Technical and vocational education and training students’ perceptions of using a learning management system for interaction

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic led to restrictions on gatherings, which led to TVET colleges introducing online learning. Despite the end of COVID-19, online delivery has continued to be in use and is being improved, and enrolment is growing each semester. Online learning has added flexibility, allowing students to learn wherever they are. The use of technology in education using the learning management system (LMS) is intended to facilitate teaching and learning processes. While the LMS provides many functions and benefits, its use also presents many challenges to students. The purpose of the study is to investigate the TVET students’ perceptions of the use of the LMS for interaction. This study of limited scope adopted qualitative research with a case-study approach. The study was conducted with online National Technical Education (NATED) students at a TVET college in Gauteng. The technology acceptance model (TAM) was utilised to guide data search and understand the concepts. A pilot study with non-study participants was conducted to determine whether the questions intended to be used for data collection required revision. Afterwards, data were collected using online questionnaires with open-ended questions, sent through Google Forms. The selection of participants was done purposively with a total of 14 students who gave insight into students’ perceptions. The responses were analysed using a thematic method of analysis. The study of limited scope revealed that the LMS provided the students with the opportunity to learn in the comfort of their homes and interact with other students as well as their instructors. The study also discovered that the institution providing resources and support to students would greatly improve their level of interaction. In conclusion, the study findings were that participants had a positive perception of using the LMS for interaction despite the challenges they experienced whilst using it.

Umbulalazwe weCOVID-19 warholela ekuqintelisweni kwemihlangano, okwabangela bona amakholeji we-TVET angenise ihlelo lokufunda nge-inthanede. Naphezu kokuphela kwe-COVID-19, ihlelo lokufundisa nge-inthanede liye laragela phambili ukobana lisetjenziswe begodu selithuthukile, kanti nezinga lokuzitlolisa kwabafundi liya ngokukhula qobe yisimesta. Ukufunda nge-inthanede sekulethe indlela evumela amatjhuguluko, evumela abafundi bona bakwazi ukufunda nanyana bakuphi. Umsebenzi wethekinoloji kezefundo ngokusebenzisa isistimu yokuphathwa kwehlelo lokufunda (learning management system (LMS) unqophe ukukghonakalisa amahlelo wokufundisa nokufunda. Njengombana i-LMS yenza imisebenzi eminengi begodu neenzuzo ezinengi nje, ukusebenza kwayo godu kuletha iintjhijilo ezinengi kubafundi. Umnqopho werhubhululo kuphenya imiqondo yabafundi be-TVET ngomsebenzi wokusetjenziswa kwe-LMS. Leli rhubhululo elibekelwe imikhawulo (limited scope) lilandela indlela yerhubhululo elidzimelele kukhwalithi ngokusebenzisa indlela yendatjana esibonelo (case-study). Irhubhululo lenziwe nge-inthanede- kubafundi be-National Technical Education (NATED) ekholeji ye-TVET esifundeni se-Gauteng. Imodeli yokwamukela ithekinoloji (technology acceptance model (TAM) isetjenziswe ngehloso yokurhola ihlelo lokusetjha idatha nokuzwisisa amagama. Irhubhululo elisifundomlingwa (pilot study) kanye nababandakanywa abangasibo abaphenduli bemibuzo yerhubhululo, lenziwe ngehloso yokukghona ukubona ukobana ngabe imibuzo yayinqophe ukobana isetjenziselwe ukubuthelela idatha efuneka ehlelweni lokubuyekeza na. Ngemuva kwalokho, idatha yabuthelelwa ngokusebenzisa imitlolo yemibuzo eku-inthanede enemibuzo evulekileko engenamikhawulo, ethunyelwa nge-Google Forms. Ukukhethwa kwabadlalindima kwenziwa ngehloso ngokusebenzisa abafundi abali-14 abanikela ingaphakathi labo kumiqondo yabafundi. Iimpendulo zatsengwa ngokusebenzisa umethodo wokutsenga odzimelele kundikimba/ kumnyombo wendaba. Irhubhululo elibekelwe umkhawulo liveze ukuthi i-LMS inikele abafundi ithuba lokufunda bazigedlile emakhaya wabo bebazibandakanye nabanye abafundi kanye nabalayeli babo. Irhubhululo godu lithole ukuthi iziko elinikelana ngemithombo kanye nangesekelo kubafundi lizokuthuthukisa khulu izinga lokuzibandakanya. Nangiphethako, ilwazi elitholakele kurhubhululo lithi abadlalindima bakhombise umqondo omuhle ngokusebenzisa i-LMS ukuzibandakanya naphezu kobana bahlangabezene neentjhijilo lokha nabalisebenzisako.

Ubhubhane i-COVID-19 lwaholela ekutheni kube nemikhawulo uma kunemibuthano, nokudale ukuthi amakolishi ama-TVET ethule uhlelo lokufunda nge-inthanethi. Nanoma ngabe isiphelile i-COVID-19, kusaqhubeka ukufunda nge-inthanethi futhi kuya ngokuya kuphuculwa, kanti futhi nokubhaliswa kwabafundi kukhula ngankathi zonke zonyaka. Ukufunda nge-inthanethi kudale uguquko ekwenzeni izinto, kwavumela abafundi ukuba bafunde nanoma ngabe bakuyiphi indawo. Ukusetshenziswa kobuchwepheshe kwezemfundo ngokohlelo lokuphatha indlela yokufunda (i-LMS) kuhloswe ngakho ukwenza kube lula ukufundisa nokufunda. Nakuba i-LMS ihlinzeka ngezindlela eziningi zokwenza futhi ihlomulisa, ukusetshenziswa kwayo kuza nezinselelo eziningi kubafundi. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukuphenya imibono yabafundi bakuma-TVET mayelana nokusetshenziswa kohlelo lwe-LMS ukuze kuxhunyanwe. Lolu cwaningo obelunomkhawulo lwenziwe ngokohlelo lokuhlola iqophelo kwaxoxiswana nabantu ngokuhlukahlukana kwabo. Ucwaningo lwenziwe nabafundi abafunda nge-inthanethi ngaphansi kwe-National Technical Education (NATED) ekolishi i-TVET ese-Gauteng. Kuye kwasetshenziswa uhlelo lokwamukela ubuchwepheshe (TAM) ukuze kulawulwe futhi kuqondakale kahle indlela yokuthungatha ulwazi. Lapha kwenziwe ucwaningo olukhulu nababambiqhaza abangafundi ukuze kutholakale ukuthi kufanele yini ibuyekezwe imibuzo ezosetshenziswa uma kuqoqwa ulwazi. Ngemuva kwalokho, kuye kwaqoqwa ulwazi kusetshenziswa uhlu lwemibuzo evulelekile eku-inthanethi, yathunyelwa ngohlelo lwe-Google Forms. Ukukhethwa kwababambiqhaza kwenziwe ngamabomu ukuthi kube nabafundi abayi-14 abahlinzeke ngemibono yalokho okucatshangwa abafundi. Izimpendulo zihlaziywe ngokusebenzisa indlela yokuhlaziya ngokweqophelo nokuhambisana kwezimpendulo zocwaningo. Lolu cwaningo obelunomkhawulo luveze ukuthi i-LMS ihlinzeka abafundi ngethuba lokufunda ngokunethezeka besemakhaya abo baphinde bahlanganyele nabanye abafundi kanye nothisha babo. Lolu cwaningo luphinde lwathola ukuthi isikhungo esihlinzeka ngezinsiza kanye nokweseka abafundi sisangaliphucula kakhulu izinga laso ekuxhumaneni nabafundi. Uma sesiphetha, imiphumela yocwaningo iveza ukuthi ababambiqhaza babenombono omuhle ngokusebenza kohlelo lwe-LMS ekuxhumaneni nakuba kunezinselelo ezikhona ngokusebenza kwalolu hlelo.