Educators Formal learners Finding OER relevant to my context 87% 80% Knowing where to find OER 77% 82% Finding OER in my subject area 76% 82% Technical problems 71% 80% Insufficient time to find OER 73% 67% Finding quality OER 70% 82% No connections with OER-using peers 62% 57% Finding up-to-date OER 56% 73% Unsure about permission to modify OER 52% 56% Colleagues accepting OER use 51% 50% Lack to edit OER 45% 44% Needing tutor support 35% 44% One student identified challenges mentioned by many VUSSC survey respondents, and which are common throughout the developing world - ‘not being able to access internet where it is necessary [and] the purchase of equipment to access OER’, adding that ‘the gap between those who have and those who do not have has been increased’. Benefits to institutions and to nations - the BOCODOL case While the VUSSC survey data showed much about how individual educators and students are using and benefitting from OER, the benefits to institutions only became apparent through interviews with VUSSC participants, who revealed that using the VUSSC OER was also helping institutions to develop and broaden their educational programmes and to meet existing and potential students’ needs. One institution for whom the VUSSC has been particularly impactful is Botswana College of Distance and Open Learning (BOCODOL). Based in Gabarone, Botswana, BOCODOL has long been a VUSSC collaborator. BOCODOL has recently ventured into higher education and offers two diploma level programmes, with plans for further expansion in this area. educators from BOCODOL were interviewed for this research study, Mmabaledi Seeletso (Acting Director of the School of Education), Tebogo E. Seretse (an Officer in the Centre for Graduate Studies) and Prof. S. Tichapondwa Modesto (Dean, School of Business
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