Using the Internet in Higher Education and Training : a development research study

Abstract

The University of Pretoria offers the course <i.Use of the Internet in Education and Training (RBO 880) since 1997. This module is presented as an online course with minimum face to face interaction between facilitator and learners. The research documents and analyses the activities, cyber artefacts, documentation, interactions and challenges, constructed and designed by the facilitator and learners’ that formed part of this module. This literature review comprises an exploration into five different aspects of online learning under different headings specifically: learning theories, eLearning, virtual communities, adult Learning characteristics adult motivation and instructional design principles. This research reports only on one main research question: What can be learnt from the continuous presentation of the module Use of the Internet in Education and Training (RBO 880)? The research design and the methodology that will be followed during a properly development research approach is functional in this particular context (RBO 880) and enables the researcher to address the research question, that falls within the scope of this research study. The researcher explores multiple perceptions, to ensure trustworthiness of data and analyses of the module that is presented and analysed. The researcher analyses selected aspects of the design, development and implementation of the RBO 880 module from an exploration of a selection of its artefacts. As a prelude to each facet of this analysis, the researcher will present and explore a cyber artefact retrieved from the cyber archives. In this archive is stored a great variety of electronic source documents representative of the six years during which the module RBO 880 were presented. The substantive reflection combines the findings with the literature review. The researcher attempts to construct a balance by providing some critique against the presentation of the RBO 880 module as part of the conclusions. The conclusions reached in this research answers the research question and might prove useful in future research, for researchers’ organisational specialist, readers, online facilitators and curriculum designers, into training and learning that takes place through the medium of the Internet.