Of social entities and collaborative approaches [e]learning enhancement in higher education institutions (HEIs): case study of the University of the Western Cape

Abstract

Globalisation has brought with it different innovations which include improved ways to communication. In higher education, the impetus brought about by globalisation has seen HEIs craving for the assimilation of ICTs within their constituencies. Increased student members bestowed upon HEIs necessitated lecturers to re-align and change their teaching approaches and to opt for e-learning whose advantage over the traditional mode of instruction enables HEIs to contend with the high influx of students seeking opportunities in higher education. 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. It has also embarked on a number of initiatives to enhance the assimilation of e-learning among the university population, through the use of different e-tools previously used as past-time discourses and have ordinarily 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 within the institution.