| Title | Chapter 3: Social, economic and digital inequalities among students at South African universities |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2025.BK494.03 |
| Landing page | https://books.aosis.co.za/index.php/ob/catalog/book/494 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Nobert R Jere, Gardner Mwansa, Memory Ranga, Attlee M Gamundani & Pardon B Maoneke (eds.) Licensee: AOSIS (Pty) Ltd. The moral right of the editors and authors has been asserted. |
| Publisher | AOSIS |
| Published on | 2025-04-11 |
| Long abstract | Digital inequalities in higher education create barriers to effective learning. This is especially true for students from disadvantaged rural backgrounds with no previous exposure to learning using technologies. This chapter examines the intersection of digital inequality with social and economic factors, focusing on the experiences of first-year students in higher education institutions in South Africa. The chapter explores how social stratification, gender stereotypes, cultural norms, late technology adoption and geographical location contribute to digital inequalities in higher education. It exposes the impact of these inequalities on students’ access to and use of digital technologies, highlighting the challenges faced by students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The chapter aims to establish the relationship between the digital literacies of first-year students and their social, economic and technological status, and how these factors influence their ability to learn and succeed using technology. These students are typically black and come from Quintile 1 schools, which are categorised as the poorest based on national poverty rankings, considering the poverty levels of the surrounding community and the school’s infrastructure. |
| Print length | 22 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
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Thandokazi Mfikoyi is currently serving as the Acting Manager of Learning and Teaching with Technology at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. Mfikoyi has been an integral part of the university’s Directorate of Learning and Teaching, previously working as an instructional designer and as an educational technologist. She is pursuing a PhD in e-Research and Technology Enhanced Learning at Lancaster University. She holds a Master of Education (MEd) in ICT from the University of Johannesburg, a PGDip in Educational Technology from the University of Cape Town and an honours degree in Computer Science from Walter Sisulu University. Her scholarly contributions include a book chapter on student support during COVID-19. As the acting manager of learning and teaching with technology, she coordinates, steers and oversees the integration of technology in learning and teaching, pursuing the goal of a fully-fledged technology-enabled university. Digital access is a key area to consider in maintaining equity among students. One of Mfikoyi’s research interests is the application of AI tools in learning, particularly in light of the robust emergence of AI and its integration into our everyday lives. It is important to raise awareness of these emerging AI tools and their potential benefits for learning and teaching. Continuous improvement in our practices requires evaluating our interventions, with collected data informing the development of improvement plans.
Sibulele Yawa is a tutor development coordinator in the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. Yawa also serves as a part-time lecturer in the Department of Public Relations and Communications at the same university. Previously, Yawa was a writing centre coordinator at Walter Sisulu University and a lecturer at the University of Fort Hare. She is currently pursuing a PhD in English Studies and Contemporary Literature at the University of Fort Hare. In her current role, Yawa is passionate about creating dynamic learning environments that foster academic success and student engagement through innovative methods and strategies designed to meet students’ needs. With a background in academic development and student support, she is committed to developing efficient, inclusive and engaging programmes that address the diverse needs of students. Her research interests include the incorporation of technologies into language and literary spaces, the use of digital tools in academic student support, particularly in tutorship and factors that affect student engagement in various support programmes. Yawa is also a member of the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa.
Bulelwa Mkabile-Masebe is a senior lecturer and a former dean of the Faculty of Education at Walter Sisulu University, South Africa. Previously, as a manager in the Directorate of Learning and Teaching, Mkabile-Masebe was responsible for academic staff development and providing academic support for students and lecturers in Learning and Teaching with Technology. She is a recipient of a Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Award (2021) because of her contribution to promoting digital learning and the use of educational technologies. Her research interests in curriculum studies, curriculum transformation, curriculum design and development and e-learning have enabled her to present research papers at national and international conferences and symposiums. She has also supervised several Honours and postgraduate students. As an emerging researcher and scholar, she has a specific interest in issues of social justice and equity in higher education. Furthermore, Mkabile-Masebe is a member of the Higher Education Learning and Teaching Association of Southern Africa (HELTASA), the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) and the Foundation for Ontological Leadership Education (FOLE). Her contribution to this chapter attempts to address the digital literacy gap experienced by first-year students upon entering university. In engaging with curriculum transformation discourses, academics work alongside students to navigate the higher education curriculum. Student preparedness and epistemological access depend on the context students bring with them and the extent to which higher education is prepared to meet their needs.