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This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, focusing on challenges faced by staff and students during the transition to online learning. Using a qualitative case study approach within an interpretivist paradigm, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected participants. Thematic analysis was applied. The shift to online learning amplified existing inequalities, with limited infrastructure, low digital literacy, and poor connectivity hindering access, especially in rural areas. The study calls for inclusive quality assurance frameworks that address technological and socio-emotional needs. The study offers empirical insight into digital learning challenges at disadvantaged institutions and informs policy on building equitable, student-centred post-pandemic higher education systems rooted in social justice. The study recommends improved digital infrastructure, equitable access to devices and connectivity, and enhanced support for staff and students. It urges institutions to adopt flexible, inclusive teaching models to ensure resilience and equity in digital education.

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the global shift to remote work, disrupting conventional operations across sectors, including higher education. For South Africa’s Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) institutions, the pandemic revealed both their readiness for remote engagement and the gaps between ODeL’s theoretical promise and its operational reality. This study aimed to explore how remote work has reshaped the culture of teaching and learning within South African ODeL institutions, with particular attention to staff, students, and institutional practices. Adopting a qualitative, secondary-data approach, the study drew on published scholarship, policy reports, and media sources, with data thematically analysed to identify patterns of change. The findings demonstrate that remote work enhanced flexibility, creativity, and continuity in ODeL, enabling teaching, learning, and administration to continue effectively outside the physical campus. However, it also exposed sharp inequalities in digital readiness, as many students and staff struggled with poor connectivity, high data costs, limited digital literacy, and work–life imbalances. While these challenges mirror global trends, they were intensified in South Africa by persistent socio-economic inequalities and infrastructural constraints. The study concludes that remote work has transformative potential but is sustainable only if supported by policy, investment in digital infrastructure, ongoing training, and hybrid models of delivery

COVID-19 is an illness associated with severe respiratory conditions, including pneumonia. Its widespread impact disrupted educational systems internationally. In South Africa, schools were provisionally closed as a preventive measure to limit the spread of the virus, leading to important changes in teaching and learning practices. This study aimed to investigate how COVID-19 impacted the management of teaching and learning strategies in secondary schools within the Hlanganani North Circuit of Vhembe District. A qualitative research approach was adopted, utilising interviews, observations, and document analysis to gather data. Participants were chosen through purposive sampling and included three principals, three deputy principals, and three departmental heads, all serving as members of their respective school management teams. The study focused on three schools, with each school contributing one principal, one deputy principal, and one departmental head. The findings revealed that school leaders come across difficulties in adopting new teaching approaches, largely due to limited technological skills and knowledge. Important challenges identified included inadequate training and a lack of resources, which hindered the ability to sustain effective teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study recommended that the Department of Education should distribute resources and invest in the necessary infrastructure needed to support the digital transformation of education. It also concluded that providing training opportunities would help school managers strengthen their knowledge and skills associated with effective teaching and learning

This study critically examines an educator’s response to student passivity and reduced engagement in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on collaborative action research conducted with a team of module facilitators. The sudden shift to remote instruction introduced significant pedagogical challenges, particularly in under-resourced higher education institutions in South Africa, where digital access limitations and reduced student participation negatively impacted learning outcomes. Using a retrospective collaborative autoethnographic approach, the study reflects teaching practices during this period, highlighting the complexities of encouraging active participation in virtual environments. Based on observed data, the analysis questions the effectiveness of targeted interventions—including structured peer interaction, real-time feedback, and personalised check-ins—aimed at increasing student engagement and reducing disengagement. Through repeated cycles of reflection and adaptation, the educator emphasises the importance of collegial collaboration in improving online teaching methods. The findings deepen understanding of engagement patterns in remote learning and offer practical insights for improving pedagogical responsiveness in resource-limited settings.

The rapid shift to online teaching and learning (OTL) during and after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant institutional and infrastructural challenges in higher education. While existing research has examined experiences of emergency remote teaching, limited attention has been given to systematically identifying the foundational pre-conditions necessary for sustainable OTL implementation, particularly within business school contexts in developing settings. This study aimed to identify the pre-conditions required for effective OTL implementation at the Durban University of Technology Business School (DBS). A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative survey data (n = 82) with qualitative open-ended responses. Quantitative data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, reliability testing and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings reveal strong convergence between quantitative and qualitative results. Structural barriers, mostly related to internet connectivity, device access and staff development, emerged as the most critical pre-conditions. Participants also emphasised digital skills, stable power supply and institutional support as foundational requirements. The study contributes empirical evidence on institutional readiness for OTL and provides a structured framework for prioritising infrastructure, capacity building and support systems in similar higher education contexts.

