scholarly journals Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student

Author(s):  
Dorothy Ruth Queiros ◽  
Mary Ruth De Villiers

<p class="3">Online learning is a means of reaching marginalised and disadvantaged students within South Africa. Nevertheless, these students encounter obstacles in online learning. This research investigates South African students’ opinions regarding online learning, culminating in a model of important connections (facets that connect students to their learning and the institution). Most participants had no prior experience with online learning. Their perceptions and barriers to learning may apply to other developing countries as well.</p><p class="3">A cross-sequential research design was employed using a survey among 58 fourth-year students who were studying a traditional paper-based module via open distance learning. The findings indicated certain essential connections:  first, a <em>strong s</em><em>ocial presence </em>(through timely feedback, interaction with facilitators, peer-to-peer contact, discussion forums, and collaborative activities); second, <em>technological aspects</em><strong> </strong>(technology access, online learning self-efficacy, and computer self-efficacy); and third, <em>tools</em><strong> </strong>(web sites, video clips). The study revealed low levels of computer/internet access at home, which is of concern in an ODL milieu heading online.   Institutions moving to online learning in developing countries should pay close attention to their students’ situations and perceptions, and develop a path that would accommodate both the disadvantaged and techno-savvy students without compromising quality of education and learning. The article culminates in practical recommendations that encompass the main findings to help guide institutions in developing countries as they move towards online teaching and learning.</p>

2022 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-36
Author(s):  
Renata Kusuma

Information Technology development has been a driving force to improve teaching materials more effectively and efficiently nowadays. Revolution in teaching must be done continuously without neglecting reading or listening habits as has been practiced. In addition, in the year 2020 the global Covid-19 pandemic happened which has forced the education institution to change the conventional way of learning. Having been implemented to avoid the crowd, online learning needs a new strategy in its implementation. In fact, the online teaching and learning system is not free from obstacles, especially in courses requiring fine motor skills like those in the Basic Drawing course. One of the solutions to tackle the problems is by designing modules to be used as course materials. Online medium developed nowadays utilizes module platform with instructions in pdf format and video materials. This paper describes how modules have been used to implement teaching and learning in one semester during online learning nowadays. Key words: online learning, module, drawing course


2022 ◽  
pp. 289-305
Author(s):  
Diocleciano Nhatuve

This chapter aims to examine the effectiveness of institutional policies regarding online teaching and learning in some developing countries in the Southern African region. The study is informed by online teaching and learning principles, and it adopts qualitative and quantitative approaches. The data comprises answers of 231 students to the question: Did your institution encourage online learning before the lockdown? The sample was collected through a survey between the 1st July 2020 and the 11th March 2021, a period in which students were undertaking an online learning process as a strategy to overcome the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 67% of respondents confirm that their universities did not implement nor encourage online learning before the lockdown due to the pandemic. In this context, the study shows that aversive policies against online learning and lack of adequate equipment jeopardize the education goals to provide integrated and globalizing learning.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-55
Author(s):  
Mary Kalantzis ◽  
Bill Cope

Universities and colleges have dragged their feet making the move to online teaching and learning. Suddenly, with this COVID-19 crisis, everyone had to move online. Few universities or colleges are prepared for such a rapid shift. Meanwhile, the conventional wisdom remains - the gold-standard for learning is traditional face-to-face, while online is second-best. But perhaps, even without COVID-19, in-person learning is ripe for radical transformation. At the University of Illinois, we’ve been researching this transformation, and developing and testing online learning solutions. Simply put, online can be completely different, and with the right tools, potentially much superior to in-person teaching. To reap the benefits of online learning, we need to abandon the current generation educational technologies—systems and processes that mostly do little more than reverse-engineer traditional classrooms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 278-288
Author(s):  
Cosmas Maphosa ◽  
Talent Rugube ◽  
Khetsiwe Eunice Mthethwa-Kunene ◽  
Patience Dlamini

ABSTRACT  This desktop review paper advances the view that the utilisation of technology for online teaching and learning needs to be based on sound considerations. Online learning technologies are defined and the purpose of utilising such technologies is explored. Among the different considerations in online technology utilisation is the need to consider how the technologies assist in solving pedagogical challenges for teaching and learning. The context in which the learners and the course instructors find themselves using the technologies may promote or negate the effective use of the technology. Technology may be costly to procure and maintain, and this factor should be considered before the technology is procured for use in an institution of higher education. In many contexts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the digital divide is real in terms of access to technologies and the skills in technology use. The use of technology may perpetuate social differences as learners from disadvantaged backgrounds end up being left out of the learning process. Organisational and infrastructural issues are other important factors to consider in technology utilisation. The paper concludes that technology utilisation for online teaching and learning should be deliberately planned to consider numerous factors and address avoidable challenges in the implementation of online learning.


