Learning online as a new experience for students who are accustomed to the traditional face-to-face contact learning may be associated with numerous opportunities and threats. The qualitative case study sought to establish, from students; experiences, the opportunities, and threats of online learning. The study was informed by the Community of Inquiry framework and drew from the experiences of the participants of a 4-week long intensive training programme in a rural-based university in Eswatini. A purposive sample of eleven participants participated in the study by completing a programme evaluation form and participating in an online focus group discussion session. The study utilised the thematic content analysis method to analyse the collected qualitative data. The study found that there were several opportunities realised in online learning as well as some challenges which posed threats. The flexibility and convenience offered by studying online and transcending the limitations of time, space, and place were noted together with the utilisation of engaging learning activities, learning material, and content presented in multimedia as well as reliable online technical support and meaningful online academic support. Conversely, the issue of high workload, connectivity issues well as challenges in group activities were reported as threats. The study recommends the leveraging of all opportunities in enhancing online learning and being attended to threats in the planning and implementation of online learning.

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This desktop review paper advances the view that the utilisation of technology for online teaching and learning needs to be based on sound considerations. Online learning technologies are defined and the purpose of utilising such technologies is explored. Among the different considerations in online technology utilisation is the need to consider how the technologies assist in solving pedagogical challenges for teaching and learning. The context in which the learners and the course instructors find themselves using the technologies may promote or negate the effective use of the technology. Technology may be costly to procure and maintain, and this factor should be considered before the technology is procured for use in an institution of higher education. In many contexts, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the digital divide is real in terms of access to technologies and the skills in technology use. The use of technology may perpetuate social differences as learners from disadvantaged backgrounds end up being left out of the learning process. Organisational and infrastructural issues are other important factors to consider in technology utilisation. The paper concludes that technology utilisation for online teaching and learning should be deliberately planned to consider numerous factors and address avoidable challenges in the implementation of online learning.

The offering of curricula that are relevant and responsive to the needs of society is the ultimate goal of any higher education institution. However, there is a need to engage in a curriculum development process that attends to the different ‘voices’ by addressing the needs of the different stakeholders. Stakeholders’ voices and needs can be ascertained and addressed through a curriculum development process that involves both internal and external stakeholders from the initial stages of developing curricula, throughout the various stages. Such a process may not be linear but interactive, iterative, and collaborative. This paper unpacks the curriculum development process focusing on the key stages of needs assessment, stating curriculum/programme goals, selecting curriculum content and teaching and learning activities, designing learning materials as well as evaluating. It unpacks the importance of attending to the different voices in coming up with relevant and market-driven curricula.