Students’ evaluations of the use of e-learning in a collaborative project between two South African universities

Online learning is increasingly being used in Higher Education, with a number of advantages to online learning being identified. One of these advantages is the suggestion that online learning provides for equality of opportunity. This article reports on students’ evaluations of the use of e-learning in a collaborative project between two South African universities. The results highlighted both positive and negative evaluations of the use of e-learning. The positive aspects identified were that e-learning provided for ease of communication between parties, and easy access to information and learning material. Negative aspects identified were that it presented some technical challenges; online communication was disjointed; there was unequal access to computers between students from the two universities; students felt that more face-to-face interaction is needed. The issue of unequal access to computers and the internet is highlighted as a crucial issue for e-learning in the South African context, and for the fostering of a democratising educational discourse.

[1]  Etienne Wenger,et al.  Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity , 1998 .

[2]  R. Johns,et al.  Application of Web-based learning in teaching social work law , 2003 .

[3]  T. S. Cooner.  Dialectical Constructivism: Reflections on Creating a Web‐mediated Enquiry‐based Learning Environment , 2005 .

[4]  Gilly Salmon,et al.  E-moderating: the key to teaching and learning online , 2003 .

[5]  L. S. Vygotskiĭ,et al.  Mind in society : the development of higher psychological processes , 1978 .

[6]  Reflections on a collaborative experience: Using ICT in a trans-cultural women's health module , 2007 .

[7]  L. Swartz,et al.  “Communities isn't just about trees and shops”: students from two South African universities engage in dialogue about ‘community’ and ‘community work’ , 2008 .

[8]  Nilss Olekalns,et al.  Enriching the Learning Experience: A CALM approach , 2002 .

[9]  Norah Jones,et al.  Challenging hierarchies: The impact of e-learning , 2004 .

[10]  K. Trigwell,et al.  Understanding Learning and Teaching: the experience in higher education , 1999 .

[11]  M. Roberts-Degennaro,et al.  Using an Online Support Site to Extend the Learning to a Graduate Field Practicum in the United States , 2005 .

[12]  N. Denzin,et al.  The Sage handbook of qualitative research, 3rd ed. , 2005 .

[13]  Anne Quinney,et al.  ‘Placements Online’: Student Experiences of a Website to Support Learning in Practice Settings , 2005 .

[14]  D. McConnell.  E-Learning Groups and Communities , 2006 .

[15]  S. Kemmis,et al.  Participatory Action Research: Communicative Action and the Public Sphere. , 2005 .

[16]  Peter Sharkey,et al.  Running hard to stand still: Communication and information technology within social work training , 2000 .

[17]  S. Engel,et al.  Thought and Language , 1964, Dialogue.

[18]  E. Wenger.  Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity , 1998 .

[19]  Melissa B. Littlefield,et al.  Computer Technology for the Feminist Classroom , 2005 .

[20]  L. Swartz,et al.  Community, self and identity: participatory action research and the creation of a virtual community across two South African universities , 2008 .

[21]  Barbara Allan,et al.  Virtual learning communities: a guide for practitioners , 2005 .

[22]  Reem Al-Mahmood,et al.  Relearning through e-learning :changing conceptions of teaching through online experience , 2004 .

[23]  L. Vygotsky.  Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes: Harvard University Press , 1978 .

[24]  Lesley Le Grange.  E-learning: some critical thoughts , 2004 .

[25]  Olga Dysthe.  The Learning Potential of a Web-mediated Discussion in a University Course , 2002 .

[26]  E. Wenger.  Communities of Practice and Social Learning Systems , 2000 .

[27]  Noriko Hara,et al.  Students' Frustrations with a Web-Based Distance Education Course , 1999, First Monday.

[28]  Klaus Krippendorff,et al.  Content Analysis: An Introduction to Its Methodology , 1980 .

[29]  Neil Selwyn,et al.  Researching computers and education - glimpses of the wider picture , 2000, Comput. Educ..

[30]  Chris Curran,et al.  The Phenomenon of On‐Line Learning , 2001 .

[31]  Sasha A. Barab,et al.  Online Learning: From Information Dissemination to Fostering Collaboration , 2001 .

[32]  Etienne Wenger,et al.  Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation , 1991 .

[33]  P. Ramsden.  Learning to Teach in Higher Education , 1991 .

[34]  Virtual Classrooms: Experiences of European Collaborative Teaching and Learning , 2005 .

[35]  A. Cook-Sather,et al.  Authorizing Students’ Perspectives: Toward Trust, Dialogue, and Change in Education , 2002 .

[36]  Rich Vodde,et al.  Bridging the Gap Between Micro and Macro Practice , 2002 .

[37]  Clive Whitehead,et al.  Traditional face‐to‐face and web‐based tutorials: a study of university students' perspectives on the roles of tutorial participants , 2004 .