This paper notes that "it remains uncertain whether the people who need OER the most are its primary beneficiaries" and examines the 'second-level' digital divide, that is, "the disparity between groups in their ability to effectively use those digital technologies." For example, "teachers who lack the necessary competencies to search for, find, download, use, adapt, create, or upload openly licensed resources also experience this second-level digital divide when it comes to OER." But what explains this second-level divide? This paper, a large survey of more than 600 teachers worldwide, seeks to discover whether there are nation-level factors involved. Barriers are predicted, according to the study, by a culture's individualism vs. collectivism and masculinity vs. femininity. Also, they find mere translation of OERs to a local language is not sufficient; "It is also important to consider the local context and recognize and respect cultural differences."
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