The Use of E-learning During COVID-19 Pandemic Era - Recommendations and Findings for African Universities

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran

The study examines how e-learning supported African universities in maintaining teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Communication practices in higher education changed sharply after the outbreak, driving institutions to adopt e-learning to save the academic year. Using a quantitative survey of 400 randomly administered questionnaires to second- and third-year students at a selected South African university, results show pre-COVID e-learning was largely unaccepted, while post-outbreak demand grew despite barriers such as limited awareness, funding, and internet connectivity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Literature Review

Learning Management Systems (LMSs)

Blended e-learning

Advantages and Disadvantages of e-learning

e-learning in South Africa

Challenges universities face in equipping students for e-learning

Conceptual Model

Research Methodology

Findings, Discussion, and Conclusion

The Use of E-learning During COVID-19 Pandemic Era By Mofoluwake Oluwadamilola Uleanya ∗ & GedalaMulliahNaidoo ± Communication in teaching and learning space has never been the same following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis of COVID-19 has brought about the urgency for most higher education institutions to adopt elearning. This response was to save the academic year. Hence, this study explores how e-learning has aided African universities to engage their students in teaching and learning. A quantitative research method was adopted for the collection of data. The survey was made up of 400 questionnaires which were randomly administered to the second-and third-year students in the selected South African university. The findings of the study show that e-learning trends before COVID-19 were unappreciated and unaccepted. Meanwhile, following the outbreak of the coronavirus, e-learning has become one of the most sort-out phenomena. However, several factors such as unawareness, lack of funding, and poor internet connectivity, amongst others have always hindered the use of elearning platforms. Hence, the study recommends amongst others that adequate awareness be made to educate both lecturers and students on the importance and the continuous use of e-learning. Also, funding should be made available for institutions of learning to enable them to adapt to e-learning. The gains achieved must be maintained and continue post-COVID-19. Keywords: African universities, COVID-19, Coronavirus, e-learning Introduction The recent trend in the development of digital technology has advanced rapidly changing the way we communicate and operate in the business world as well as the academic field. For instance, the concept of e-learning has brought wide development in our educational system. Yakubu and Dasuki (2018) as well as Tossy and Brown (2017) argue that e-learning is assisting the higher institution of learning by enhancing the quality of education provided and minimizing various educational costs. Pham et al. (2019) opine that the adoption of e-learning at higher institutions of learning has the potential of assisting the institution by creating solutions to the problem of limited lecture space and allowing students to earn at their convenience to digital course content. Akoi et al. (2021) and Saragih, Cristanto, Effendi, and Zamzami (2021) believe that there are several mitigating factors hindering institutions from being able to equip their students. Vis-à-vis, there are other factors hindering students from being equipped with digital devices that promote e-learning. The study conducted by Almaiah, Al-Khasawneh, and Althunibat (2020) on factors hindering universities and students from being equipped for e-learning show four factors ∗Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Communication Science Department, University of Zululand, South Africa. ±Associate Professor, Communication Science Department, University of Zululand, South Africa. which hinder e-learning, and these are technological factors, individual factors, cultural factors and course factors. Previous studies conducted by Aung and Khaing (2015), as well as Dhawan (2020), indicate that insufficient technical support, poor internet connectivity and lack of e-learning policies are factors that hinder universities from equipping lecturers and students from the use of elearning. Azmi, Kamin, Noordin, and Nazir (2018) mentioned that in the educational sector, awareness regarding the 4IR is relatively low because it is a recent aspect that involves the inclusion and use of technologies in teaching. On the other hand, the issue of the fourth Industrial revolution (4IR) tends to be receiving very minimal recognition in the African continent, in different systems and parastatals, inclusive of education (Uleanya & Yu, 2019). Aristovnik et al. (2020) opine that with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the subject of the 4IR tends to have received due attention abr

FAQs

What is the main focus of the study?

The study investigates how e-learning was used during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it helped African universities engage students in teaching and learning.

How was data collected and from whom?

A quantitative research approach was used with 400 questionnaires randomly administered to second- and third-year students in a selected South African university.

What factors hinder the use of e-learning platforms?

The document highlights barriers including unawareness, lack of funding, poor internet connectivity, and other technological, individual, cultural, and course-related factors.

What recommendations does the study provide?

Adequate awareness should be created to educate both lecturers and students, and institutions should provide funding so they can adapt to e-learning, with gains maintained post-COVID-19.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Aran