South Africa, like other countries in the world, went into lockdown due to the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) which meant closure of venue-based exam centres, university libraries and academic offices for more than three months. This encounter forced higher institutions of learning to review and reconfigure their assessment practices and conduct alternative assessment practises like timed exams, take home exams, randomised multiple-choice examinations and an online portfolio. Over and above that South Africa experienced load shedding (interruptions to electricity supply) and connectivity challenges which impacted the online examinations. This paper explores the experiences of lecturers whilst administering online examination at a South African Open Distance e-Learning university during COVID-19. Data collected from the lecturers who administered online examination through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analyses were used to analyse the data. Lecturers reported on student challenges related to time allocation, exam security, internet connectivity and data access, digital incompetency and support received from the information communication technology (ICT) department. Academics’ reflection suggests that the system and students were not fully prepared and ready to write the online examination. The researchers propose continued technical and technological education and support for academics and students. Therefore, in line with these experiences, it is important to conduct further the research.

The purpose of this research was to identify students’ views on the use of WhatsApp in an online postgraduate course at a South African Open Distance eLearning institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, lecturers and students relied on their mobile devices to communicate using different tools, including WhatsApp. Although it is a trending communication tool in teaching and learning, little is known about students’ views on using WhatsApp to support teaching and learning in a time of crisis. Within an interpretative paradigm, the research followed a case study design and a qualitative approach. The study used questionnaires with open-ended questions to collect data. The sample consisted of 16 students enrolled for a Master’s in Education programme. Data were analysed using a thematic approach. The findings showed that WhatsApp groups provided students with immediate, fast, easy to use and affordable communication and connection, thus, creating a sense of belonging. However, a possible disadvantage was also observed. A WhatsApp group can defeat its purpose if students use it for non-academic chats and it can become a distraction. This study proposes that institutions of higher learning consider using WhatsApp groups to support learning communities as they can alleviate feelings of loneliness and isolation, specifically in times of crisis. Furthermore, the study recommends that the purpose of WhatsApp groups should be clearly outlined to students and that lecturers and students should agree upon some ground rules before they start using WhatsApp groups to support teaching and learning.

Technological advances and the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have forced higher education institutions to be innovative in delivering education in their...

School leadership is regarded as the cornerstone of the successful provisioning of quality education. This qualitative study draws from principals' accounts of their instructional leadership challenges in rural multigrade schools. The research, situated within an interpretivist paradigm and the theoretical lens of instructional leadership, sought to understand the challenges that principals experience as instructional leaders and how they mitigate the challenges they experience in their rural contexts. Ten purposively selected principals from rural multigrade schools situated in the Vhembe district of Limpopo province participated in the study. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews and were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show that principals in rural multigrade schools do not participate in induction training to equip them with the knowledge and skill to commence their roles as principals. As a result, they struggle to balance their teaching and management roles. However, fostering teamwork with teachers may be a strategy that could assist principals in managing and successfully executing their duties. Lack of access to technological resources and staffing are serious concerns for the participants in their aim to provide quality education. Active parental involvement supports principals and teacher in their multigrade rural context. This study recommends that principals should undergo training for their role as principals in rural multigrade schools and training on multigrade pedagogies is recommended for both principals and teachers. Understanding challenges that principals in rural multigrade schools experience could help policymakers establish relevant policies that address leadership issues in rural schools.

Web-based technology has proven itself indispensable in education, especially in distance education and in developing countries. Technological advances and the COVID-19 pandemic have forced higher education institutions to be innovative in delivering education in their countries. This article seeks to demonstrate the role and value of e-portfolios as an alternative teaching and learning tool in distance education and the online environment, especially in developing countries. A systematic review of peer-reviewed academic studies of e-portfolios between 2010 and 2020 was conducted. A total of 18 papers were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The review shows that the use of e-portfolios is still a relatively new trend in developing countries. The study also revealed that e-portfolios can infuse important skills such as self-directed learning, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. These results have the potential to help institutions to creatively design appropriate support tools and strategies alongside the implementation of e-portfolios in their contexts.

Online learning uses information and communication technologies which rely on reliable connectivity. While this is a giant step to widen access in South African education as shown by a number of studies conducted already regarding online learning, less focus has been paid on rural students which are under-resourced. They are presumed to have access and support to online learning and assistive ICTs that make online learning possible. Therefore, the focus for this study was on KwaZulu-Natal rural student teachers’ experiences of open distance e-learning in a posthuman era. The study focused on students’ experiences regarding online support tools like discussion forum and others as tools for student engagement and support on myUnisa platform. The problem was investigated using a descriptive qualitative case study, which used individual interviews. The study involved fifteen UNISA student teachers from KZN and the findings revealed that, notwithstanding the countless challenges, students were very passionate about the use of online learning in open distance e-learning and they showed a desire to engage more using different types of devices and platforms as they learn through social media and also showed that learning resides in technological appliances they use(posthumanism), hence the study’s conclusion and implications stress that the distance between the student and the institution, student and lecturer and student and other students can be mediated and reduced through proper student support services such as provision of gadgets for internet connection, proper telecommunications infrastructure, ICT workshops and training for all students and in posthumanism terms, formal integration of social networks in learning in light of the finding that learning is non-linear and resides in technological devices used to connect students.