A post-COVID-19 pandemic multimedia framework for teaching and learning in open distance elearning in South Africa

Abstract

Information Communications Technology (ICT) evolves at an unmatched pace globally, affecting society across all disciplines. Higher Education forms an integral part of the basis and foundation of economic, social, and all-around technological innovation; thus, curriculum integration continually requires adaptation. The University of South Africa (Unisa), as an Open Distance Learning institution in Africa has, in recent years, been offering teaching and learning using a blended learning approach. However, when the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit the world, almost every aspect of the University’s operations was subjected to a lockdown and its associated regulations. Global change management across disciplines affected not only Unisa but also all other higher education institutions worldwide. Unisa faced challenges such as its outdated legacy ICT infrastructure, a lack of tools-of-the-trade for staff, staff unreadiness, and unpreparedness for remote learning. Data allocation, network connectivity challenges, assessment integrity, and students' geographical areas negatively impacted the academic project. Within an interpretative paradigm, this qualitative case study aims to develop a post-COVID-19 pandemic multimedia framework for teaching and learning in Open Distance eLearning in South Africa, and a triangulation design was employed. For data collection, the study engaged fifteen participants from three selected support departments (four deans, eight lecturers from four selected colleges, and three support staff participants). The multimedia framework was achieved by analysing data collected through questionnaires, interviews and document analysis. To analyse the data, the study applied a thematic approach where themes emerged from the data collected. Once all the data had been collected, data triangulation was fulfilled through document analysis of Unisa Policies. The study discusses distance education, including an in-depth analysis of the background, history and generations, as this information informs a crucial part of the study and the multimedia framework. Due to the nature of the study, the teaching and learning theories employed are: behaviourism, cognitivism, constructivism and connectivism. The study used the cognitive theory of multimedia learning, which deals with Mayer’s multimedia design principles. The study findings identify challenges and require amendments to policies, the updating of software, the upgrading ICT infrastructure, the upskilling of staff members, a zero-rated website for student ease of access and making the use of WhatsApp messaging both official and legal, as well as data allocation. Based on the findings, the study’s multimedia framework proposes using multimedia technologies to advance higher learning, but not without caution regarding confidentiality being applied, along with other principles.

UbuChwepheshe boLwazi noNxibelelwano (iICT) buguquka ngesantya esingenakulinganiswa kwihlabathi liphela, buchaphazela uluntu kuzo zonke iinkalo. Imfundo ePhakamileyo iyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yesakhiwo nesiseko sezoqoqosho, ezentlalo, kunye nazo zonke izinto ezintsha zeteknoloji; ngoko ke, ukuhlanganiswa kwekharityhulam ngokuqhubekayo kufuna ukuguqula indlela yokuphila. IYunivesithi yoMzantsi Afrika (iUnisa), njengeziko leMfundo yoMgama eVulelekileyo (iOpen Distance Learning) eAfrika, kwiminyaka yakutshanje, ibonelela ngokufundisa nokufunda kusetyenziswa indlela yokufunda exutyiweyo. Nangona kunjalo, xa ubhubhane wehlabathi intsholongwane ikhorona (iCOVID-19) wahlasela ihlabathi, phantse zonke iinkalo zokusebenza kweYunivesithi zahlaliswa ngendlu kunye nemimiselo ehambelana noko. Ulawulo lwenguqu yehlabathi kuzo zonke iinkalo aluchaphazelanga iUnisa kuphela kodwa nawo onke amanye amaziko ezemfundo ephakamileyo kwihlabathi liphela. IUnisa iye yajongana nemingeni efana nezixhobo zayo zeICT ezinembali ephelelwe lixesha, ukungabikho kwezixhobo zokusebenza kwabasebenzi, ukungalungeli kwela xesha kwabasebenzi, kunye nokungalungeli ukufunda kwabafundi besebenzisa ubuchwepheshe emakhaya. Ulwabiwo lwedatha, imingeni yoqhagamshelwano lweintanethi, ukunyaniseka kovavanyo, kunye neendawo zokuhlala zabafundi ziyichaphazele kakubi iprojekthi yezemfundo. Ngokusebenzisa indlela yokuqonda ulwazi lwenzululwazi kunye nokuyinyani (interpretative paradigm), esi sifundo ngomzekelo sophandontyilazwi sijolise ekuphuhliseni isikhokelo sikanxazonke(multimedia framework) sasemva kwexesha likabhubhane wehlabathi iCOVID-19 sokufundisa nokufunda kwiMfundo yoMgama eVulelekileyo eMzantsi Afrika, kwaye kusetyenziswe uyilo oluntloboninzi/lweendlela ezininzi (triangulation design). Idatha yolu phando iqokelelwe kubathathinxaxheba abalishumi elinesihlanu abavela kumasebe amathathu okuxhasa iyunivesithi akhethiweyo (iinqununu/iintloko zeefakhalthi ezine, abahlohli abasibhozo abavela kwiikholeji ezine ezikhethiweyo, kunye nabathathinxaxheba abathathu abangabasebenzi nabaxhasa ukusebenza kweyunivesithi). Isikhokelo sikanxazonke sifezekiswe ngokuhlalutya idatha eqokelelwe ngoxwebhu lwemibuzo, udliwanondlebe, kunye nokuhlalutywa kwamaxwebhu. Olu phando lusebenzise inkqubo yohlalutyontyilazwi lomongo ukuqokelela idatha, apho imixholo ithe yavela khona kwidatha eqokelelweyo. Emva kokuba yonke idatha iqokelelwe, idatha entloboninzi ifezekiswe ngohlalutyo lwamaxwebhu eMigaqonkqubo yaseUnisa. Olu phando luxoxa ngemfundo yomgama, kubandakanywa uhlalutyo olunzulu lwemvelaphi, imbali kunye neezizukulwana, njengoko olu lwazi lwazisa inxalenye ebalulekileyo yolu phando kunye nesikhokelo sikanxazonke. Ngenxa yohlobo lophando, iithiyori zokufundisa nokufunda ezisetyenzisiweyo zezi zilandelayo; indlela yokuziphatha (behaviourism), eyangokwengqiqo (cognitivism), eyokudalwa kolwazi nokuqonda ngokwamava okuphila/ezentlalo (constructivism) kunye neyokuqonda ukufunda kwixesha lobuchwepheshe/ledijithali (connectivism). Uphando lusebenzise ithiyori yengqiqo yokufunda okunxazonke (cognitive theory of multimedia learning), ejongene nemigaqo yoyilo olunxazonke lukaMayer(Mayer’s multimedia design principles). Iziphumo zophando zichonga imingeni kwaye efuna izilungiso kwimigaqonkqubo, ukuhlaziywa kwesixhobo sekhompyutha esingabambekiyo (software), ukuphuculwa kwezixhobo zeICT, ukuphuculwa kwezakhono zabasebenzi, iwebhusayithi yamahala yokwenza ufikelelo lwabafundi lubelula kunye nokwenza ukusebenzisa uWhatsapp kumiselwe kwaye kubesemthethweni, kunye nolwabiwo lwedatha. Ngokusekelwe kwiziphumo, isikhokelo sikanxazonke(multimedia framework) solu phando siphakamisa ukusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bukanxazonke(multimedia technologies) ukuqhubela phambili imfundo ephakamileyo, kodwa oku akunokwenzeka ngaphandle kokulumka malunga nokusetyenziswa kwemfihlo, kunye neminye imigaqo.

