Re-Imagining Teaching and Learning at South African Higher Education Institutions in the Digital Landscape

Abstract

The core purpose of teaching and learning in HEIs in South Africa is to provide high-quality education and training that prepares students for success and meets societal needs. HEIs must develop curricula that are rigorous, relevant, and responsive. In the past five years, there has been a significant shift towards focusing on individual institutions' teaching, learning, and research practices. This study aimed to re-imagine teaching and learning within the digital landscape of South African public HEIs and provide recommendations for developing assessments in this context. For this study, primary data was collected through the analysis of the 2021 annual reports and official websites of the 26 public universities in South Africa. Primary data was collected from the 2021 annual reports and official websites of the 26 public universities. Content analysis identified trends and uncertainties impacting teaching and learning. The findings revealed that South African HEIs had experienced a shift towards blended and hybrid teaching, driven by the goal of expanding access to education and improving teaching quality through digital technologies. Several recommendations were developed that educators can follow to ensure that assessments developed in the digital landscape are of high quality and uphold academic standards and integrity. These include that assessments must be designed in such a way that they promote accessibility and equity. Educators should develop their own pedagogical approaches to ensure that they adapt to their students' requirements and that evaluations ultimately help students meet the outcomes required by the various modules and qualifications. Educators should also look for ways to boost student involvement and motivation while creating online tests, as this will benefit the students. Educators are also encouraged to embrace continuous improvement in their own assessment practices, such as approaching assessment design as an ongoing process and iterating and improving depending on data and feedback.