article · The Independent Journal of Teaching and Learning
The sudden transition to online learning during the pandemic exposed deep disparities among university students in South Africa, widening the digital divide. A survey of 125 undergraduate students demonstrates widespread dissatisfaction with the present state of digital education. Students residing in rural areas experienced particularly severe obstacles compared to those in urban centres, frequently lacking appropriate digital hardware and reliable network access. Core difficulties identified across the student cohort include a lack of digital devices, poor internet connectivity, unstable electricity supply, and high data expenses. Addressing these systemic inequalities requires higher education institutions to design comprehensive strategic initiatives. These plans must combine resource distribution with digital literacy training to equip both academic staff and students effectively, ensuring equitable access to online education in the post-pandemic environment.
The rapid adoption of online education during emergencies can unintentionally marginalise vulnerable students who lack modern devices, electricity, and affordable internet. Understanding the exact structural and infrastructural barriers students encounter helps universities and policymakers design equitable digital learning environments, ensuring that remote education initiatives do not widen existing socio-economic divides between urban and rural communities.
The findings highlight infrastructural deficits rather than presenting a proprietary technology. However, the identified barriers could inform telecommunications operators, educational software developers, and universities developing low-bandwidth learning platforms, offline-capable applications, and subsidised hardware distribution models. Because the research represents early-stage diagnostic assessment of user challenges, any product or service response to these specific findings remains at an early conceptual stage.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc globally, and lockdowns added to the disruption. In South Africa, higher education was thrust into online learning almost instantly. Before the lockdown, online learning was not taken very seriously, and the rollout was delayed. Many higher learning institutions scrambled to switch over to online teaching and learning, and this move highlighted the disparities and profound inequalities among students, which have further exacerbated the digital divide. Students in the urban areas seemed to be better off than their counterparts who live in rural areas. Students living in rural areas struggle without having proper digital devices and poor internet connectivity. Now that the COVID-19 restrictions are removed, it is vital to reflect upon the lessons learnt; therefore, this paper focused on the challenges experienced and how higher education can be transformed digitally by ensuring that all its students can benefit. The paper adopted a quantitative research approach with 125 undergraduate students participating. The paper was conceptualised using the Technological Acceptance Model and the Social Constructivism Theory. The findings reveal that students are not satisfied with the current state of online learning and the key challenges confirmed the lack of digital resources, internet connectivity, availability of electricity, and high data costs. It is recommended that higher education develop strategic plans coupled with digital literacy and resources to equip both students and academics to address the digital gap.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.17159/fwk81482
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
