Rohleder P., Bozalek V., Carolissen R., Leibowitz B., Swartz L.
Department of Psychology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Department of Social Work, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Cape Town 7535, South Africa; Centre for Teaching and Learning, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Human Sciences Research Council, Private Bag X9182, Cape Town, South Africa
Rohleder, P., Department of Psychology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Bozalek, V., Department of Social Work, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Cape Town 7535, South Africa; Carolissen, R., Department of Psychology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Leibowitz, B., Centre for Teaching and Learning, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa; Swartz, L., Department of Psychology, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa, Human Sciences Research Council, Private Bag X9182, Cape Town, South Africa
Online learning is increasingly being used in Higher Education, with a number of advantages to online learning being identified. One of these advantages is the suggestion that online learning provides for equality of opportunity. This article reports on students' evaluations of the use of e-learning in a collaborative project between two South African universities. The results highlighted both positive and negative evaluations of the use of e-learning. The positive aspects identified were that e-learning provided for ease of communication between parties, and easy access to information and learning material. Negative aspects identified were that it presented some technical challenges; online communication was disjointed; there was unequal access to computers between students from the two universities; students felt that more face-to-face interaction is needed. The issue of unequal access to computers and the internet is highlighted as a crucial issue for e-learning in the South African context, and for the fostering of a democratising educational discourse. © 2007 Springer Science + Business Media B.V.