Higher education institutions now depend on learning management systems to deliver their academic programs. Implementing them poses challenges in rural areas and at universities serving historically marginalised communities. This study investigates how undergraduate students use a learning management system to access their curriculum materials at a rural university serving historically marginalised students in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study investigates students' access to digital learning materials through perceptions of system usefulness and operational simplicity, platform access and educational equality, and system participation. The researchers used a qualitative research approach to conduct semi-structured interviews with forty undergraduate students who used the institutional Learning Management System. The researchers used thematic analysis to examine the research material. The findings show that students understand the pedagogical benefits of learning management systems, as they help them access study materials, submit their work, and continue their studies. The research identified multiple structural and economic obstacles which hinder students from adopting the system. Students face obstacles such as inconsistent internet service, expensive data plans, and restricted access to digital tools. Their educational institutions provide different levels of assistance. The existing limits create ongoing access problems that prevent students from fully participating in academic programs, even though institutions have promised to develop digital learning systems. The research shows that educational institutions should balance their technological needs with their social responsibility to develop equitable learning environments, as users receive educational content through learning management systems. The article concludes that meaningful integration of learning management systems in rural universities requires not only user-focused technological design but also sustained structural interventions.
O. A. Ajani, N. Khumalo· Australian and international...· 0 citations
Learning Management Systems are becoming increasingly indispensable in higher education, but their adoption in rural universities presents very different challenges and opportunities, influenced by geographical location, infrastructure, and socio-cultural factors. The qualitative research here aims to analyse undergraduate students' perspectives on Learning Management Systems at a rural university in South Africa, with the aim of understanding how these digital tools are perceived in a resource-poor setting. Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology as the underpinning theory, a phenomenological method was employed, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 40 students from four faculties. Thematic analysis outlined four main themes as follows: (1) the two-sided nature of the access to digital technology, Learning Management Systems act as a barrier to the educational gap but on the other hand, it stresses the existence of the digital divide; (2) the battle between the promise of technology and the reality of the teaching process; (3) the necessity of helping tools that are responsive to both culture and context; and (4) the influence of Learning Management Systems on the academic community, the issue is whether it will be the case of boosting or bottlenecking. The study not only reveals that the Learning Management System is a promising solution to the learning problems of rural institutions, but it also calls for the tackling of issues that cause the success of these solutions to be dependent on such prevalent factors as unstable connectivity, varying degrees of digital literacy, and the need for more gentle and inclusive instructional design. Thus, the present research contributes to the discussion of digital equity in rural higher education and offers practical insights for educators, administrators, and policymakers seeking to implement Learning Management Systems in meaningful, sustainable, and fair ways.
O. A. Ajani· Australian and international...· 0 citations
This study investigates how undergraduate students at a rural South African university experience English-medium instruction delivered through LMS platforms and recommends language-responsive course design, strengthened digital infrastructure, targeted digital literacy support, and inclusive pedagogical approaches to enhance equitable access to online learning.
O. A. Ajani, S. Govender, B. Gamede· World Journal of English Lan...· 0 citations
