Health Sciences students’ perceptions on the effect of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic at the University of Witwatersrand

Abstract

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning has become a hot topic in higher education worldwide. Because the pandemic led to restrictions on gatherings, higher education offerings shifted quickly from face-to-face to online delivery. E-learning adds to the flexibility and convenience of blended learning by allowing students to learn from wherever they are. This study investigated students' perceptions of the impact of e-learning at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students have had three years of e-learning outside of campus since the outbreak of COVID-19. Using the faculty of Health Sciences’ local and international students at Wits as the case study, this dissertation of limited scope adopted a qualitative research approach. Two theories of the 21st century, namely connectivism theory and social constructivism theory, were utilised to guide data search and analysis and understand the concepts. The study first conducted a pilot study with non-study participants to determine whether the questions intended to be used for data collection required revision. Afterwards, an online questionnaire with open-ended questions was completed by fourteen participants through Google Forms. The responses were analysed using participant characteristics, which included gender, age, place of study, nationality, and other factors. This study of limited scope found that e-learning offered students the opportunity to learn in the comfort of their own homes and allowed them to be more focused and develop better time management skills. In addition, e-learning is cheaper, which helps students save costs on transportation and accommodation. To address the digital divide among students, the educational institution should also make it mandatory for those who are not computer literate to attend basic computer courses. The study discovered that platforms such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, eFundanathi, YouTube, and the student self-service portals and Sakai can be viewed as successful technologies for lecturers and students to use in e-learning. The study also discovered that providing data enabled students who lacked resources to study online because they did not have to worry about purchasing their own data. However, the educational institution's lack of technical support created additional difficulties for those who faced technological challenges while studying remotely. In conclusion, e-learning provides interactive learning through group discussions and allows for live streaming and real-time video sharing.

Kusukela loko ku vile ni ntungu wa COVID-19, e-learning yi hundzukile mhaka ya nkoka eka dyondzo ya le henhla emisaveni hinkwayo. Hikokwalaho ka ntungu wu nga va ni xiave ka swipimelo eka tihlengeletano, ku dyondzisiwa ka dyondzo ya le henhla swi cincile hi ku hatlisa kusuka eka ku dyondza mi vonana ku ya eka tidyondzo ta ku tirhisa inthanete. E-learning yi engeterile ku olova na ku va swi koteka ku dyondzisa hi ku hlanganisa hi ku pfumelela swichudeni ku dyondza kusukela kun’wana ni kun’wana lomu swi nga kona. Ndzavisiso lowu wu lavisisile ni mavonelo ya vadyondzi ya nkucetelo wa miehleketo eka e-learning eYunivhesiti ya Witwatersrand (Wits) hi nkarhi wa ntungu wa COVID-19. Swichudeni swi vile ni e-learning eka malembe manharhu ehandle ka xivandla na miako ya yunivhesiti kusukela loko ku vile ni ntungu wa COVID-19. Ku tirhisa vuswikoti bya swichudeni swa kwala kaya na swa misava hinkwayo ka ntivovuxaka bya swa rihanyu eWits tanihi Xiyenge xa Dyondzo, xitsariwa lexi xa le henhla xi kongomisiwa eka digiri yo karhi eyunivhesiti xa mpimo lowu nga pimiwa lowu nga bohiwa wa maendlelo ya ndzavisiso wa nkoka. Tithiyori timbirhi ta malembexidzana ya makumembirhin’we, ku nga, thiyori ya nhlanganiso na thiyori ya vuswikoti bya swa vanhu, ti tirhisiwile ku letela ku lava datara na nkambisiso na ku twisisa tikhonsepe. Ndzavisiso wu sungula hi ku letela dyondzo ya muhahisi na dyondzo yo hava vatekaxiave ku kumisisa loko swivutiso leswi ku nga kunguhateriwa ku tirhisiwaka ka nhlengeleto wa switiviwa wu lava mpfuxeto. Endzhaku ka sweswo, nuvu wa swivutiso leswi kumekaka eka inthanete leswi tsariweke swi hlamula hi mani na mani na swivutiso swo kala swipimelo swi hetisiwile hi mune wa vatekaxiave hi ku tirhisa Tifomo ta Google. Tinhlamulo ti kamberiwile hi ku tirhisa swihlawulekisi swa va tekaxiave, leswi katsaka rimbewu, malembe, ndhawu yo dyondzela, vuakatiko bya le nawini, na swivangelo swin’wana. Ndzavisiso lowu wa mpimo lowu pimiweke lowu kumekaka eka e-learning lowu nyikiwaka vadyondzi nkateko wo dyondza eka ntshamiseko wa vona vinyi emakaya na ku va pfumelela ku va va kongomisa ngopfu na ku antswisa swikili swa vona vinyi swa mahlawulelo ya kahle ya nkarhi. Ku engetela, e-learning ya olova, leswi swi pfunaka swichudeni ku hlayisa tihakelo ta swofamba na vutshamo. Ku lulamisa vangwa ra swa digitali leri nga kona exikarhi ka swichudeni, ndhawu ya swa dyondzo nakambe yi fanele ku endla leswaku yi nyika matimba ka lava vanga riki ni vutivi bya khomphyuta ku dyondza tidyondzo ta masungulo ta khomphyuta. Ndzavisiso wu kumile leswaku swivandla swo fana ni swo tanihi Microsoft Teams, Zoom, eFundanathi, YouTube, na ku va tinyangwa na Sakai xichudeni xa tikorhokela swi nga ha tekiwa tanihi ku humelela ka thekinoloji eka valeteri na swichudeni ku tirhisa e-learning. Nakambe ndzavisiso wu kumile leswaku ku nyika data swi pfunile swichudeni leswi a swi pfumala switirhisiwa ku dyondza hi inthanete hikuva a swi fanelangi ku va swi vilela hi mayelana ni ku xava data ya vona vinyi. Hambiswiritano, ku pfumaleka ka nseketelo wa swa thekiniki hi xiyenge xa swa dyondzo swi tumbuluxile swo engetela ku tikeriwa ka lava a va hlangana ni mitlhontlho ya swa thekinoloji loko va karhi va dyondza hi ndlela ya xikhale swinene. Xo hetelela, e-learning yi pfumelela ku dyondza hi ku hlanganyisa hi ku tirhisa mikanerisano ya mitlawa na ku pfumelela ku xaxameta swilo swi vonaka na ku avelana mpimo wa nkarhi wa vhidiyo.

