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Experiences and Challenges of Adapting to Online Learning during Covid -19 Induced Lockdown: The Case of Gweru Urban Tertiary Students in Zimbabwe

Year 2022, , 272 - 281, 11.11.2022
https://doi.org/10.31458/iejes.1164927

Abstract

The novel Corona virus resulted in lockdown measures being put in place in order to curb the spread of the virus. This led to the closure of all schools and tertiary institutions. In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Technology Development (MHEISTD) announced the suspension of face-to-face teaching and learning and indicated that learning would continue online. This was an unexpected new experience for tertiary students. This study sought to explore the experiences and challenges faced by tertiary students in Gweru in adapting to online learning during the lockdown induced by COVID-19. The study was a netnographic study in which a cybercommunity of fifty tertiary students from five different tertiary institutions in Gweru was created. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select the students who participated in a WhatsApp group. The students participated in text discussions, voice calls, and group discussions and responded to questions probed by the researcher. The results showed that online learning was a new frontier in their learning experiences, and they faced several challenges in adapting to its use. The study concluded that tertiary institutions should embrace blended learning in order to adequately prepare for online learning by both lecturers and students in times of disasters and pandemics like COVID-19, which restrict face-to-face learning. The study recommended that tertiary institutions equip students and lecturers with the skills to adapt to online teaching and learning. Students should be provided with the requisite online learning tools in order to effectively participate in online teaching and learning activities.

Supporting Institution

Central University of Technology

References

  • Adarkwah. (2021). “I am not against online teaching, but what about us?” ICT in post Ghana Covid -19. Education and Information Technologies, 26(2), 1665-1685.
  • Africa, e-learning. (2020). Effects of covid19 on learning in Africa and its implications for the use of technology: A survey of experience and opinions of technology specialists. London: Ceative Common Attribution 4.0 International.
  • Barrot. (2021). Students’ online learning experiences during the pandemic and how they cope with them: The case of Philipines. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10589-x
  • Chang. (2012). Understanding knowledge -sharing ,motivation, incentive,mechanisms and satisfaction in vitual commnunities. Social Behaviour and Personality, 40(4), 639-648.
  • Cohen. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed.). New York: Routledge .
  • Hew. (2020). Transition to the “new normal” of learning in unpredictable times: Pedagogical practices and learning performance in fully online fipped classrooms. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17(1), 1-22.
  • Kapisa. (2020). Impact of lockdown on learning status of undergraduate and postgradaute students during covid -19 in West Bengal. India: Children and Youth Sevices Review.
  • Kozinets. (2002). The field behind the screen:Using netnography for marketing research in online communities. Journal of Marketing Research, 36, 61-72.
  • Liaw. (2007). Surveying instructor learner attitudes towards E-learning. Computers and Education, 47(4), 1066-1080.
  • Mali. (2020). The rise of new corona infection-COVID-19: A recent update. 4, 35-41.
  • Maphosa. (2020). AUTAUT evaluation of whatsApp as atool for lecture delivery duing the Covid-19 lockdown at a Zimbabwean university. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(5), 84-93.
  • Ompusunggu. (2019). Effectiveness of edmodo-based e-learning use on mathematical communication skills. J. Curere, 3, 58–66.
  • Rambe. (2013). Using mobile devices to leverage students access to collaboratively-generated resources: A case of whatsApp instant messaging at a South Afican university. International Conference on Advanced Information and Technology fo Education.
  • Rasheed. (2020). Challenges in online componentof blended learning: A systematic review.
  • Singh. (2020). MMedical Education during the Covid-19 pandemic: A single institutionexperience . Indaian Pediatrics, 57(7), 678-679.
  • Tarisayi & Munyaradzi (2021). A simple solution adopted duing Covid-19 pandemic: Using WhatsApp at a university of Zimabwe . Issues in Educational Research, 31(2).
  • Udenze & Ugoala (2020). Building community and construct ing identity on WhatsApp: A Netnographic Study. World Media Journal of Russian Media and Journalism. https://doi.org/10.30547/worldofmedia.4.2019.3
  • Watts. (2016). Synchronous and asynchronous communication in distance learning:A review of the literature. Q. Rev. Distance Educ, 17, 23–32.