Die ongekende tempo waarteen inligtingskommunikasietegnologie (IKT) wêreldwyd verbeter affekteer gemeenskappe in alle dissiplines. Aangesien hoër onderwys die grondslag van ekonomiese, maatskaplike en tegnologiese vooruitgang in die algemeen vorm, moet kurrikulumintegrasie voortdurend aangepas word. Enkele jare reeds volg die Universiteit van Suid-Afrika (Unisa), as ʼn Oop Afstandsleerinstelling in Afrika, ʼn gemengde benadering tot onderrig en leer. Weens die Coronapandemie (COVID-19) is al die Universiteit se werksaamhede ingeperk. Veranderingsbestuur moes in alle dissiplines nie alleen by Unisa nie, maar by alle tersiêre instellings wêreldwyd toegepas word. Die probleme waarmee Unisa te doen gekry het, was onder meer uitgediende IKT-infrastruktuur, personeel was onvoorbereid en geensins vir afstandsonderrig toegerus nie. Probleme met datatoewysing en netwerkverbindings, twyfel oor die integriteit van assesserings en afgeleë gebiede waar talle studente woon, het die akademiese projek belemmer. Hierdie kwalitatiewe gevallestudie het gepoog om volgens ʼn vertolkende paradigma ʼn multimediaraamwerk vir onderrig en leer in Oop Afstand-e-Leer in Suid-Afrika ná afloop van die COVID-19-pandemie te ontwikkel. ʼn Triangulasieontwerp is toegepas. Data is ingesamel by 15 deelnemers van drie hulpdepartemente (onder wie vier dekane, agt dosente van vier kolleges, en drie hulppersoneellede). Die multimediaraamwerk is opgestel met behulp van die ontleding van data wat aan die hand van vraelyste en onderhoude sowel as ʼn dokumentontleding versamel is. ʼn Tematiese benadering is gevolg in die ontleding van data waaruit temas voortgevloei het. Nadat die data ingesamel is, is dit getrianguleer aan die hand van ʼn dokumentontleding van Unisa se beleide. Afstandsonderrig is bespreek en die agtergrond, geskiedenis en generasies is deurtastend ontleed aangesien sodanige inligting ʼn belangrike aspek van die studie en multimediaraamwerk uitmaak. Vanweë die aard van die studie is behaviourisme, kognitivisme, konstruktuvisme en konnektivisme as onderrig-en-leerteorieë aangewend. Die kognitiewe multimedialeerteorie, wat berus op Mayers se beginsels vir multimediaontwerp, is toegepas. Die bevindings wys op die noodsaak vir beleidwysigings; die bywerking van sagteware; die opgradering van IKT-infrastruktuur; die opleiding van personeel; ʼn vrygestelde webwerf sodat studente moeiteloos toegang daartoe kan verkry; die amptelike verklaring en wettiging van WhatsApp-boodskappe; en datatoewysing. Op grond van die bevindings stel die multimediaraamwerk die aanwending van multimediategnologieë voor om hoër onderwys te bevorder, maar waarsku dat vertroulikheid gewaarborg en ander beginsels nageleef moet word.