Issue

Vol. 10 No. 6 (2021)

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring E-learning Experience During Schools Closure in Tanzania

https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i6.118
Fabian Gallus Mahundu

Corresponding Author(s) : Fabian Gallus Mahundu

fmahundu@gmail.com

Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), Vol. 10 No. 6 (2021)

Abstract

This paper builds on a ‘situated learning’ theoretical perspective to explore the experience
of parents and guardians in supporting their children’s e-learning activities during the
COVID-19 lockdown in Tanzania. The study adopted an exploratory qualitative research
design. Data were collected using telephone interviews and open-ended questions (using
google forms), which inquired parents’ and guardians’ experience in supporting homebased e-learning activities among students during the COVID-19 lockdown. The paper
argues that giving students free access to online learning materials during COVID-19
lockdowns is paramount. However, parents’ and guardians’support through sharing one’s
phones must be monitored to safeguard learners from accessing irrelevant materials.
Findings show that parents and guardians had different experiences in supporting their
children’s learning, such as accessing irrelevant materials shared across WhatsApp groups.
Parents/guardians further faced some difficulties in tracking and affirming the quality and
efficacy of the e-learning materials because of their inadequate knowledge of the national
syllabus for various subjects. This study suggests a need for substantial investment in elearning course development in the country, particularly the preparation of experts who
can develop e-learning materials to serve the lower levels of education based on the
national curricula. The study urges stakeholders to make policy decisions and support
early career teachers in e-learning course development.

