EXPERIENCES OF SOUTH AFRICAN ACADEMICS MOVING FROM CONTACT TO EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING: LESSONS FOR THE FUTURE
Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted the academic programme of most higher education institutions. To counter this disruption, universities moved from contact to emergency remote teaching. To understand the process of this move, the study explored the experiences of academic staff at a South African university with a transition from contact to emergency remote teaching and the lessons that were learnt for the future. The study was underpinned by Online Collaborative Learning theory (Harasim 2012). A qualitative exploratory case study was conducted to answer the research questions. We generated data from eight academic staff members using focus group discussion and analysed it using an inductive thematic framework. From the analysis, the participants held divergent ideas on digital equity and access to technology, creating online interactive content and teaching modalities, proficiency with the technology and training, limitations with the Learning Management System (LMS) Moodle. The findings indicate the need to prepare academic staff and students for emergency remote teaching before a disruption occurs. The COVID-19 pandemic taught the university that was the research site several lessons about technology-enhanced learning, including the importance of flexibility, technology, student engagement, access and equity, and collaboration. Universities have learned that online learning can be effective but requires careful planning, investment, and ongoing evaluation to ensure success. Importantly, the findings acknowledge that the success of online teaching during the pandemic was influenced by a wide range of factors, including technological infrastructure, pedagogical approach, faculty training and support, student readiness, and the culture of innovation within the community and university.
References
Alenezi, A. 2018 “Barriers to participation in learning management systems in Saudi Arabian universities.” Education Research International 3(3):1-15. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/9085914.
Angen, MJ. 2000. “Evaluating interpretive inquiry: Reviewing the validity debate and opening the dialogue.” Qualitative health research 10(3) (2000): 378-395. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/104973230001000308.
Arnold, S. 2019. “Student e-presentations in remote learning environments”. Journal of the Advancement of Computing in Education 13:1-9.
Bayne, S. 2015. “What's the matter with ‘technology-enhanced learning’? Learning, media, and technology 40 (1): 5-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2014.915851.
Biesta, G, M. Priestley, and S. Robinson. 2015. “The role of beliefs in teacher agency.” Teachers and teaching 21(6): 624-640 https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2015.1044325.
Boughey, C. 2012. “The significance of structure, culture and agency in supporting and developing student learning at South African universities.” In Alternative access to higher education: Underprepared students or underprepared institutions, edited by R. Dhunpath and R. Vithal, eds, 62-88. Cape Town: Pearson Education South Africa.
Brady, K P., L. B, Holcomb, and BV. Smith. 2010. “The use of alternative social networking sites in higher educational settings: A case study of the e-learning benefits of Ning in education.” Journal of interactive online learning 9 (2):151-170. https://www.ncolr.org/index.html.
Braun, V and V. Clarke. 2006. “Using thematic analysis in psychology.” Qualitative research in psychology 3, (2): 77-101.https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.
Brown, C., R.White, and A. Kelly. 2021 “Teachers as educational change agents: what do we currently know? findings from a systematic review.” Emerald Open Research 3, (1):26-38 https://doi.org/10.35241/emeraldopenres.14385.1
Chen, N., I. Cheng, and S Wai Chew. 2016. “Evolution is not enough: Revolutionizing current learning environments to smart learning environments.” International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education 26, (2): 561-581. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40593-016-0108-x.
Collis, J, and R. Hussey. 2014. Business research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. London: Macmillan International Higher Education.
Creswell, JW, and CN. Poth. 2018. Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Czerniewicz, L.2020 “What We Learnt from ‘Going Online' during University Shutdowns in South Africa.” PhilOnEdTech, March 15, 2020. https://philonedtech.com/what-we-learnt-from-going-online-during-university-shutdowns-in-south-africa/.
Daniela, L. 2019 “Smart pedagogy for technology-enhanced learning.” In Didactics of smart pedagogy. In Didactics of Smart Pedagogy, edited by Linda. Daniela, 3-21. Cham: Springer.
Dunn, TJ., and M. Kennedy. 2019. “Technology enhanced learning in higher education; motivations, engagement and academic achievement.” Computers & Education 137(2) 104-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.04.004.
Du Plessis, M., C, D. Jansen van Vuuren., A, Simons., J. Frantz., N. Roman., M. Andipatin. 2021. South African Higher Education Institutions at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic: Sense-making and lessons learnt. Frontiers in Education 21 (6): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.740016.
Flavin, M. 2016. “Technology-enhanced learning and higher education.” Oxford Review of Economic Policy 32 4 (2): 632-645. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxrep/grw028.
Fu, G., and A. Clarke. 2021. The development and impact of teachers’ collective agency during Covid-19: insights from online classrooms in Canada and China.” Educational Review 11 (1): 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131911.2021.1997921.
Harasim, L. 2012. Learning theory and online technologies. New York: Routledge.
Heradio, R., L. De La Torre, D. Galan, F, J. Cabrerizo, E. Herrera-Viedma, and S. Dormido. 2016. “Virtual and remote labs in education: A bibliometric analysis.” Computers & Education 98 (2): 14-3. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.03.010.
Hodges, CB., S. Moore, B, B. Lockee, T. Trust, and M, A. Bond. 2020. “The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning.” Educause, March 27, 2020. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning
Ienca, M and E. Vayena. 2020. “On the responsible use of digital data to tackle the COVID19 pandemic.” Nature medicine 26 (4): 463-464.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-0832-5%3C.
