An implementation analysis of e-learning: a case study of Kwapata Secondary School, Dambuza township.

Abstract

The use of information communication technologies (ICTs) is being re-introduced in the South African public schooling system as a development tool used to improve the quality of education and expand access to equal educational opportunities to all learners and teachers including previously disadvantaged schools and communities for full participation in education and society. The implementation of e-learning is guided by the White Paper on e-Education 2004 which was published as the South African governments’ symbol of commitment to ensure that all learners are ICT capable and ICTs are used optimally for teaching and learning purposes. The efforts to harness the potential of ICT use through implementation of e-learning programmes in SA public schools have been met with the reality of limited government capacity in terms of ICT funding, investment and expertise to deliver ICT skills training and infrastructure to remote, over populated, ill-resourced schools in rural and township schools. This issue prompted the investigation into, the implementation of e-learning at KwaPata Secondary School, Dambuza Township in order to discover the factors that hinder or facilitate the implementation process. Findings revealed that there is limited understanding of the purpose of e-learning amongst teachers and learners which is reflected in the teachers limited use of ICTs to information presentation which in turn diverts from the role of e-learning which is to create a learner-focused learning environment. The main barrier affecting teachers and learners ability to implement e-learning at KwaPata Secondary School is the lack of sufficient ICT resources and maintenance of ICT equipment for e-learning to take place in a structured way instead of the ad hoc manner. Consequently, the extent of e-learning implementation is restricted, resulted in only certain subjects being able to use the ‘e-learning room’ and ICT resources available at KwaPata Secondary School. However, this is not simply an issue of physical access, it is further complicated by teachers’ lack of appreciation and motivation to use and develop coping strategies to overcome access challenges. In terms of the partnership, Dimension Data suffers from a lack of financial and human resource capacity to deliver alone, efforts to overcome these challenges are undermined by lack of co-ordination and communication amongst other relevant stakeholders. The partnership was established to overcome social and economic obstacles tasked with implementing e-learning, however, the study shows that the service provider is faced with the same problem of lack of adequate capacity, funding and support as government to effectively deliver ICTs alone.