Introducing e-learning in a South African Higher Education Institution: Challenges arising from an intervention and possible responses

This article draws on research conducted at a tertiary institution in South Africa as part of the redesigning of an English for Educational Development (EED) course to include an e-learning online discussion component. The subject material used was based on HIV/ AIDS topics that students had to debate within an online discussion forum. Framed by the concept of Multiliteracies and the Social Constructivist view of teaching and learning, this study problematizes students’ experiences of the online component in an attempt to explore the potential benefits of and challenges in using e-learning in teaching and learning and the extent to which e-learning should be adopted into the EED curriculum. The benefits derived and challenges faced by the students and the writers during the implementation of the intervention are presented with the aim of generating further discussions from researchers on national and international levels. This article briefly contextualizes the study by providing some background information, theory and the research process. It then draws on a number of evaluation tools ranging from course evaluations; classroom discussions and observations; reflective notes; as well as minutes of meetings to evaluate both students and writers participation and experiences. Context of the study This article reports on a project at a South African University to include e-learning as an alternate pedagogical tool into an existing English for Educational Development (EED) module as part of the redesigning of the EED curriculum. EED is a semester module that is offered to different groups of Community and Health Science (CHS) students in semester 1 and semester 2 of the academic year. The primary purpose of the EED-CHS module is to develop the academic literacy practices that students need in order to make a success of their first year courses and their subsequent studies at the University. To achieve this purpose an integrated approach is used whereby reading texts and discussion topics directly related to the disciplines of students are chosen for inclusion into the EED curriculum in consultation with the discipline lecturers. Consequently, in the revised EED curriculum students had to engage in online discussions on given topics which were related to their particular disciplines. British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 44 No 3 2013 410–420 doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01307.x © 2012 The Authors. British Journal of Educational Technology © 2012 BERA. Published by Blackwell Publishing, 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK and 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA. The use of e-learning has grown considerably in the past three decades, which has prompted a great deal of interest in using technology thereby transforming the very nature of higher education (Pollock & Cornford, 2000). While the new technologies are supplementing conventional course delivery (Murphy, Walker & Webb, 2001), they have become a protagonist for change in higher education. However, Garrison and Anderson (2003) argue that there needs to be a clear purpose and reason for introducing e-learning interventions. Over the last 3 years the University of the Western Cape (UWC), as part of its institutional operational plan, has encouraged the use of e-pedagogy. Consequently, there is a big hype across the institution on using the e-learning platform. This is not only the case at UWC as in most South African Universities the use of technology, particularly e-learning, is becoming increasingly popular. While there are ongoing debates, criticisms and cautions on using e-learning, much of the literature on e-learning both locally and internationally has shown the positive impact of e-learning in educational contexts. For example, Cunningham (2000) found that students felt the use of e-learning was nonthreatening and challenging, that it benefited their writing, and that their grades had improved as a result of its use. Warschauer (2003), who argues the need for technology in developing Practitioner Notes What is already known about this topic? • Advancements in technology make it imperative to include technology into teaching and learning. • Using technology can be both rewarding and challenging. • Technology contributes to flexible modes of teaching and learning. What this paper adds • Provides an understanding of the University context in South Africa and the literacy levels of students entering higher education in South Africa. • Discusses the negative impact that a lack of basic language proficiency has on teaching and learning initiatives. While technical skills are important, it is not sufficient for epistemological success. • Discusses some specific benefits of and challenges in using an e-learning discussion forum. This discussion would be useful for practitioners prior to the implementation of e-learning into the curriculum. Implications for practice and/or policy • Care and caution must be exercised in developing institutional policies that recommend e-learning interventions. Merely providing ongoing e-learning training for academics is not sufficient. It is imperative that academics are exposed to current literature on the issues that will prevent them falling into “traps,” eg, using e-learning to replace teacher interaction or making unrealistic demands on students based on the assumption that all student are technologically literate. • Consideration must be given to the social context of students as well as the expertise of students prior to adoption of e-learning into the curriculum. • Highlights the importance of using a “scaffolding approach” to develop expertise of students. • Stresses the need for Higher Education Institutions to revisit their minimum entrance requirements. Using e-learning in higher education 411 © 2012 The Authors. British Journal of Educational Technology © 2012 BERA. countries as a means of social inclusion, found that a computer-mediated communication environment promotes participation and encourages social presence. In light of this, and the fact that information literacy is a vital necessity for today’s modern information-intensive world, there is the need to integrate it into the curriculum. In South Africa, many students entering higher education come from disadvantaged schooling and poor socio-economic backgrounds. In many cases students from disadvantaged backgrounds have no access to school or community libraries and computers, and in some cases there is a lack of basic facilities such as running water, electricity, ablution services, desks and chairs in schools, etc. South Africa is also currently grappling with its low literacy levels. Many students who enter higher education do not have the adequate literacy levels to cope with the demands of their disciplines. In addition, within the South African higher education context itself, there exist huge disparities between institutions arising from the discrimination during the apartheid era, for example, the historically advantaged and the historically disadvantaged institutions. The UWC is classified as a historically disadvantaged institution and as such was provided very limited resources by the previous apartheid government as a university created for the “Coloured” section of our society. The unevenness between the advantaged and disadvantaged institutions still exists despite the continuous efforts of South Africa’s present democratic government. As an institution with a proud activist role during the struggle against apartheid, the UWC is committed to providing access to the “poorest of the poor.” Consequently, the UWC is dominated by students from the disadvantaged sectors of society, primarily from schools which are not well resourced and without the necessary level of preparation for higher education. This project lies within the framework of multiliteracies, a term coined by the New London Group (1996, p. 63) to describe “the multiplicity of communication channels and media and the increasing saliency of cultural and linguistic diversity.” In keeping with the socio-cultural perspective and recognizing that learning does not occur in isolation, Lave and Wenger’s (2002) work on “communities of practice” (COP) and the concept of “literacy as a social practice” and New Literacy Studies (NLS) (Gee, 2000; Street, 2003) were drawn on to guide the writers. Lave and Wenger (1991, 2002) argue that learning occurs within specific contexts and they locate learning as a form of interaction and co-participation, focusing on how individuals become members of COP. To this end the concept of “social presence” (Gunawardena, 1995) which contributes to building a sense of community among students was drawn on by the writers to assist them in enabling students to express their knowledge freely and for successful learner-tolearner interaction (Kazmer, 2000). Garrison and Anderson (2003) define social presence as the ability of participants in a community of practice to project themselves socially and emotionally. Within the NLS the use of digital and electronic media are referred to as technological literacies (Lankshear & Knoebel, 1997). Reading and writing require new practices which include exposure to technological literacies. NLS embrace these changes highlighting the importance of what students bring to the classroom from outside of it. Therefore, in designing the intervention described here, the electronic literacy practices that students have been exposed to, at home and in their high schools, and the electronic literacy practices they are exposed to at university, were