Distance education students’ experiences of online interaction at a rural-based university

Abstract

Online teaching and learning are consistent with the current generation of Open and Distance e-learning, which emphasises utilising available technologies to enhance teaching and learning in flexible and convenient ways. However, online teaching and learning were hastened in most developing contexts by COVID-19, hence its numerous challenges. One of the challenges associated with online learning is the lack of meaningful interaction, which impacts online learning experiences and, invariably, student attainment. The present study aimed to explore the distance education students' experiences of interaction in online learning at a rural-based university in Eswatini. Underpinned by two theories, connectivism and the Community of Inquiry framework, the study was in the post-positivist research paradigm. The study followed a mixed-methods research approach and utilised a concurrent-triangulation design. A stratified random sample of 361 students was selected to respond to a structured questionnaire that was administered online. For the study's qualitative aspect, data from four focus groups of ten students each were collected utilising a focus group discussion technique. A purposive sampling technique was used to choose the focus group discussion participants who were considered "information-rich sources" from four programmes with the most active courses on the Moodle Learning Management System. Quantitative data was analysed using SPSS version 29. Descriptive statistics were utilised in analysing data to respond to the sub-research questions in answer to the main research question. A thematic content analysis approach was employed to analyse qualitative data from the focus group discussions. The quantitative and qualitative results were merged at the analysis and interpretation stage. According to the study results, students had a positive view of online interaction but did not include using technology in their understanding of the concept. The study also found that despite technological issues, students profited from online interaction in many ways. Students were generally not given sufficient guidance or support regarding the various facets of the online learning system. The study also identified several elements that encouraged online engagement and some factors that hampered it. It was established that while some online teaching techniques were more frequently used in online learning, others were less so. The implications for online pedagogy were that while using rare approaches could raise the quality of online contact, using standard methods often promoted lower-order forms of interaction. The study concludes that although students positively perceived what online interaction encompassed, they did not include technological interaction in their understanding of it. The study also concludes that students benefited much from online interaction. Still, they did not benefit from fully utilising the LMS features and the affordances of their devices, which were considered hindrances. It is further concluded that a general lack of training and support was provided to students regarding the various aspects of the online learning system. The study further concludes that there were factors found to be crucial in positively affecting online interaction. However, several factors negatively affected online interaction. It is concluded that there were pedagogical shortcomings in online facilitation that would favour improved online interaction quality and the attainment of higher-order learning objectives. The study's findings led to a proposed framework for an online teaching and learning agenda in a developing context. The framework is premised on addressing resource and skills gaps for course facilitators and students, underpinning online teaching and learning in scholarly instructional design approaches, online support, and online teaching and learning monitoring.

U funza na u guda nga kha lubuvhisia zwi elana na murafho wa zwino wa u guda nga lubuvhisia ho vuleaho u kule, zwine zwa khwathisedza tshumiso ya thekhinolodzhi dzi re hone u 0khwathisedza u guda na u funza hu tendelanaho na na ndila dzo teaho vhathu. Fhedzi, u dzheniswa ha u funzwa na u guda nga lubuvhisia zwo tavhanyedziswa kha dziṅwe nyimele nga u bvelela ha COVID-19, zwe zwa bveledza khaedu dzo vhalaho, hu tshi katelwa u shayea ha vhukwamani vhu pfadzaho, zwi re na masiandaitwa kha tshenzhelo dza u guda, kanzhi, vhukoni ha matshudeni. Ngudo iyi yo sedza kha tshenzhelo dza matshudeni a pfunzo ya kule dza vhukwamani ho sedzeswa u guda nga lubuvhisia kha yunivesithi ya vhupo ha mahayani ngei Eswatini. Kusedzele kwa nga murahu ha vhasedza zwivhuya kwo toka midzi kha vhutumani na thyeori dza muhanga wa tshitshavha tsha thodisiso. Ngudo dzo tevhedza kusedzele kwa ngona dza thodisiso dzo tanganelanaho na u shumisa nyolo ya thofunderaru yo sedzaho zwothe nga luthihi. Tsumbo nanguludzwa tshaya ndivhiswa yo dzidzanywaho ya matshudeni vha 361 yo nangiwa u itela u fhindula mbudzisombekanywa dzo ṋekedzwaho nga lubuvhisia. Thekiniki ya u nanguludza ire na ndivho yo shumiswa u nanga vhadzheneli vha tshigwada tsho sedzwaho, vhe vha dzhiiwa sa “zwiko zwo dalaho mafhungo”, u bva kha mbekanyamushumo dzi re na khoso dzi shumesaho kha sisiteme ya ndangulo ya u guda ya Moodle (LMS). Data ya khwanthithethivi (yo sedzaho ndeme) yo senguluswa hu tsh shumiswa vesheni ya SPSS ya vhu 29, na kuitele kwa musaukanyo wa zwi re ngomu nga thero kwo shumiswa u saukanya data ya khwanthithethivi u bva kha therisano dza zwigwada zwo sedzwaho. Mvelelo dza khwanthithethivi na dza khwalithethivi dzo tanganyiswa musi wa musaukanyo na thalutshedzo. U ya nga ha mvelelo dza ngudo, matshudeni o vha na kuvhonele kwavhudi kwa vhukwamani fhedzi a vho ngo katela thekhinolodzhi kha kupfesesele kwavho kwa mutalukanyo, matshudeni vho vhuelwa u bva kha vhukwamani ha lubuvhisia nga naho ho vha na vhukondi ha thekhinolodzhi, hu tshi katelwa u sa shumisa zwishumiswa zwa elekithironiki na u sa wana vhugudisi na thikhedzo zwo linganaho u nva kha LMS dza kha lubuvhisia. Ho wanala uri musi hu khou shumiswa maitele a songo doweleaho hu na takulwa vhukwamani nga kha lubuvhisia, u shumisa ngona dzo doweleaho kanzhi zwo bveledza tshivhumbeo tsha vhukwamani ha fhasi. Ho khunyeledzwa uri vhutudzetudze ha pfunzo kha u tshimbidza zwithu nga lubuvhisia vhu tea u lavheleswa u itela u khwiṋisa vhukwamani ha lubuvhisia na u swikelela zwipikwa zwa ntha zwa u guda. Mawanwa a ngudo o livhisa kha muhanga wa kushumele wo dzinginywaho u itela adzhenda ya u funza na u guda nga kha lubuvhisia kha nyimele I bveledzaho. Muhanga wa kushumele wo sedza kha u livhana na zwishumiswa na mavhaka a zwikili zwa vhatshimbidza khoso na matshudeni, zwi livhanaho na u funza na u guda nga kha lubuvhisia kha kuitele kwa nyolo dza ndaela dza vhorapfunzo, thikhedzo ya kha lubuvhisia, na u vhulavhelesi ha u funza na u guda nga kha lubuvhisia.

