Online teaching and learning during Coronavirus-disease-2019 : case of the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice lectures' perceptions at the University of Limpopo

Abstract

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) brought some changes in the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), where South African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) had to quickly transition to online Teaching and Learning (T & L). This was accompanied by various advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore perceptions of Criminology and Criminal Justice lecturers’ on online T & L during COVID-19. This study adopted a qualitative research approach, guided by an exploratory research design. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was employed to select the participants of this study. For data collection, semi-structured Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), distributed through Google Forms, were used. The inductive Thematic Content Analysis (TCA) was used for data analysis, which assisted in categorising themes that emerged from the qualitative data collected. This study employed Connectivisms Learning Theory (CLT) as its theoretical framework to best analyse online T & L during COVID-19 by exploring the perceptions of lecturers in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice. The study was guided by this aim: To analyse the perceptions of lecturers’ towards online T & L during COVID-19 using UL’s Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice as a case study and by the following objectives: The readiness of lecturers to offer online T & L at UL, the effects of online T & L on lecturers’ during COVID-19 at UL, the quality of online T & L methods, as offered by lecturers’ during COVID-19 at UL, the challenges of online T & L faced by lecturers’ during COVID-19 at UL and strategies can be implemented to better online T & L during COVID-19 at UL. The findings of the study revealed that online T & L was a mandatory intervention in ensuring continuity of education. However, the quick transition was accompanied by challenges, including but not limited to, examination-related issues, insufficient resources, technological difficulties, lack of preparedness for lecturers to offer online T & L, internet connectivity issues, poor attendance, and low-quality training programmes. Some findings highlighted that UL played a significant role through the provision of electronic devices (laptops) and data bundles and implemented refresher courses to address the issue of readiness and technological hurdles. Based on the identified challenges and the suggestions to improve of online T & L, the following recommendations were made: there is a need for comprehensive training programmes for both lecturers and students on the utilisation of online T & L tools, the university must invest in technological infrastructure essential for the success of online T & L, there must be clear policies and guidelines for online T & L; furthermore, the university must devise strategies to improve class attendance, come up with innovative online teaching methods, electronic device accessibility, and mental health support to mitigate the effects of online T & L; awareness campaigns aimed at preventing academic misconducts (Plagiarism and cheating in examinations/tests) to maintain good quality of online methods must be considered, and lastly, the institution must advise the academic community to venture into online T & L and acquaint themselves with technologies necessary for the effectiveness of online learning.