Kaiser, D. J. 2017. “English language teaching in Uruguay.” World Englishes 36, (4): 744-759. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12261.
Kvale, S, and S. 2008. Brinkmann. Interviews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Li, S., H. Sato, and T. 2013. Sicular, eds. Rising inequality in China: Challenges to a harmonious society. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Lincoln, Y. S. 1995. “Emerging criteria for quality in qualitative and interpretive research.” Qualitative inquiry 1, (3): 275-289. https://asset-pdf.scinapse.io/prod/1982478788/1982478788.pdf.
Kee, Ch'ng Lay, and Zarina Samsudin. “Mobile Devices: Toys or Learning Tools for the 21st Century Teenagers?.” Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET 13, no. 3 (2014): 107-122. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1034238.pdf.
Kirkwood, A., and L. Price. 2014. “Technology-enhanced learning and teaching in higher education: what is ‘enhanced’ and how do we know? A critical literature review.” Learning, media, and technology 39, (1): 6-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439884.2013.770404.
McKenna, S. 2012 “The significance of structure, culture and agency in supporting and developing student learning at South African universities.” In Alternative access to higher education: Underprepared students or underprepared institutions, edited by Rubby Dhunpath and Renuka Vithal, 51-62. Cape Town: Pearson Education South Africa.
Meyer, K, A., and J, L. Wilson. 2011 “The role of online learning in the emergency plans of flagship institutions.” Online journal of distance learning administration 14, (1), 23-32. https://www.learntechlib.org/p/52628/.
Mhlanga, D., T. Denhere, T. Moloi. 2022. COVID-19 and the Key Digital Transformation Lessons for Higher Education Institutions in South Africa. Education Sciences 12(7):464-479. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12070464.
Moore, R, D.Vitale, and N. Stawinoga. 2018. “The digital divide and educational equity: a look at students with very limited access to electronic devices at home. insights in education and work.” ACT Research & Centre for Equity in Learning 1 (2): 1-9. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED593163.pdf.
Mthethwa-Kunene, K, E., and C. Maphosa. 2020. “An analysis of factors affecting utilisation of moodle learning management system by open and distance learning students at the university of eswatini.” American Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities 5, (1): 17-32. https://ideas.repec.org/a/onl/ajossh/v5y2020i1p17-32id168.html.
Nieuwenhuis, J. 2020 “Introducing qualitative research. “In First Steps in Research, edited by K. Maree, 56-76. South Africa, Pretoria: Van Schaik.
Picciano, A.G. 2017. “Theories and Frameworks for Online Education: Seeking an Integrated Model.” Online Learning. 21 (3): 166-190. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004471382_005.
Priestley, M, and V. Drew. 2019. “Professional enquiry: An ecological approach to developing teacher agency.” In An eco-system for research-engaged schools. Reforming education through research, edited by D. Godfrey and C. Brown, 154-170. London: Routledge.
Rowley, J. 2012. “Conducting research interviews. “Management Research Review 35 (3): 260-271. https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/2040-8269.
Smith, L, and Abdulrahman, A. 2013. Higher Education in Saudi Arabia. Netherlands: Springer.
Streubert, H, J. and D. R. Carpenter. 1999. Qualitative research in nursing: Advancing the humanistic imperative. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Song, S, and S.A. Burgard. 2011 “Dynamics of inequality: mother’s education and infant mortality in China, 1970-2001.” Journal of Health and Social Behaviour 52 (3): 349-364. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0022146511410886?
Sung, Y., K. Chang, and T. Liu. 2016 “The effects of integrating mobile devices with teaching and learning on students' learning performance: A meta-analysis and research synthesis.” Computers & Education 94 (2016): 252-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.11.008.
Vlachopoulos, D. 2022. How the “lessons learned” from emergency remote teaching can enrich European higher education in the post-COVID-19 era. Higher Learning Research Communications, 12:7- 16. https://doi.org/10.18870/hlrc.v12i0.1357.
The World Bank. 2012. World Bank Group announces new focus on using ICT for greater development impact. Press Release, July 25, 2012, https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2012/07/25/world-bank-group-announces-new-focus-on-using-ict-for-greater-development-impact.
Venkatesh, V., J, Y. Thong, and X. Xu. 2012 “Consumer acceptance and use of information technology: extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology.” MIS quarterly 2(2): 157-178. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/41410412.pdf?.
Valencia, A., A, S. Chalela-Naffah, and J. Bermúdez-Hernández. 2019. “A proposed model of e-learning tools acceptance among university students in developing countries.” Education and Information Technologies 24 (2): 1057-1071 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10639-018-9815-2.
Winthrop, R. 2020 “COVID-19 and school closures: What can countries learn from past emergencies?” Centre for Universal Education. South Dakota: Brookings Institute.https://www.brookings.edu/research/Covid-19-and-school-closures-what-can-countries-learn-from-past-emergencies/.
Yin, R, K. 2014. Qualitative research from start to finish. New York: Guilford Publications.
Views:
78
Downloads:
50
Copyright (c) 2023 Mncedisi Christian Maphalala, Nhlanhla Mpofu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles are published in open-access and licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). Hence, authors retain copyright to the content of the articles.
CC BY 4.0 License allows content to be copied, adapted, displayed, distributed, re-published or otherwise re-used for any purpose including for adaptation and commercial use provided the content is attributed.
