Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment
Previous research highlights significant disruptions to teaching and assessment time in universities due to strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, which began in late 2019, forced institutions worldwide to close, prompting a shift to online teaching, learning, and assessment. In Africa, ad...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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ERRCD Forum
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Research |
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| Online Access: | https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijer/article/view/1593 |
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| author | Cias Thapelo Tsotetsi Masetshaba Agnes Tsosane |
| author_facet | Cias Thapelo Tsotetsi Masetshaba Agnes Tsosane |
| author_sort | Cias Thapelo Tsotetsi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous research highlights significant disruptions to teaching and assessment time in universities due to strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, which began in late 2019, forced institutions worldwide to close, prompting a shift to online teaching, learning, and assessment. In Africa, additional closures occurred due to student unrest. While the transition to online learning sought to maintain academic continuity, limited research exists on how postgraduate students experienced the values of humanness (botho) during this period. This qualitative study explores how postgraduate students perceived the values of botho in online learning and assessment during the lockdown. Fifty honours students participated in an assignment completed in groups of up to four, with 15 submissions received, including group and individual efforts. Students reflected on their experiences, highlighting positive outcomes such as knowledge sharing within groups. However, challenges emerged, including group members leaving unexpectedly due to non-cooperative peers, which left others to complete tasks individually with increased effort. The findings suggest that the principles of botho should be integrated into online assessment designs to address the challenges faced by students. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of bridging the digital divide to promote equitable online learning. Further research is needed to explore strategies that incorporate the values of botho while addressing technological and collaborative barriers in online education. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9f49bdb8504b4c90bd1b7622c0d0da00 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2710-2114 2710-2122 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | ERRCD Forum |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-9f49bdb8504b4c90bd1b7622c0d0da002025-01-08T19:03:48ZengERRCD ForumInterdisciplinary Journal of Education Research2710-21142710-21222024-12-01611510.38140/ijer-2024.vol6.40a1557Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and AssessmentCias Thapelo Tsotetsi0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1035-3339Masetshaba Agnes Tsosane1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9865-9759University of the Free State, South Africa University of the Free State, South Africa Previous research highlights significant disruptions to teaching and assessment time in universities due to strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic, which began in late 2019, forced institutions worldwide to close, prompting a shift to online teaching, learning, and assessment. In Africa, additional closures occurred due to student unrest. While the transition to online learning sought to maintain academic continuity, limited research exists on how postgraduate students experienced the values of humanness (botho) during this period. This qualitative study explores how postgraduate students perceived the values of botho in online learning and assessment during the lockdown. Fifty honours students participated in an assignment completed in groups of up to four, with 15 submissions received, including group and individual efforts. Students reflected on their experiences, highlighting positive outcomes such as knowledge sharing within groups. However, challenges emerged, including group members leaving unexpectedly due to non-cooperative peers, which left others to complete tasks individually with increased effort. The findings suggest that the principles of botho should be integrated into online assessment designs to address the challenges faced by students. Additionally, the study underscores the importance of bridging the digital divide to promote equitable online learning. Further research is needed to explore strategies that incorporate the values of botho while addressing technological and collaborative barriers in online education.https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijer/article/view/1593online teachingonline learningbothodigital divideonline assessment |
| spellingShingle | Cias Thapelo Tsotetsi Masetshaba Agnes Tsosane Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment Interdisciplinary Journal of Education Research online teaching online learning botho digital divide online assessment |
| title | Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment |
| title_full | Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment |
| title_fullStr | Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment |
| title_short | Exploring Postgraduate Student’s Experiences on Values of Humanness During COVID-19: An Inquiry for Supportive Online Learning and Assessment |
| title_sort | exploring postgraduate student s experiences on values of humanness during covid 19 an inquiry for supportive online learning and assessment |
| topic | online teaching online learning botho digital divide online assessment |
| url | https://pubs.ufs.ac.za/index.php/ijer/article/view/1593 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ciasthapelotsotetsi exploringpostgraduatestudentsexperiencesonvaluesofhumannessduringcovid19aninquiryforsupportiveonlinelearningandassessment AT masetshabaagnestsosane exploringpostgraduatestudentsexperiencesonvaluesofhumannessduringcovid19aninquiryforsupportiveonlinelearningandassessment |