Keywords

COVID-19, situated Learning, e-learning experience, e-learning course development Tanzania
The COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring E-learning Experience During Schools Closure in Tanzania. (2022). Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), 10(6). https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i6.118
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)
BibTeX
References
  1. Almanthari, A., S. Maulina & S. Bruce. 2020. Secondary School Mathematics Teachers’ Views on ELearning Implementation Barriers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Indonesia.
  2. Eurasia J. Math. Sci. Technol. Educ., 16(7), Em186.
  3. Barab, S.A. & T.M. Duffy. 2000. From Practice Fields to Communities of Practice. In D.H. Jonassen &
  4. S.M. Land (Eds), Theoretical Foundations of Learning Environments, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
  5. Barboni, L. 2019. From Shifting Earth to Shifting Paradigms: How Webex Helped Our University Overcome
  6. an Earthquake. CISCO: Upshot by Intuitive.
  7. Bengtsson, M. 2016. How to Plan and Perform a Qualitative Study Using Content Analysis. Nursing
  8. Plus Open, 2: 9–14.
  9. Bogdan, R. C. & S. K. Biklen. 2007. Qualitative Research for Education (5th Ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
  10. Carr, E.C. & A. Worth. 2001. The Use of the Telephone Interview for Research. Journal of Research in
  11. Nursing, 6: 511–524.
  12. Chea, S., S. Kieng, P. Leng & T. Water. 2020. Pedagogy of Online Learning in Cambodia: Revisiting
  13. Ideas of Connection, Engagement, Attendance & Assessment. AVI Policy Brief, 1–9.
  14. Cojocariu, V. M., I. Lazar, V. Nedeff & G. Lazar. 2014. SWOT Analysis of E-Learning Educational
  15. Services from the Perspective of Their Beneficiaries. Procedia-Social and Behavioural Sciences, 116:
  16. –2003.
  17. Creswell, J.W. & C.V.L. Plano. 2018. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research (3rd Ed.). Los
  18. Angeles: SAGE.
  19. Daniel, S. J. 2020. Education and the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prospects, 49(2020): 91–96.
  20. Daily News. 2020. ICT Reforms in Education Pick Pace. Daily News, 6 December. Available at:
  21. https://www.dailynews.co.tz/news/2020-12-055fcbc489b9a74.aspx.
  22. Faustina M. M. 2019. COVID-19 Pandemic and its Implications on Education Systems in Tanzania.
  23. International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), 9(9): 167–171.
  24. Flynn, G. & J. Himel. 2020. School Closures Highlight Inequality in Education as Classes Move Online.
  25. Cambodianess.https://cambodianess.com/article/school-closures-highlight-inequality-ineducationas- classes-move-online.
  26. Garrick, J. 1999. Doubting the Philosophical Assumptions of Interpretive Research. Qualitative
  27. Studies in Education, 12(2): 147–156.
  28. Giancola, O. & L. Piromalli. 2020. Apprendimenti a Distanza a Più Velocità. L’impatto Del COVID-19
  29. Sul Sistema Educativo Italiano. Il Mulino.
  30. Gillett-Swan, J. 2017. The Challenges of Online Learning: Supporting and Engaging the Isolated
  31. Learner. Journal of Learning Design, 10(1). 20-30.
  32. Hereward, M., J. Robert & I. Priscilla. 2020. Remote Learning Amid a Global Pandemic: Insights from
  33. MICS6. https://blogs.unicef.org/evidence-for-action/remote-learning-global-pandemic-insightsmics6/.
  34. Hodges, C., S. Moore, B. Lockee, T. Trust & A. Bond. 2020. The Difference Between Emergency
  35. Remote Teaching and Online Learning. Educause Review, (2 Dec. 2021. https://er. educause.
  36. edu/articles/2020/3/the-differencebetween-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning.
  37. Jalli, N. 2020. Lack of Internet Access in Southeast Asia Poses Challenges for Students to Study
  38. Online Amid COVID-19 Pandemic. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/lack-ofinternet-access-in-southeast-asiaposes-challenges-for-students-to-study-online-amid-covid-19-
  39. pandemic-133787.
  40. Kafyulilo, A. 2014. Access, Use and Perceptions of Teachers and Students Towards Mobile Phones
  41. as a Tool for Teaching and Learning in Tanzania. Education and Information Technologies, 19(1):
  42. –127.
  43. Kavanaugh, K. & L. Ayres. 1998. ‘‘Not as Bad as It Could Have Been’’: Assessing and Mitigating Harm
  44. During Research Interviews on Sensitive Topics. Research in Nursing and Health, 21: 91–97.
  45. Kim, W., G. Merryn & H. Karen. 2015. Participants’ Views of Telephone Interviews Within a
  46. Grounded Theory Study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 71(12): 2775–2785.
  47. Lave, J. & E. Wenger. 2008. Situated Learning: Legitimate Peripheral Participation. Cambridge:
  48. Cambridge University Press.
  49. Leveri M. 2020, Distance Learning in Tanzania: What We Learned. Accessed on 31/12/2021. Doi:
  50. https://opportunityeducation.org/distance-learning-in-tanzania-what-we-learned/.
  51. Lichtman, M. 2010. Qualitative Research in Education: A User’s Guide (2nd Edn.).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  52. Manfuso, L. G. 2020. from Emergency Remote Teaching to Rigorous Online Learning. Ed Tech.
  53. https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2020/05/emergency-remote-teaching-rigorousonlinelearning-perfcon.
  54. Manyengo, P.R. 2020. Digitalization in Teaching and Education in the Context of COVID-19: United
  55. Republic of Tanzania. ILO: Geneva.
  56. Nambiar, D. 2020. The Impact of Online Learning During COVID-19: Students’ and Teachers’
  57. Perspective. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 8(2): 783–793.
  58. Patricia, C. K & S. Dafydd. 1997. The Use of an Open-Ended Questionnaire to Identify Positive
  59. Aspects of Acquired Hearing Loss, Audiology, 36(1): 19-28.
  60. Ribeiro, R. 2020. How University Faculty Embraced the Remote Learning Shift. Edtech Magazine.
  61. https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2020/04/how-university-faculty-embraced-remotelearning-shift.
  62. Sarantakos, S. 2005. Social Research, 3rd Edition, New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
  63. Sturges, J.E. & K.J. Hanrahan. 2004. Comparing Telephone and Face-To-Face Qualitative
  64. Interviewing: A Research Note. Qualitative Research, 4: 107–118.
  65. Sun, S. 2020, August 22. Rural Primary Education in Cambodia During the Pandemic: Challenges and
  66. Solutions. Cambodian Education Forum. https://cambodianeducationforum. wordpress. com/
  67. /08/22/ruralprimary-education-in-cambodia-during-the-pandemic-challenges-andsolutions/.
  68. Tates K., M. Zwaanswijk, R. Otten, S. Van Dulmen, P.M. Hoogerbrugge, W.A. Kamps & J.M. Bensing.
  69. Online Focus Groups as a Tool to Collect Data in Hard to Include Populations: Examples
  70. from Paediatric Oncology. BMC Med Res Methodology, 9(15).
  71. Todd, G. 2020. COVID-19 and Education Systems in Tanzania: Brainstorming for a True Ed-Tech
  72. Disruption? (Accessed on 20/11/2021 at: https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/covid-19-andeducation-systems-tanzania-brainstorming-true-ed-tech-disruption).
  73. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and Cultural Organisation
  74. (UNESCO). 2020a. COVID-19 Impact on Education: Global Monitoring of School Closures Caused
  75. by COVID-19, UNESCO. Doi: https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse, 03/04/2020.
  76. —. 2020b. COVID-19 Webinar: A New World for Teachers, Education’s Frontline Workers.
  77. https://en.unesco.org/news/covid-19-webinar-new-world-teachers-educations-frontline-workers
  78. Accessed on 03/04/2020).
  79. —. 2020c. UNESCO IITE Participated in the Webinar: How to Help Children Be Active Learners at Home During
  80. Educational Disruption. link:(https://iite.unesco.org/news/unesco-iite-participated-in-the-webinar-howto-help-children-be-active-learners-at-home-during-educationaldisruption/. Accessed on 03/04/2020).
  81. —. 2020d. COVID-19 and Higher Education: Today and Tomorrow. Impact Analysis, Policy
  82. Responses and Recommendations. International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America
  83. and the Caribbean.
  84. United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF). 2020a. Coronavirus Leading to ‘Desperately Unequal’
  85. Learning Levels: UNICEF. Doi: https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/08/1071112 on 24/09/2020).
  86. —. 2020b. COVID-19: Are Children Able to Continue Learning During School Closures? a Global
  87. Analysis of the Potential Reach of Remote Learning Policies Using Data from 100 Countries.
  88. Van Manen, M. 1990. Researching Lived Experience: Human Science for an Action Sensitive
  89. Pedagogy. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
  90. Worldometer. 2021. Total Coronavirus Cases in Tanzania. Accessed on 26/11/2021 at: https://www.
  91. worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/tanzania/.
  92. Yan, Z. 2020. Unprecedented Pandemic, Unprecedented Shift & Unprecedented Opportunity.
  93. Human Behaviour and Emerging Technologies, 2(2): 110-112. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.192.
Read More
Author biographies is not available.

How to Cite

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring E-learning Experience During Schools Closure in Tanzania. (2022). Journal of Humanities & Social Science (JHSS), 10(6). https://doi.org/10.56279/jhss.v10i6.118
Download

Similar Articles

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.