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

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 connecti...

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Autores principales:	Dorothy Ruth Queiros, Mary Ruth de Villiers
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Athabasca University Press 2016
Materias:	Access to technology connections online learning self-efficacy social presence video clips Special aspects of education LC8-6691
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/cc9c52e4cf084f7cbeb6eb98b72feeb1
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:cc9c52e4cf084f7cbeb6eb98b72feeb12021-12-02T18:03:01ZOnline Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student10.19173/irrodl.v17i5.25521492-3831https://doaj.org/article/cc9c52e4cf084f7cbeb6eb98b72feeb12016-09-01T00:00:00Zhttp://www.irrodl.org/index.php/irrodl/article/view/2552https://doaj.org/toc/1492-3831Online 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. 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 strong social presence (through timely feedback, interaction with facilitators, peer-to-peer contact, discussion forums, and collaborative activities); second, technological aspects (technology access, online learning self-efficacy, and computer self-efficacy); and third, tools (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. Dorothy Ruth QueirosMary Ruth de VilliersAthabasca University PressarticleAccess to technologyconnectionsonline learningself-efficacysocial presencevideo clipsSpecial aspects of educationLC8-6691ENInternational Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, Vol 17, Iss 5 (2016)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Access to technology connections online learning self-efficacy social presence video clips Special aspects of education LC8-6691
spellingShingle	Access to technology connections online learning self-efficacy social presence video clips Special aspects of education LC8-6691 Dorothy Ruth Queiros Mary Ruth de Villiers Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student
description	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. 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 strong social presence (through timely feedback, interaction with facilitators, peer-to-peer contact, discussion forums, and collaborative activities); second, technological aspects (technology access, online learning self-efficacy, and computer self-efficacy); and third, tools (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.
format	article
author	Dorothy Ruth Queiros Mary Ruth de Villiers
author_facet	Dorothy Ruth Queiros Mary Ruth de Villiers
author_sort	Dorothy Ruth Queiros
title	Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student
title_short	Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student
title_full	Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student
title_fullStr	Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student
title_full_unstemmed	Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student
title_sort	online learning in a south african higher education institution: determining the right connections for the student
publisher	Athabasca University Press
publishDate	2016
url	https://doaj.org/article/cc9c52e4cf084f7cbeb6eb98b72feeb1
work_keys_str_mv	AT dorothyruthqueiros onlinelearninginasouthafricanhighereducationinstitutiondeterminingtherightconnectionsforthestudent AT maryruthdevilliers onlinelearninginasouthafricanhighereducationinstitutiondeterminingtherightconnectionsforthestudent
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Online Learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Determining the Right Connections for the Student

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