E-portfolios have been used for decades in education; however, it is still a new trend in some developing countries as they continue to adopt e-learning practices. The study investigated postgraduate students’ experiences and perceptions of using an e-portfolio as a teaching tool to support their learning in an open and distance e-learning (ODeL) university in South Africa. A sample of 74 students registered for an online module were selected and an online questionnaire administered via Lime Survey. The results show that more than half of the respondents (71%) were using the e-portfolio for the first time. The study also revealed the contrasting views of the support received from the lecturer and institution for the e-portfolio platform, especially with technical issues. This study suggests that distance education institutions that are using e-portfolios need to strategically choose user-friendly technology tools and design appropriate student support strategies for delivering online modules. Higher education institutions that are planning to implement e-portfolios may find the results of this paper useful; however, further investigation of the learners’ needs, and available tools may assist with creative and appropriate designs of support strategies for their contexts.

The Covid-19 pandemic provoked a paradigm shift never imagined by higher education institutions in the world, but especially in developing countries. Drawing on findings from a PhD study, this article aims to highlight the way in which Covid-19 accelerated professional development and training and technology adoption by academics in higher education institutions and large-scale open and distance learning institutions in Africa. A total of 20 academics and relevant stakeholders from two of Africa’s largest open and distance learning institutions were interviewed, and their views are reported. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show an increase in training and professional development of academics during the pandemic. The study also reveals the way in which Covid-19 fostered the speed and ease with which technology was adopted and used by academics for teaching and learning. The results of this research study may contribute to research of various topics on technology adoption and academics’ professional development and training and future approaches post-Covid-19.

Faced with emerging technologies and a diversity of students entering higher education in South Africa, lecturers must continuously equip themselves with the necessary skills to teach and support today’s learners effectively. This article reports on the lessons learnt and experiences of academics at an open distance learning (ODL) institution who participated for the first time in the fully online teaching and learning programme at an international institution, through a partnership aimed at developing academic capacity in ODL. The author suggests that academics cannot impart and transfer to learners skills they themselves do not possess, and makes recommendations for striving towards an effective student support system through continuous professional development in distance education and e-learning. The study revealed that the participants appreciated the support they received and valued the skills acquired in the programme. They also indicated that they were planning to use the new skills to enhance their own teaching.  The study followed a case study methodology and made use of a range of data collection methods and tools that are in line with qualitative studies.Keywords: continuous professional development (CPD), distance education, e-learning, student support, open and distance e-learning (ODeL), transactional distance, community of inquiry (CoI)

No abstract

This paper examined empirical data from research conducted in South Africa about problems induced by the global outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic from 2019 to 2021 to Entrepreneurial Leadership in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for sustainable development of the sector. A desktop analysis method was employed in this paper to review the report by 'Ilifa Labantwana', and Entrepreneurial Leadership in Early Childhood Education for sustainable development in South Africa during COVID-19 lockdown restrictions. The researchers discovered that the lengthy COVID-19 lockdown restrictions exposed gaps in government, ECE school leaders, parents and the other stakeholders' preparedness for survival, focus, continuity, and resilience in times of unexpected pandemics. The paper relied on data from the desk research, which may not have been collected from the desired setting or time. The researcher had no control over the data and may therefore only provide partial analysis in terms of precision due to lack of triangulation. The paper's findings described the importance of change in Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres and Entrepreneurial leaders to take risks associated with the change which requires support. The paper has theoretical implications in empowering the leaders' survival strategies in ECD centres. It further recommends new leadership directions for other leaders. The paper is an attempt to develop survival strategies during turbulent times in ECD centres and improves the level of readiness against natural disasters in developed and developing countries.