Virtual Teaching and Online Learning Ecosystem: Harnessing the Power of Digital Education for Equitable Educational Experiences

Abstract

Virtual teaching and online learning have gained momentum as a response to the pandemic, revealing its potential and piquing the attention of the higher education sector. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are now recognising the value of this mode of instructional delivery for its unique affordances beyond maintaining educational continuity, but also for its adoption during non-disruptive times. The use of virtual teaching and the advancement of technology have led HEIs to invest in virtual instructional delivery, extending learning opportunities beyond closed brick-and-mortar environments to open online education ecosystems. To provide students with ubiquitous and equitable access to education, there is a need to understand how we can harness the power of digital education in an online education ecosystem while addressing structural and systemic barriers for effective virtual teaching and online learning. This research study aims to gain this understanding and provide insights into the opportunities offered by virtual teaching and online learning in the context of digitalisation in South Africa, a developing country. Additionally, the research study presents a sustainable Virtual Teaching and Online Learning Ecosystem Framework (VTOLE-Framework) for HEI’s, specifically tailored to South Africa’s unique needs and challenges, with a focus on transforming digital education contributing to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 (quality education) and 10 (reduced inequalities). Grounded in pragmatism, this mixed methods study uses purposive sampling to gather data from 165 academic educators through an online questionnaire (containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions), supplemented by in-depth interviews with six academic educators across three HEIs (one urban, one rural, and one ODeL). Given its multifaceted nature, the research study draws on Socio-Technical Theory, Ecological Systems Theory, Transactional Distance Theory and the Community of Inquiry Framework to inform its analysis, which includes a thematic analysis of qualitative data and simple descriptive statistics and data visualisations for quantitative data. In responding to the research questions, the research study reveals six crucial aspects for facilitating equitable educational experiences in virtual teaching and online learning ecosystems (1) Harnessing the Power of Digital Education to Facilitate Virtual Teaching and Online Learning, (2) Core Elements Facilitating Virtual Teaching and Online Learning, (3) Optimising Virtual Teaching and Online Learning Environments Through Pedagogical and Student-Centred Design, (4) Higher Education Institutions Facilitating Support for Virtual Teaching and Online Learning, (5) Addressing External Macro Factors to Enhance Virtual Teaching and Online Learning Environments, and (6) Learning from the Past and Continuous Advancements to Build the Future of Virtual Teaching and Online Learning. Furthermore, in the development of the VTOLE-Framework, the key findings identified seven themes (1) Pedagogical and Student-Centred Course Design, Structure and Technology Integration, (2) Dialogue, Social Presence and Collaborative-Cognitive Learning Environment, (3) Academic Educator Professional Development and Teaching Competencies, (4) Student Efficacy, Agency and Support Cultivation, (5) Institutional Structure, Resource Availability and Education Equity, (6) Contextual Realities of National Infrastructure Readiness and Political Climate, (7) Socio-economic and Socio-cultural Context. The research study adds to the existing knowledge in the field by offering perspectives into harnessing the power of digital education while tackling structural and systemic barriers for virtual teaching and online learning in South Africa. It offers a practical solution of a VTOLE-Framework, outlining equitable access and digital inclusion for the successful implementation of virtual teaching and online learning in higher education.