Digital Learning: Challenges experienced by South African university students’ during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

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.