Remote teaching and learning during the covid-19 pandemic: experiences of lecturers and students in private higher education colleges in Johannesburg, South

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic caused disruptions in higher education in South Africa, with institutions transitioning to remote teaching and learning. Literature reveals that the pandemic affected lecturers' and students’ teaching and learning processes, yet there is limited research examining and comparing lecturers’ and students’ perceptions. Henceforth, this study examined and compared the experiences of lecturers and students on remote teaching and learning during the Covid-19 pandemic in private higher education colleges in Johannesburg, South Africa. The study was guided by the interpretivism paradigm and employed a qualitative methodology to gain an in-depth understanding of the studied phenomenon. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten (10) lecturers and sixteen (16) students. Major findings of this study were that (a) Lecturers and students provided a mixed review of their remote teaching and learning experiences, highlighting positive and negative aspects (b) Some lecturers and students commended remote teaching and learning for its convenience and cost-effectiveness, (c) Lecturers and students also had to confront shared difficulties such as limited internet connectivity or lack of Wi-Fi, communication issues, limited work/study space, and mental health concerns, all of which had a detrimental impact on the quality of remote teaching and learning. Hence, the conclusions and recommendations drawn from this study emphasise the significance of reducing the inequalities in digital access and opportunities in private higher education colleges.