Sedert die COVID-19-pandemie is e-leer wereldwyd ’n gewilde onderwerp in hoer onderwys. Aangesien die pandemie tot beperkings op byeenkomste gelei het, het hoeronderwysaanbiedinge vinnig van aangesig tot aangesig na aanlyn lewering verskuif. E-leer dra by tot die buigsaamheid en gerief van gemengde leer deur studente toe te laat om te leer waar hulle ook al is. Hierdie studie het studente se persepsies van die impak van e-leer by die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand (Wits) tydens die COVID-19-pandemie ondersoek. Studente het drie jaar van e-leer buite die kampus gehad sedert die aanvang van COVID-19. Deur die Fakulteit van Gesondheidswetenskappe se plaaslike en internasionale studente by Wits as die gevallestudie te gebruik, het hierdie proefskrif van beperkte omvang ’n kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering aanvaar. Twee teoriee van die 21ste eeu, naamlik konnektivisme en sosiale konstruktivisme, is gebruik om data te soek en te ontleed en die konsepte te verstaan. Die studie het eers ’n loodsondersoek met nie-deelnemers uitgevoer om te bepaal of die vrae wat vir data-insameling bedoel is, hersien moes word. Daarna is ’n aanlyn vraelys met oop vrae deur veertien deelnemers op Google Forms voltooi. Die antwoorde is ontleed deur gebruik te maak van deelnemereienskappe, wat geslag, ouderdom, plek van studie, nasionaliteit en ander faktore ingesluit het. Hierdie studie van beperkte omvang het bevind dat die studente die geleentheid gebruik het om in die gemak van hulle eie huise te leer en hulle in staat gestel het om meer gefokus te wees en beter tydsvaardighede te ontwikkel. Boonop is e-leer goedkoper, wat studente help om koste op vervoer en verblyf te bespaar. Om die digitale kloof tussen studente aan te spreek, moet die opvoedkundige instelling dit ook verpligtend maak vir diegene wat nie rekenaarvaardig is nie om basiese rekenaarkursusse by te woon. Die studie het bevind dat platforms soos Microsoft Teams, Zoom, eFundanathi, YouTube, en die studenteselfdiensportale en Sakai beskou kan word as suksesvolle tegnologieë vir dosente en studente om in e-leer te gebruik. Die studie het ook bevind dat die voorsiening van data aan studente wat nie hulpbronne het nie, hulle in staat gestel het om aanlyn te studeer aangesien hulle nie hulle eie data moes aankoop nie. Die opvoedkundige instellings se gebrek aan tegniese ondersteuning het egter bykomende probleme geskep vir diegene met tegnologiese uitdagings wat op ’n afstand studeer. Die gevolgtrekking is dat e-leer interaktiewe leer bied deur groepbesprekings en voorsiening maak vir regstreekse stroming en intydse video-deel.