources Scale (OERS), the Teachers' Informal Learning Characteristics Scale (TILCS) and the Teachers' Innovative Work Behavior Scale (TIWBS). The information was gathered from a sample of 2,024 teachers working in Kuwait's public schools through an online survey. Findings: The results revealed that social media, YouTube, PowerPoint and games were the most common open resources used by teachers. Teachers' responses on the TILCS showed that observation was the most common among teachers and exploration was the second. Responses on the TIWBS showed that idea generation was the highest. When using OER, the results showed that all five subscales of the TILCS and all four subscales of the TIWBS were linked in a good way. Research limitations/implications: This study had several limitations that should be considered in future research. First, the data collection method was self-report. Future research necessitates adopting qualitative methods such as participant observations where IWB can be monitored and documented. Another limitation is almost all teachers have smartphone with Internet access, which may have affected the results. This situation might not be found in other countries since a large percentage of young people in Kuwait use information and communication technology as is the case in other Gulf region countries. Practical implications: This study expects that this kind of support will be reflected on teachers' IWB which accelerates teachers' movement toward upper IWB tasks such as idea promotion and idea realization. This support will motivate teachers to transform teachers' innovative ideas into useful applications and try to assist teachers' colleagues through conducting workshops or inviting well-known educators to present their experiences to school personnel. Social implications: This study can be a guide to help teachers be independent, self-directed, problem-solving-oriented and internally motivated by incorporating the assumptions of andragogy theory. Furthermore, this study points out the high tendency of teachers to use OER and helps to plan teachers' professional development programs that take Andragogical tendencies into account in addition to developing teachers' lifelong learning skills. Originality/value: The results implied that teachers have obvious ILC toward OER, specifically through observation and exploration to create their own innovations in their work environments. With the appropriate internal and external incentives and support from school administrators, this study expects that teachers will move forward toward upper informal learning stages such as innovation and articulation and toward upper tasks in IWB such as idea promotion and idea realization. As a result, schools as places of work can go through a lot of changes if new OER-related applications and workshops are added.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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        Value: 10.1108/IJILT-03-2022-0057
    Languages:
      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public School Teachers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Teacher Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Informal Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Open Educational Resources
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Innovation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Teacher Workshops
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      – SubjectFull: Faculty Development
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      – SubjectFull: Lifelong Learning
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      – SubjectFull: Kuwait
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