The researcher developed the following activity system of the Curriculum Context and Change module in Figure 5.16. The literature review pertaining to the reciprocal process of how an activity system operates and the findings generated from this study helped establish how the use of online resources influenced the achievement of outcomes in the module.
Figure 5.16: Activity System of the Curriculum Context and Change module developed by the researcher
Activity theory has provided the researcher with a lens to determine how motives (what, when and how online tools are being used) shape actions in the context of social rules, expectations and collective action, and how the direction from the motives to objects (curriculum content) and outcomes (completion of assessment using online resources) is mediated by tools (Tsai et al, 2010). This is represented in Figure 5.16, the activity system of the Curriculum Context and Change module. This suggests that initially students were using online tools for social interaction (chat room) which developed into tools for learning about the curriculum so that they could complete the assessment tasks designed, with the knowledge they gained from throughout the learning process. Tsai et al (2010) affirms this view by explaining that students use online
learning to help each other and to provide social interaction and feedback. As a result the social interaction encourages higher levels of participation in the module activity. This perception is consistent with the findings generated from this study because the facilitator conveyed that he introduced the chat room to inculcate social interaction between students in the first two or three lectures. Students were exchanging greetings and threads of personal information about themselves. In this way they were familiarising themselves with their peers and assimilating with an online tool. This tool was then itself used to introduce other online tools that were to be used for learning.
The rules (assessment, engagement with prescribed readings and attendance) spelt out the guidelines through which the learning activity evolved. The subjects (facilitator and students) were influenced by the rules because this led to achievement of the learning outcomes. The facilitator had to ensure that the content topics set out in the course guideline were covered throughout the module as indicated. Furthermore, the facilitator had to make students aware of the criteria concerning assessment so that they were prepared to undertake the tasks. The attendance register had to be undertaken each lecture to follow up on students who may have been absent more than twice. The students abided by the rules by engaging with the prescribed readings to submit their assessment tasks to successfully pass the module. In addition they adhered to compulsory attendance to ensure that the outcomes of the module were achieved.
The activity system diagram represents several arrows articulating the interaction that takes place between components. It is concerned with how people work together to achieve outcomes as a result of interactions. Through guidance by the facilitator, students developed their own strategies for acquiring help. The discussion forum was the most frequently used tool in which students posted their topics for the research task. Besides the lectures, it was difficult for students to meet face-to-face in order to help each other because almost all the students were involved in the course on a part-time basis as they worked full-time. Also many are parents and therefore have family responsibilities which made it difficult to arrange to meet their peers.
Consequently students’ preferred to meet with their peers online via discussion forum. Other students critiqued their work so that each could rectify errors and make improvements. This improved the overall assessment of each students work because their peers frequently commented on all aspects of assessment. This activity led students to engage with the online learning space at different times. In fact most students were responding to discussion forum after lecture hours, some late at night and others during the day because they had personal computers with internet connection either at home or in schools. This has an important implication for the findings. It suggests that the use of online resources was very effective in maintaining perpetual interaction between students at all times, despite the lecture being held
once a week. They were getting to know each other through the chat room and therefore felt more comfortable in helping and critiquing draft research proposals via the discussion forum.
According to Kain and Wardle (2008), the activity system involves a reciprocal process through which the subjects(s) use tools to accomplish the objectives and desired outcomes. Through interviews, learning space analysis and observation the researcher ascertained that the facilitator used the online tools to supplement face-to-face teaching. The objective of the facilitator (subject) was to use online tools in conjunction with face-to-face strategy to teach about curriculum policy, change and practise (objective) so that students could gain enough knowledge from this to successfully complete their assessment tasks (outcomes). The facilitator was aware of the principles for learning because an atmosphere for TOE (rather than TIE) was inculcated because HW, SW and IW resources were combined to discuss curriculum concepts and experiences. The focus then was on the content, not on the technology itself. This advocates then that facilitator implemented a more student-centred approach since he was aware of the learning outcomes whilst driving HW, SW and IW resources to enhance learning. The facilitator was careful to use all three types of resources to compensate for different teaching and learning styles, and more especially that learning is about curriculum and not about technology. Again, the students (subject) position in the activity system indicated that they were using online resources (tools) to learn about curriculum (objective) to successfully interrogate their assessment tasks (outcome) to deepen their knowledge and inform their roles as educators.
