Presentation Schedule
Rural Realities: The Experience of University Students in Distance Learning Environments (97055)
Session Chair: Bulelwa Makena
Thursday, 2 October 2025 14:15
Session: Session 1
Room: (B1) Eixample
Presentation Type:Oral Presentation
This study aims to explore university student experiences as they navigate distance learning environments, with specific focus on one rurally located institution of higher learning. Unique challenges faced by these students, not limited to technology access and inadequate infrastructure, underpin this investigation. This paper is premised on qualitative research methods. Semi-structured interviews were applied to gain a better understanding of the real lived experiences pertaining to the problem under investigation. Information was extracted from participants as the interview schedule contained open-ended question types, thus allowing for robust engagements between the researchers and the interviewees. Participants in this study were five (5) students who were purposively identified as the relevant cohort of being offered tuition through online learning platforms, distant as they were, due to the emergent eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and going forward as most countries around the entire world are now threading towards the 5th Industrial Revolution. The study findings divulge that despite the flexibility offered by distance learning, there are underlying inequalities in educational access. Therefore, the findings accentuate targeted intervention needs for enhanced digital literacy and improved technological resources in the so-called rural settings. In conclusion, this paper underscores the importance of institutional support to foster inclusive learning environments, thereby curbing the digital divide within the so-called rurally located institutions of learning.
Authors:
Bulelwa Makena, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
Nomxolisi Mtsi, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
Shakespeare Chiphambo, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
Ntando Mpahla, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
Neliswa Gqoli, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
About the Presenter(s)
Dr BULELWA MAKENA is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa
See this presentation on the full schedule – Thursday Schedule
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