Article Title: Effectiveness of Online Instructional Approaches in Teaching and Learning at One Zimbabwean University in the Covid-19 Era

Author Name: Beatrice Bondai Maupa & Cleophas Peter Chidakwa

Abstract:

As occurred in many countries across the globe, Zimbabwe’s higher education sector was caught unprepared by the emergence of Covid-19 and the subsequent series of lockdowns from 2020 to 2021. To mitigate the effects of the pandemic, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Education requested all Higher and Tertiary Institutions to introduce on-line (e-learning) instructional systems during the series of lockdowns. This was at a time when most lecturers and students lacked expertise in using ICT for instructional learning purposes and in most instances, there were not even conversant with virtual teaching and learning approaches. In response to the Minister’s directive, the lecturers in the institutions were forced to adopt a multitude of virtual approaches to reach out to their students so that they continued to learn with minimum disruptions. This quantitative descriptive study, analyses the perceptions of students at one university in Zimbabwe from its Faculty of Education on the effectiveness of on-line approaches that were used by lecturers to reach out to students when delivering lectures during the Covid-19 induced lockdowns. Findings from the study indicate that lecturers used blended e-learning approaches that ranged from a combination of Emails, WhatsApp, Face to Face, and ELMS. The main ICT gadgets that were used included smart phones and laptops. The majority of students surveyed indicated that these virtual approaches were effective in delivering the teaching and learning materials. The study concludes that when appropriately used e-learning methodologies can easily complement and eventually replace face to face tuition. The study recommends that both the students and lecturers be thoroughly trained in using e-learning methodologies and that all the ICT resources needed to conduct e-learning be timeously availed.

Citation:

Maupa, b. b., & Chidakwa, C. P. (2025). Effectiveness of Online Instructional Approaches in Teaching and Learning at One Zimbabwean University in the Covid-19 Era. Polyscholars Journal of Advance Research and Publication. 1 (1), 6-13

Keywords:

Online Teaching, Online Teaching Instruction, Teaching and Learning, Online Teaching Covid-19 Era