Experiences and Challenges of Adapting to Online Learning during Covid -19 Induced Lockdown: The Case of Gweru Urban Tertiary Students in Zimbabwe

Year 2022, , 272 - 281, 11.11.2022
https://doi.org/10.31458/iejes.1164927

Abstract

The novel Corona virus resulted in lockdown measures being put in place in order to curb the spread of the virus. This led to the closure of all schools and tertiary institutions. In Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science, and Technology Development (MHEISTD) announced the suspension of face-to-face teaching and learning and indicated that learning would continue online. This was an unexpected new experience for tertiary students. This study sought to explore the experiences and challenges faced by tertiary students in Gweru in adapting to online learning during the lockdown induced by COVID-19. The study was a netnographic study in which a cybercommunity of fifty tertiary students from five different tertiary institutions in Gweru was created. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select the students who participated in a WhatsApp group. The students participated in text discussions, voice calls, and group discussions and responded to questions probed by the researcher. The results showed that online learning was a new frontier in their learning experiences, and they faced several challenges in adapting to its use. The study concluded that tertiary institutions should embrace blended learning in order to adequately prepare for online learning by both lecturers and students in times of disasters and pandemics like COVID-19, which restrict face-to-face learning. The study recommended that tertiary institutions equip students and lecturers with the skills to adapt to online teaching and learning. Students should be provided with the requisite online learning tools in order to effectively participate in online teaching and learning activities.

References

  • Adarkwah. (2021). “I am not against online teaching, but what about us?” ICT in post Ghana Covid -19. Education and Information Technologies, 26(2), 1665-1685.
  • Africa, e-learning. (2020). Effects of covid19 on learning in Africa and its implications for the use of technology: A survey of experience and opinions of technology specialists. London: Ceative Common Attribution 4.0 International.
  • Barrot. (2021). Students’ online learning experiences during the pandemic and how they cope with them: The case of Philipines. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10589-x
  • Chang. (2012). Understanding knowledge -sharing ,motivation, incentive,mechanisms and satisfaction in vitual commnunities. Social Behaviour and Personality, 40(4), 639-648.
  • Cohen. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed.). New York: Routledge .
  • Hew. (2020). Transition to the “new normal” of learning in unpredictable times: Pedagogical practices and learning performance in fully online fipped classrooms. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17(1), 1-22.
  • Kapisa. (2020). Impact of lockdown on learning status of undergraduate and postgradaute students during covid -19 in West Bengal. India: Children and Youth Sevices Review.
  • Kozinets. (2002). The field behind the screen:Using netnography for marketing research in online communities. Journal of Marketing Research, 36, 61-72.
  • Liaw. (2007). Surveying instructor learner attitudes towards E-learning. Computers and Education, 47(4), 1066-1080.
  • Mali. (2020). The rise of new corona infection-COVID-19: A recent update. 4, 35-41.
  • Maphosa. (2020). AUTAUT evaluation of whatsApp as atool for lecture delivery duing the Covid-19 lockdown at a Zimbabwean university. International Journal of Higher Education, 9(5), 84-93.
  • Ompusunggu. (2019). Effectiveness of edmodo-based e-learning use on mathematical communication skills. J. Curere, 3, 58–66.
  • Rambe. (2013). Using mobile devices to leverage students access to collaboratively-generated resources: A case of whatsApp instant messaging at a South Afican university. International Conference on Advanced Information and Technology fo Education.
  • Rasheed. (2020). Challenges in online componentof blended learning: A systematic review.
  • Singh. (2020). MMedical Education during the Covid-19 pandemic: A single institutionexperience . Indaian Pediatrics, 57(7), 678-679.
  • Tarisayi & Munyaradzi (2021). A simple solution adopted duing Covid-19 pandemic: Using WhatsApp at a university of Zimabwe . Issues in Educational Research, 31(2).
  • Udenze & Ugoala (2020). Building community and construct ing identity on WhatsApp: A Netnographic Study. World Media Journal of Russian Media and Journalism. https://doi.org/10.30547/worldofmedia.4.2019.3
  • Watts. (2016). Synchronous and asynchronous communication in distance learning:A review of the literature. Q. Rev. Distance Educ, 17, 23–32.
There are 18 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Studies on Education
Journal Section Review Article
Authors

Richard Nyika 0000-0001-6904-1466

Alfred Modise 0000-0003-2950-9129

Publication Date November 11, 2022
Submission Date August 21, 2022
Published in Issue Year 2022

Cite

APA Nyika, R., & Modise, A. (2022). Experiences and Challenges of Adapting to Online Learning during Covid -19 Induced Lockdown: The Case of Gweru Urban Tertiary Students in Zimbabwe. International E-Journal of Educational Studies, 6(12), 272-281. https://doi.org/10.31458/iejes.1164927

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