Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public University

This article reports the challenges of e‑learning faced by under-resourced students in a Zambian public university during the 2020 Covid‑19 lockdown. The article further examines the interventions made by the university to mitigate the challenges of e‑learning faced by under-resourced students. The...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Charity L.M. Kombe, Dingase E. Mtonga
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Journal of Student Affairs in Africa 2021-06-01
Series:Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
Subjects:
Online Access:https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/1426
_version_ 1818790373285167104
author Charity L.M. Kombe
Dingase E. Mtonga
author_facet Charity L.M. Kombe
Dingase E. Mtonga
author_sort Charity L.M. Kombe
collection DOAJ
description This article reports the challenges of e‑learning faced by under-resourced students in a Zambian public university during the 2020 Covid‑19 lockdown. The article further examines the interventions made by the university to mitigate the challenges of e‑learning faced by under-resourced students. The article is based on empirical data derived from an online closed- and open-ended questionnaire completed by 73 under-resourced students, and an interview with two university staff. The quantitative and qualitative data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis respectively. The article provides evidence that under-resourced students encountered various challenges related to e‑learning categorised under the following interlinked themes: technical, environmental, psychological, sociocultural, financial, and material. Lack of ICT facilities/devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets and desktops), internet, electricity, and support systems were the most critical barriers to e‑learning. Findings further showed that the sampled university made efforts to mitigate the challenges faced by students during e‑learning amid the 2020 Covid‑19 lockdown. However, there were no focused interventions to specifically address the actual challenges under-resourced students encountered. Regrettably, this suggests that the needs of under-resourced students were overlooked. Thus, the authors suggest strategies universities should put in place to uphold the participation of all students during e‑learning regardless of the circumstances.
first_indexed 2024-12-18T14:54:25Z
format Article
id doaj.art-261e17d1bde84380a88f112a249d740c
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2311-1771
2307-6267
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-18T14:54:25Z
publishDate 2021-06-01
publisher Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
record_format Article
series Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
spelling doaj.art-261e17d1bde84380a88f112a249d740c2022-12-21T21:04:05ZengJournal of Student Affairs in AfricaJournal of Student Affairs in Africa2311-17712307-62672021-06-019110.24085/jsaa.v9i1.1426Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public UniversityCharity L.M. KombeDingase E. MtongaThis article reports the challenges of e‑learning faced by under-resourced students in a Zambian public university during the 2020 Covid‑19 lockdown. The article further examines the interventions made by the university to mitigate the challenges of e‑learning faced by under-resourced students. The article is based on empirical data derived from an online closed- and open-ended questionnaire completed by 73 under-resourced students, and an interview with two university staff. The quantitative and qualitative data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis respectively. The article provides evidence that under-resourced students encountered various challenges related to e‑learning categorised under the following interlinked themes: technical, environmental, psychological, sociocultural, financial, and material. Lack of ICT facilities/devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets and desktops), internet, electricity, and support systems were the most critical barriers to e‑learning. Findings further showed that the sampled university made efforts to mitigate the challenges faced by students during e‑learning amid the 2020 Covid‑19 lockdown. However, there were no focused interventions to specifically address the actual challenges under-resourced students encountered. Regrettably, this suggests that the needs of under-resourced students were overlooked. Thus, the authors suggest strategies universities should put in place to uphold the participation of all students during e‑learning regardless of the circumstances.https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/1426Covid‑19 lockdowne‑learninginterventionsunder-resourced studentsuniversityZambia
spellingShingle Charity L.M. Kombe
Dingase E. Mtonga
Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public University
Journal of Student Affairs in Africa
Covid‑19 lockdown
e‑learning
interventions
under-resourced students
university
Zambia
title Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public University
title_full Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public University
title_fullStr Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public University
title_full_unstemmed Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public University
title_short Challenges and Interventions of E‑learning for Underresourced Students amid Covid‑19 Lockdown: A Case of a Zambian Public University
title_sort challenges and interventions of e learning for underresourced students amid covid 19 lockdown a case of a zambian public university
topic Covid‑19 lockdown
e‑learning
interventions
under-resourced students
university
Zambia
url https://upjournals.up.ac.za/index.php/jsaa/article/view/1426
work_keys_str_mv AT charitylmkombe challengesandinterventionsofelearningforunderresourcedstudentsamidcovid19lockdownacaseofazambianpublicuniversity
AT dingaseemtonga challengesandinterventionsofelearningforunderresourcedstudentsamidcovid19lockdownacaseofazambianpublicuniversity