The global Covid-19 pandemic led to drastic changes and government institutions, companies and educational sectors were pressurised to implement policies and protocols to minimise the spread of the virus. The Covid-19 health measures and protocols posed challenges to structures of higher education where universities had to implement alternative teaching approaches to achieve learning outcomes.
The implementation of various Covid-19 rules and regulations limited SA citizens’ mobilisation and caused disengagement from economic, social and cultural activities.
The pandemic led to the implementation of online learning and required undergraduate students to possess technological devices and internet connectivity.
The educational sectors and tertiary institutions implemented and practised tangible teaching strategies to complete the academic year successfully and this included hybrid teaching practices.
The government increased tertiary funding and provided universities with financial aid for the implementation of a blended learning approach for resources, including laptops, computers and internet connectivity for students.
It is important to point out that the racial policies that existed during the apartheid era have influenced the digital inequalities in higher education today.
Racial inequalities among students continue to dominate where tertiary funding is unequally distributed, and students of colour are obligated to complete academic activities without sufficient laptops, computers, modernised software and training required to operate on the technological device.
The introduction of modern technologies and innovation gave rise to hybrid teaching where technologies revolutionised learning and teaching.
This teaching approach is used in the post-Covid-19 period and will allow university students to participate in a hybrid teaching environment.
The establishment of the hybrid teaching method was classified as an alternative teaching and learning approach that SA universities used due to the momentous challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The system includes two teaching and learning approaches: traditional face-to-face interaction and online learning environments.
The hybrid teaching method facilitates and integrates instructional elements from online learning and traditional face-to-face teaching and learning. This method is flexible and accessible because students are consistently changing demographics. The system is often critiqued as an expensive and inaccessible form of learning that requires students to possess skills, expertise, technological devices and unlimited data.
The hybrid teaching environment consists of numerous challenges, including a lack of teaching resources, expertise and financial challenges. These challenges often create obstacles in educational sectors and decrease students’ academic motivation.
From this, we can draw that the transition has led to various constraints that negatively affect students from low socioeconomic status, rural areas and low digital competency. Many students experience undeniable challenges in SA. These challenges include alienation, socioeconomic issues, lack of technological resources, digital incompetency and an unfavourable study environment.
This alternative learning approach consists of negative and positive elements because it increases mental health issues among students with minimal technological experience and often excludes students from poor socioeconomic backgrounds.
A quantitative study conducted at a university in SA used independent variables including student’s socioeconomic status, gender, digital competency, type of school attended and geographical location to investigate students’ views with regards to hybrid teaching and found that these factors have an effect on their participation in hybrid teaching and learning.
For example, the study found that there is no significant difference between male and female views about hybrid teaching.
Financial challenges prevent students from participating in hybrid teaching systems due to insufficient funds and inadequate technological devices.
This teaching approach would also stimulate students’ and lecturers’ digital skills and knowledge. Inequalities and inaccessibility to internet connectivity and technological devices continue to stimulate challenges among SA students, creating a social, economic and digital division between students from the upper class and students from the working class.
The hybrid teaching system could be effective for SA tertiary institutions, but will this system further increase inequalities in higher learning and teaching?
• Steyn is an MA candidate at the University of Johannesburg.
LEMEESE STEYN | Will hybrid teaching increase students' inequalities?
Poorer students face lack of resources, expertise and finances
Image: paylessimages /123RF
The global Covid-19 pandemic led to drastic changes and government institutions, companies and educational sectors were pressurised to implement policies and protocols to minimise the spread of the virus. The Covid-19 health measures and protocols posed challenges to structures of higher education where universities had to implement alternative teaching approaches to achieve learning outcomes.
The implementation of various Covid-19 rules and regulations limited SA citizens’ mobilisation and caused disengagement from economic, social and cultural activities.
The pandemic led to the implementation of online learning and required undergraduate students to possess technological devices and internet connectivity.
The educational sectors and tertiary institutions implemented and practised tangible teaching strategies to complete the academic year successfully and this included hybrid teaching practices.
The government increased tertiary funding and provided universities with financial aid for the implementation of a blended learning approach for resources, including laptops, computers and internet connectivity for students.
It is important to point out that the racial policies that existed during the apartheid era have influenced the digital inequalities in higher education today.
Racial inequalities among students continue to dominate where tertiary funding is unequally distributed, and students of colour are obligated to complete academic activities without sufficient laptops, computers, modernised software and training required to operate on the technological device.
The introduction of modern technologies and innovation gave rise to hybrid teaching where technologies revolutionised learning and teaching.
This teaching approach is used in the post-Covid-19 period and will allow university students to participate in a hybrid teaching environment.
The establishment of the hybrid teaching method was classified as an alternative teaching and learning approach that SA universities used due to the momentous challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The system includes two teaching and learning approaches: traditional face-to-face interaction and online learning environments.
The hybrid teaching method facilitates and integrates instructional elements from online learning and traditional face-to-face teaching and learning. This method is flexible and accessible because students are consistently changing demographics. The system is often critiqued as an expensive and inaccessible form of learning that requires students to possess skills, expertise, technological devices and unlimited data.
The hybrid teaching environment consists of numerous challenges, including a lack of teaching resources, expertise and financial challenges. These challenges often create obstacles in educational sectors and decrease students’ academic motivation.
From this, we can draw that the transition has led to various constraints that negatively affect students from low socioeconomic status, rural areas and low digital competency. Many students experience undeniable challenges in SA. These challenges include alienation, socioeconomic issues, lack of technological resources, digital incompetency and an unfavourable study environment.
This alternative learning approach consists of negative and positive elements because it increases mental health issues among students with minimal technological experience and often excludes students from poor socioeconomic backgrounds.
A quantitative study conducted at a university in SA used independent variables including student’s socioeconomic status, gender, digital competency, type of school attended and geographical location to investigate students’ views with regards to hybrid teaching and found that these factors have an effect on their participation in hybrid teaching and learning.
For example, the study found that there is no significant difference between male and female views about hybrid teaching.
Financial challenges prevent students from participating in hybrid teaching systems due to insufficient funds and inadequate technological devices.
This teaching approach would also stimulate students’ and lecturers’ digital skills and knowledge. Inequalities and inaccessibility to internet connectivity and technological devices continue to stimulate challenges among SA students, creating a social, economic and digital division between students from the upper class and students from the working class.
The hybrid teaching system could be effective for SA tertiary institutions, but will this system further increase inequalities in higher learning and teaching?
• Steyn is an MA candidate at the University of Johannesburg.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos