Tracking the ‘Digital Puck’ in the 21st Century: Different Shades of online Teaching and Learning Environments in Higher Education from a South African Perspective
At the dawn of the 21st Century online environments are a burgeoning revolution in Higher Education. Most South African Higher Education Institutions are searching for models of successful training programs that will assist academics to develop Web-based courses. Ideally, such programs will result in online courses that are well-designed, responsive to the learner’s needs, interactive and consistent with stated instructional objectives and fit for purpose. South African Institutions in their quest to be seen as responding to the above imperatives of National Higher Education, globalisation and economic requirements, as well as promoting and propagating for the notion of bridging the digital divide finds themselves confronted with enormous challenges that face them and their institutions. This paper explores the theoretical intricacies of online teaching and learning using the Unisa (University of South Africa) scenario as an example for the investigation. The theoretical enquiries of other countries in relation to our unique situation in South Africa will be compared and discussed. Therefore, this research will examine the enormous challenges facing institutions, academics and students and to answer the question: “Are academics and students at Unisa ready to embrace the new notion of online teaching and learning and, if they are, do they use the learning and teaching environment effectively and optimally?”
Keywords: The Digital Puck, Course Management System, Fit for Purpose, Level of Readiness
Dr Pinkie Phaahla
Deputy CoD and Senior Lecturer, Communication and Languages, University of South Africa
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Senior Lecturer and Deputy CoD: African Languages
School of Arts, Education, Languages and Communication
College of human Sciences
P.O. Box 392
UNISA
0003
South Africa
Tel: + 27 12 429 8284
Fax: 088 11 467 2302
E-mail: pphaahla@unisa.ac.za
Cell: 0827793095
Ref: LS7P0104