Ukufundisa nokufunda ngonxibelelwano nge-Intanethi kuyahambelana nesizukulwana sangoku sokufunda okuvulekileyo kunye nokumgama i-e-learning,egxininisa ukusetyenziswa kobugcisa obukhoyo ukuphucula ukufundisa nokufunda ngeendlela eziguquguqukayo nezifanelekileyo. Nangona kunjalo, ukumiselwa kokufundisa nokufunda nge-intanethi kuye kwakhawuleziswa kwezona meko ziphuhlayo nge-COVID-19, okubangele imingeni emininzi, kuquka ukunqongophala konxibelelwano olunentsingiselo, olunefuthe oluchaphazele amava okufunda kwi-intanethi kwaye, ngokungaguquguqukiyo, ukuphumelela kwabafundi. Olu phononongo lwalujolise ekuphononongeni amava abafundi bemfundo ekumgama yokunxibelelana nokufunda nge-intanethi kwiyunivesithi esekwe emaphandleni eEswatini. Uphando olwenziwe emva kwembono okanye isethi yezimvo zophando ezingqineke zifanelekile zamkelwa, i-paradigm zaxhaswa yimbono esekelwe kwingcamango esiyifundayo xa sinxibelelwana, okanye sakha amakhonkco onxibelelwano ngolwazi, kwaye siqhubeka nokwenza nokugcina unxibelelwano ukuze senze ulwazi kunye noluntu lweethiyori zesakhelo sophando iconnectivism. Uphononongo lulandele indlela yophando oluxubeneyo kwaye lusebenzise uyilo oluhambelanayo olunxantathu. Isampula ehleliweyo yabafundi abangama-361 yakhethwa ukuba iphendule kwi-phepha lemibuzo eyakhiweyo eyayenziwe ilawulwa kwi-intanethi.Ubuchule bokusampula obunenjongo busetyenziswe ekukhetheni abathathi-nxaxheba bengxoxo yeqela ekuza kugxininiswa kubo, ababethathwa “njengemithombo yolwazi olutyebileyo”, besuka kwiinkqubo ezine ezinezifundo ezisebenza kakhulu kwinkqubo yolawulo lokufunda iMoodle (LMS).Idatha yobungakanani yacazululwa kusetyenziswa i-SPSS version 29, yaze indlela yokuhlalutya umxholo wengxoxo yasetyenziswa ukuhlalutya idatha esemgangathweni evela kwiingxoxo zeqela ekugxininiswe kulo. Iziphumo zobungakanani kunye nomgangatho ziye zadityaniswa kwinqanaba lokuhlalutya kunye nokutolika. Ngokweziphumo zophononongo, abafundi babenembono eyakhayo, nelungileyo yokunxibelelana kwi-Intanethi kodwa abakuqukanga ukusebenzisa itekhnoloji ekuqondeni kwabo lo ngcamango. Abafundi baye bazuza kunxibelelwano lwe-intanethi ngeendlela ezininzi ngaphandle kwemiba yetekhnoloji, kubandakanya ukungasebenzisi izixhobo zabo zombane ngokupheleleyo nokungafumani uqeqesho nenkxaso eyaneleyo kwi-LMS ekwi-intanethi.Kwathi kwacaca ukuba ngelixa ukusebenzisa iindlela ezinqabileyo kunokuphakamisa umgangatho woqhagamshelwano kwi-intanethi, ukusebenzisa iindlela ezisemgangathweni bezihlala zikhuthaza iindlela eziphantsi zokusebenzisana. Kwagqitywa kwelokuba ukusilela-ngokwezokufundisa kuququzelelo lwe-intanethi kufuneka kuqwalaselwe ukuze kuphuculwe umgangatho wonxibelelwano nge-intanethi kunye nokufikelela kwiinjongo zokufunda ezikumgangatho ophezulu. Iziphumo zophononongo zikhokelele kwisakhelo esicetyiswayo se-ajenda yokufundisa nokufunda kwi-intanethi kwimeko ephuhlayo. Esi sakhelo sisekwe ngenjongo yokujongana nezibonelelo kunye nezikhewu kwizakhono kubaququzeleli bezifundo nabafundi, ukuxhasa ukufundisa nokufunda nge-intanethi kwiindlela zoyilo lokufundisa, inkxaso ye-intanethi, kunye nokubeka esweni ukufundisa nokufunda kwi-intanethi.