2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Happy Ikmal

Teaching and learning activities is a conscious activity and aims. Therefore, for these activities can be run well and achieve the expected goals, it must be done with the strategy or the right learning approach .. The purpose of this study were: 1) to describe the influence of Self-Concept on the results of studying chemistry at Class XI MA Pacet Mojokerto. 2) Describe the effect of self-efficacy on Learning outcomes chemistry in Class XI MA Pacet Mojokerto 3) Describe the effect of motivation on Learning outcomes chemistry in Class XI MA Pacet Mojokerto 4) Describe the relationship Self-concept, self-efficacy and motivation to Results studied chemistry at Class XI MA Pacet Mojokerto. From the results of the analysis can be summarized as follows: 1) There is a significant relationship between self-concept of the Learning outcomes chemistry inquiry model. T test against self-concept variables (X1) obtained regression coefficient (B) 0.440 (44.0%), coefficient (Beta) 0.091, tcount of 0.378 with significance 0.006 t. Because of the significance of t less than 5% (0.007 <0.05), the Nil Hypothesis (H0) is rejected and working hypothesis (Hi) is received. 2) There is a significant relationship between self-efficacy toward chemistry Learning outcomes inquiry model. T test for Self-efficacy variable (X2) obtained regression coefficient (B) 0.329 (32.9%), coefficient (Beta) 0.124, tcount of 0.436 with a significance of 0.009 t. Because of the significance of t less than 5% (0.008 <0.05), the Nil Hypothesis (H0) is rejected and working hypothesis (Hi) is received. 3) There is a significant relationship between motivation to learn chemistry results inquiry model. T test for motivation variable (X3) obtained regression coefficient (B) 0.130 (13.0%), coefficient (Beta) 0.065, tcount of 0.230 with a significance of 0.001 t. Because of the significance of t less than 5% (0.001 <0.05), the Nil Hypothesis (H0) is rejected and working hypothesis (Hi) received 4) From the calculation results obtained Fhitung value 2,249 (significance F = 0.001). So Fhitung> F table (2,249> 2:03) or Sig F <5% (0.001 <0.05). It means that together independent variables consisting of variable self-concept (X1), Self-efficacy (X2), motivation (X3) simultaneously to variable results of studying chemistry (Y).


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 221258682110070
Author(s):  
Ka Ho Mok ◽  
Weiyan Xiong ◽  
Hamzah Nor Bin Aedy Rahman

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has forced online teaching and learning to be the primary instruction format in higher education globally. One of the worrying concerns about online learning is whether this method is effective, specifically when compared to face-to-face classes. This descriptive quantitative study investigates how students in higher education institutions in Hong Kong evaluated their online learning experiences during the pandemic, including the factors influencing their digital learning experiences. By analysing the survey responses from 1,227 university students in Hong Kong, this study found that most of the respondents felt dissatisfied with their online learning experiences and effectiveness. Meanwhile, this study confirms that respondents’ household income level and information technology literacy affected their online learning effectiveness. Moreover, this study highlights the significant contributions of the community of inquiry, which places social presence on the promotion of a whole person development that could not be achieved when relying mainly on online learning. Findings encourage university leaders and instructors to search for multiple course delivery modes to nurture students to become caring leaders with the 21st century skills and knowledge set.


Author(s):  
Victor K. Lai

Abstract As the COVID-19 pandemic forced a sudden shift to online teaching and learning in April 2020, one of the more significant challenges faced by instructors is encouraging and maintaining student engagement in their online classes. This paper describes my experience of flipping an online classroom for a core Chemical Engineering Fluid Mechanics class to promote student engagement and collaboration in an online setting. Comparing exam scores with prior semesters involving in-person, traditional lecture-style classes suggests students need a certain degree of adjustment to adapt to this new learning mode. A decrease in Student Rating of Teaching (SRT) scores indicates that students largely prefer in-person, traditional lectures over an online flipped class, even though written comments in the SRT contained several responses favorable to flipping the class in an online setting. Overall, SRT scores on a department level also showed a similar decrease, which suggests students were less satisfied with the quality of teaching overall throughout the department, with this flipped method of instruction neither improving nor worsening student sentiment towards online learning. In addition, whereas most students liked the pre-recorded lecture videos, they were less enthusiastic about using breakout rooms to encourage student collaboration and discussion. Further thought and discussion on best practices to facilitate online student interaction and collaboration are recommended, as online learning will likely continue to grow in popularity even when in-person instruction resumes after the pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 20-22
Author(s):  
Faris Salman Faza

The existence of the COVID-19 outbreak has an impact on all sectors of life, one of which is in the education sector, many schools are forced to dismiss their students and teaching and learning activities are carried out online. the transition of Geography teaching and learning activities at MA PPPI Miftahussalam Banyumas from face to face to online creates new problems in learning so that a special strategy is needed in this learning. Although online learning is not effective for achieving learning goals, the teacher must be able to make new innovations so that learning objectives can be achieved. This study uses a qualitative description method by observing the behavior of students when online learning takes place. Learning online Geography class XII at MA PPPI Miftahussalam Banyumas uses educational games. This study aims to find out the right media in learning Geography class XII during the COVID-19 pandemic at MA PPPI Miftahussalam Banyumas. The results of this study showed that 76 students of class XII MA PPPI Miftahussalam Banyumas who had taken the test showed an average value> 8.00. This shows satisfactory results.


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