A Digital Capability Framework for Academic Continuity amongst South African Higher Education Students
Date
2023
Authors
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Publisher
University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg
Abstract
E-learning has been designated as a solution to academic continuity as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in the closure of institutions such as Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The use of e- learning by Higher Education (HE) students in developing countries have been extensively studied; however, studies on e-learning use, more specifically effective use for academic continuity in the context of unprecedented circumstances such as natural disasters and pandemics remain scarce. Understanding the effective use of e- learning during such times is a vital step in enabling South African HE students to attain their educational achievements. The definition of e-learning used in this paper was consistent with the one provided by Rosenberg (2001) who refers to e-learning as a learning platform accessed by students and instructors, specifically via the internet. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the effective use of e-learning during unprecedented circumstances to conceptualise a digital capability framework for academic continuity amongst South African HE students. This was an interpretivist study which employed qualitative methods consisting of semi-structured interviews for data collection and thematic analysis for data analysis of the data extracted from 12 students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, registered in any South African HE who used e-learning as the primary method for education where traditional face-to-face classroom learning was not available. The conceptual research framework presented in this paper was an adaptation of Sen’s Capability Approach and expands on personal, social and environmental conversion factors by introducing a fourth category extracted from the results from the systematic literature review findings referred to as “technological conversion factors”; which brought a new and exciting contribution to the theory itself. Finally, the outcome of the study was a conceptualised digital capability framework for academic continuity amongst South African HE students in the context of similar circumstances, which can be used to describe how students can use e-learning effectively in terms of resources, e-learning systems, information delivered and location. It further detailed the enablers and hinderances to the effective use thereof. The framework can also be used in practice by HEIs, students, policy makers, e-learning vendors, and developers as a checklist of key elements which need to be considered in e- learning strategies, programmes and development.
Description
A research Report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce in Information Systems
Keywords
UCTD, Academic continuity, Capability approach, e-learning, Challenges, Effective use, Higher education students, South Africa