The rapid shift to online teaching and learning (OTL) during and after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant institutional and infrastructural challenges in higher education. While existing research has examined experiences of emergency remote teaching, limited attention has been given to systematically identifying the foundational pre-conditions necessary for sustainable OTL implementation, particularly within business school contexts in developing settings. This study aimed to identify the pre-conditions required for effective OTL implementation at the Durban University of Technology Business School (DBS). A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining quantitative survey data (n = 82) with qualitative open-ended responses. Quantitative data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, reliability testing and chi-square goodness-of-fit tests, while qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis. The findings reveal strong convergence between quantitative and qualitative results. Structural barriers, mostly related to internet connectivity, device access and staff development, emerged as the most critical pre-conditions. Participants also emphasised digital skills, stable power supply and institutional support as foundational requirements. The study contributes empirical evidence on institutional readiness for OTL and provides a structured framework for prioritising infrastructure, capacity building and support systems in similar higher education contexts.

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on a historically disadvantaged university in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, focusing on challenges faced by staff and students during the transition to online learning. Using a qualitative case study approach within an interpretivist paradigm, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 20 purposively selected participants. Thematic analysis was applied. The shift to online learning amplified existing inequalities, with limited infrastructure, low digital literacy, and poor connectivity hindering access, especially in rural areas. The study calls for inclusive quality assurance frameworks that address technological and socio-emotional needs. The study offers empirical insight into digital learning challenges at disadvantaged institutions and informs policy on building equitable, student-centred post-pandemic higher education systems rooted in social justice. The study recommends improved digital infrastructure, equitable access to devices and connectivity, and enhanced support for staff and students. It urges institutions to adopt flexible, inclusive teaching models to ensure resilience and equity in digital education.

The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated the global shift to remote work, disrupting conventional operations across sectors, including higher education. For South Africa’s Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) institutions, the pandemic revealed both their readiness for remote engagement and the gaps between ODeL’s theoretical promise and its operational reality. This study aimed to explore how remote work has reshaped the culture of teaching and learning within South African ODeL institutions, with particular attention to staff, students, and institutional practices. Adopting a qualitative, secondary-data approach, the study drew on published scholarship, policy reports, and media sources, with data thematically analysed to identify patterns of change. The findings demonstrate that remote work enhanced flexibility, creativity, and continuity in ODeL, enabling teaching, learning, and administration to continue effectively outside the physical campus. However, it also exposed sharp inequalities in digital readiness, as many students and staff struggled with poor connectivity, high data costs, limited digital literacy, and work–life imbalances. While these challenges mirror global trends, they were intensified in South Africa by persistent socio-economic inequalities and infrastructural constraints. The study concludes that remote work has transformative potential but is sustainable only if supported by policy, investment in digital infrastructure, ongoing training, and hybrid models of delivery

COVID-19 is an illness associated with severe respiratory conditions, including pneumonia. Its widespread impact disrupted educational systems internationally. In South Africa, schools were provisionally closed as a preventive measure to limit the spread of the virus, leading to important changes in teaching and learning practices. This study aimed to investigate how COVID-19 impacted the management of teaching and learning strategies in secondary schools within the Hlanganani North Circuit of Vhembe District. A qualitative research approach was adopted, utilising interviews, observations, and document analysis to gather data. Participants were chosen through purposive sampling and included three principals, three deputy principals, and three departmental heads, all serving as members of their respective school management teams. The study focused on three schools, with each school contributing one principal, one deputy principal, and one departmental head. The findings revealed that school leaders come across difficulties in adopting new teaching approaches, largely due to limited technological skills and knowledge. Important challenges identified included inadequate training and a lack of resources, which hindered the ability to sustain effective teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study recommended that the Department of Education should distribute resources and invest in the necessary infrastructure needed to support the digital transformation of education. It also concluded that providing training opportunities would help school managers strengthen their knowledge and skills associated with effective teaching and learning

This study critically examines an educator’s response to student passivity and reduced engagement in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on collaborative action research conducted with a team of module facilitators. The sudden shift to remote instruction introduced significant pedagogical challenges, particularly in under-resourced higher education institutions in South Africa, where digital access limitations and reduced student participation negatively impacted learning outcomes. Using a retrospective collaborative autoethnographic approach, the study reflects teaching practices during this period, highlighting the complexities of encouraging active participation in virtual environments. Based on observed data, the analysis questions the effectiveness of targeted interventions—including structured peer interaction, real-time feedback, and personalised check-ins—aimed at increasing student engagement and reducing disengagement. Through repeated cycles of reflection and adaptation, the educator emphasises the importance of collegial collaboration in improving online teaching methods. The findings deepen understanding of engagement patterns in remote learning and offer practical insights for improving pedagogical responsiveness in resource-limited settings.