The use of Moodle as an e-learning tool for English language teaching and learning in Namibia

Abstract

The research investigated the use of Moodle in three tertiary level English language programmes at an institution of higher learning in Namibia, using a qualitative approach. As the use of technology in education has become imperative, it was also mandatory for academics at the research site to incorporate technology into their teaching and learning. It aimed to investigate how Moodle was used to enhance English language teaching and learning, emanating from the need of similar studies in the field and at the research site. Also, the research aimed to uncover the successes and challenges that the lecturers and students experienced in the process of using Moodle. The research adopted a case study design with three embedded sub-units: three English language courses. Six lecturers and 15 students participated in the study. Data were collected through interviews, observation and document analysis and were analysed thematically. The research revealed how the lecturers and students involved in the three English language service courses were enthusiastic about using Moodle and a few successes were notable, but they were also challenged in different ways. Four of the lecturers considered themselves to be beginners as they had only recently started to use Moodle extensively, while the other two considered themselves average users of the system. The study revealed more challenges than successes. Minimal use of Moodle in the fundamental and intermediate English language courses, minimal use of the embedded Moodle communication tools, and limited knowledge and skills in using the system emerged as some of the key challenges. Although the institution had training mechanisms in place, both lecturer and student participants pleaded for more staff training opportunities to enable them to use the tools that were found to be underutilised: the blogs, chat and discussion forums. Drawing on the findings of the study, the guidelines for effective use of Moodle are suggested.

Die navorsing het die gebruik van Moodle in drie Engels-taalprogramme op tersiêre vlak by ’n instelling van hoër onderrig in Namibië aan die hand van ’n kwalitatiewe benadering ondersoek. Aangesien die gebruik van tegnologie in onderwys noodsaaklik geword het, het dit ook vir akademici wat navorsing doen verpligtend geword om tegnologie by hulle onderrig en leer te inkorporeer. Dit het ten doel gehad om ondersoek in te stel na hoe Moodle gebruik word om taalonderrig en -leer: Engels, te verbeter, wat voortvloei uit die behoefte van soortgelyke studies in die veld en navorsingsterrein. Die navorsing was ook daarop gemik om die suksesse en uitdagings bloot te lê wat die dosente en studente ervaar wanneer hulle Moodle gebruik. Die navorsing het ’n gevallestudie-ontwerp met drie ingebedde subeenhede, drie Engels-taalkursusse, gebruik. Ses dosente en 15 studente het aan die studie deelgeneem. Data is deur middel van onderhoude en dokumentontleding ingesamel en is daarna tematies ontleed. Die navorsing het getoon dat die dosente en studente betrokke by die drie Engels-taaldienskursusse entoesiasties was oor die gebruik van Moodle en ’n hele paar suksesse is aangeteken hoewel hulle ook op verskillende maniere uitgedaag is. Vier van die dosente het hulleself as beginners beskou omdat hulle onlangs eers op ’n groot skaal van Moodle gebruik begin maak het, terwyl die ander twee hulleself as gemiddelde gebruikers van die stelsel gesien het. Die studie het meer uitdagings as suksesse aan die lig gebring. Van die belangrikste uitdagings blyk te wees: die minimale gebruik van Moodle in die fundamentele en intermediêre Engels-taalkursusse; die minimale gebruik van die ingebedde Moodle-kommunikasiehulpmiddels; en beperkte kennis en vaardighede om die stelsel te gebruik. Hoewel die instelling opleidingsmeganismes tot die gebruiker se beskikking het, het die dosente- sowel as die studentedeelnemers gevra vir meer personeelopleidingsgeleenthede om hulle in staat te stel om die hulpmiddels wat onderbenut word, te kan gebruik, soos die blogs, gesels- en besprekingsforums. Deur na die bevindinge van dié studie te kyk, word riglyne vir die doeltreffende gebruik van Moodle aan die hand gedoen.

Irhubhululo beliphenya ngokusetjenziswa kwe-Moodle kumaphrogremu welimi lesiNgisi emazikweni amathathu wefundo ephakemeko eNamibia, ngokusebenzisa ngokwendlela yekhwalithi. Njengombana ukusetjenziswa kwethekiniloji kezefundo sekwaba yinto eqakathekileko nje, bekukatelelekile ukobana iimfundiswa ephikweni lezerhubhululo zisebenzise ithekiniloji ehlelweni lezokufunda nokufundisa. Irhubhululo lihlose ukuphenya indlela i-Moodle lisetjenziswe ngayo ukuqinisa ihlelo lokufunda nokufundisa ilimi lesiNgisi, lokhu kukhozelelwa sidingo seemfundo ezifanako emkhakheni kanye nebhodulukweni lerhubhululo. Begodu, irhubhululo lihlose ukuvumbulula ipumelelo kanye neentjhijilo ezihlangabezana nabafundisi kanye nabafundi ehlelweni lokusetjenziswa kwe-Moodle. Irhubhululo lilandele isibonelo sendatjana yesifundo (case study) edizayinwe ngamayunithi amancani: iimfundo zelimi lesiNgisi. Abafundisi abasithandathu kanye nabafundi abali-15 bazibandakanyile kulesi sifundo erhubhululo. Idatha yabuthelelwa ngokwamahlelo wehlolombono (interviews), ukuqalisisa kanye nokutlola okutsengiweko kanti lokhu kwahlelwa ngokwesihloko serhubhululo. Irhubhululo liveze indlela abafundisi kanye nabafundi abazibandakanye ngayo ehlelweni lokwethulwa kweemfundo zelimi lesiNgisi ukobana bazibandakanye ngendlela ebeyikarisa kwamambala ngokusebenzisa i-Moodle kanye kunezinto ezimbalwa ebezikhombisa ipumelelo, kodwana nayo ipumelelo leyo beyikhombisa ineentjhijilo ngeendlela ezahlukeneko. Abafundisi abane bazithethe ngokwabo njengabantu abasathomako njengombana bebathoma ukusebenzisa i-Moodle ngokunabileko, kanti abanye ababili bazithethe njengabasebenzisi behlelweli abanelwazi elilingeneko. Irhubhululo liveze iintjhijilo ezinengi kuneempumelelo. Ukusetjenziswa kancani kwe-Moodle eemfundweni zesigaba sesisekelo nesiphakathi zelimi lesiNgisi, ukusetjenziswa kancani kweenthulusi ze-Moodle zokuthintana, kanye nelwazi elincani namakghono amancani ekusetjenzisweni kwehlelo kuvele njengezinye zeentjhijilo eziqakathekileko. Yize iziko belineendlela zokubandula ebelingazisebenzisa, bobabili abadlalindima umfundisi kanye nomfundi babawe ukunikelwa amathuma amanengana wokubandulwa kwabasebenzi ukubasiza kobana basebenzise amathulusi ebekubonakala bonyana akasetjenziswa ngokugcweleko: amabhlogo, ukutjhatha kanye namaforamu wokucocisana. Nakuthathwa isiphetho ngalokho okuvunjululwe lirhubhululo kuphakanyiswe ukusetjenziswa kuhle kwemihlahlandlela ye-Moodle.