Teaching and learning in the time of Covid-19: the experiences of lecturers and students at a TVET college in Gauteng, South Africa.

Abstract

Within the context of teaching and learning during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic and the ‘hard’ lockdown instituted to curb the spread of the virus, this study critically examines the experiences of lecturers and students at a TVET College in Gauteng, South Africa. The study focuses on a resource-restricted TVET College that predominantly enrols black students from township communities marked by entrenched poverty, limited service delivery, and infrastructural neglect. A qualitative research design was employed, involving 27 purposively sampled participants (12 lecturers and 15 students). Data was collected through one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions and analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis was framed within the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), which provided a framework for understanding the teaching and learning experiences of TVET College lecturers and students during the challenging lockdown period of COVID-19. PMT proved valuable in elucidating why students and staff had specific experiences during the pandemic. The findings reveal that both students and lecturers experienced significant levels of uncertainty and a sense of unpreparedness for the adjustments required during the ‘hard lockdown’ period. Participants expressed discomfort with abandoning traditional teaching and learning methods in favour of virtual modes. Additionally, they highlighted the lack of technological resources at the College and their homes, which hindered their ability to work and study effectively. This study offers a critical perspective on how a global health pandemic impacts teaching and learning in resource-limited institutions of higher learning, using the COVID-19 pandemic as a focal point.