Promoting computer-assisted instruction in higher education institutions (HEIs) to enhance learning: case study of the University of the Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

The advent of globalisation has brought with it different innovations that include improved ways of communication. In Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the impetus brought about by globalisation has seen HEIs craving for the assimilation of Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs) within their constituencies. Increased student numbers bestowed upon HEIs has necessitated lecturers to re-align and change their teaching approaches and opt for e-learning; its advantage over the traditional mode of instruction enables HEIs to contend with the high influx of students seeking higher education opportunities. This paper provides a case study of the University of the Western Cape, which has made inroads into the adoption of e-learning among its students and staff. The University has also embarked on a number of initiatives to enhance assimilation of e-learning among the university population, through use of e-tools used previously as part-time discourses and employed them for educational purposes. Various teams in the E-Learning Department have also embarked on a collaborative approach to promote the use of ICTs to enhance learning and provide an opportunity for a paradigm shift from the traditional mode of instruction to computer-assisted instruction.