5.4.1 DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS, DIGITAL NATIVES OR DIGITAL AWARENESS USERS?
INFLUENCE OF PERSPECTIVES FROM THE LITERATURE
The literature review presented various competing terms explaining the use of online resources in higher education. Prensky (2001) brought about a controversial argument regarding the type of students universities encounter. Prensky (2001) suggested that some students already knew how to use various technologies from a young age (digital natives) and will therefore assimilate better with online learning platforms at higher education. Conversely other students who did not have the same experiences growing up will be new to the online learning field and can take a longer period of time in immersing with the new technologies, which could be a disadvantage to their progress. However the researcher cannot apply Prensky’s (2001) ideology to this study in terms of categorising students. Students were not ‘digital immigrants’ of learning in an online environment, since they all possess some skills in using online tools like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Google for social interaction, and they did not experience serious problems in accommodating to an online style of learning. Neither could students be termed ‘digital natives’
because it was a first experience for most students in the use of online tools in teaching and learning. Yet the findings suggest what Khoza (2013b) calls ‘digital awareness users’ (DAU)
because they were consciously aware of the e-learning signals that were constantly pushed forward by the facilitator. The HW, SW and IW resources were used to achieve learning outcomes and this is consistent with the fundamental premise of a DAU which is an important element in the activity system. This was possible because the facilitator built e-learning signals by combining HW, SW and IW throughout the learning process. E-learning signals included the spider web theory, activity theory and entertainment-education theory which was used to articulate curriculum issues within the content. Therefore the DAU’s learning was headed by strong IW that highlighted all the relevant e-learning/learning signals supported by HW and SW to achieve the intended learning outcomes. Consequently, TOE was promoted because the foundation for learning was embedded with theories and principles for learning (IW).
The literature revealed some important qualities that an instructor should have in order to successfully operate a WBTL environment (Bonk, 2001). These traits involve pedagogical tools, WBTL guidelines from the tertiary institution, qualification and training in WBTL platforms, advice structures, expert answers and management of peer-student communities using WBTL technologies. The facilitator in the study was qualified and experienced in the field of Educational Technology and was therefore able to manage a WBTL context. He was able to teach students how to use the online tools for learning purposes, from what they knew (social interaction) to something new (learning with online tools). Students were continuously interacting with the learning site at all different times, providing feedback to their peers, and following up on daily posts by the facilitator and other students. This suggested that online learning space was managed well by the facilitator because he encouraged and guided students to engage with each other frequently. The facilitator prompted this response because the site was updated with new articles, reference for assessment tasks, and encouragement for preparing for each weeks lecture. He devoted a considerable amount of time in ensuring that the online learning space was interactive and that students were able to receive useful and timely feedback. When students logged on to the site they were also reminded to prepare for their PowerPoint presentations. The issue of qualified instructors addressed by the literature was further evident during the lecture when the data projector became a challenge. Although there was no visible technician in the computer venue of the lecture, the facilitator was able to quickly resolve the problem. Thereafter the data projector was able to display images from the computer to the white screen. This indicated that it is important for the facilitator to handle such situations which was possible because of his experience and skills. It also saved time in having to wait for a technician to arrive, which could have lost valuable learning. Further, since at this point students were aware of how to use the online tools for learning, they continued to pursue their assignments and critique their peers’ work whilst the facilitator attended to the technical problem. Therefore the findings suggest that qualification and training were not only relevant but mandatory for an instructor to possess. It
also highlighted that devotion of time and perpetual monitoring of online learning space are pivotal factors in sustaining interaction and feedback amongst peers, and between the facilitator and students.
5.4.2 IMPLICATIONS FOR IMPROVING PRACTISE AS EDUCATORS
From the focus group interviews and individual interviews that culminated, students expressed that the skills developed from using online resources as means for teaching and learning have transformed their ideas about education and about themselves as educators. All participants indicated that they prefer to use an online platform because it is the way forward in the current nature of education within the global context. However due to insufficient finances, infrastructure and training to operate in such environments, some students were concerned whether this would become a reality in the near future. Students stated that all their schools had a computer room for Information Technology (IT) or Computer Applications Technology (CAT), however integration for ICT into other subjects were difficulty due to lack of sufficient resources. Creating portals to online education leads to teacher development and better acclimation to principles of a student- centred teaching approach (Anderson, 2005). Participants’ hope and aspiration as educators incline to use of online resources in teaching and learning in schools in order to prepare their learners for tertiary institutions and the world of work as the way forward in a competitive market place.