Internet is a Game Changer in Research, Says MAAUN Adjunct Faculty

In its continued effort to strengthen research and academic excellence, Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN) has organized a virtual expert session on the use of Open Educational Resources (OER) in research.

The session, held at the Presidential Conference Hall, was facilitated by MAAUN adjunct faculty member, Prof. Raveenthiran Vivekanantharasa, a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at the Open University of Sri Lanka.

Speaking during the session, Vivekanantharasa described the Internet as a game changer in research, noting that it has significantly transformed how knowledge is accessed, shared, and utilized in the academic world.

He explained that Open Educational Resources are key to this transformation, as they provide free and open access to teaching, learning, and research materials in various formats.

According to him, OERs are either in the public domain or released under open licenses that allow users to access, adapt, and redistribute content with little or no restrictions.

The lecturer highlighted the benefits of OERs for both students and educators, stressing that they promote collaboration, reduce costs, and enhance the quality of research outputs.

Prof. Vivekanantharasa further explained how OERs can be applied in research processes, including literature review, data analysis, and presentation, as well as strategies for effectively searching for relevant resources.

In his opening remarks, the President of MAAUN, Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Israr, commended the facilitator for his insightful presentation and noted that participants greatly benefited from the session.

The session was attended physically and virtually by several university staff, including the VP Admin , Dr Habib Awais Abubakar; Executive Director of the Africa Institute of Solutions and Development (AISD), Dr. Salisu Mohammed; Head of HR Unit, Haj Maimuna Bello.

Others were Assistant Head, International Office, Mrs Janvi Haresh, Head, Corporate Communications, Mal Tukur Muntari and Hayatuddeen M. Abdallah.