Abstract
EFFECTIVE ONLINE PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES ADOPTED BY LECTURERS AT A PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION
The national history of South Africa has lasting effects on the inequalities in education. Good teaching practices may be a way to help bridge the gaps left by the legacies of colonisation and apartheid.
This dissertation explores the unique online teaching practices at the Polokwane campus of Rosebank College, a private higher education institution in South Africa. The study is framed within an interpretivist paradigm, to understand the ways in which lecturers' pedagogical practices contribute to higher student success rates in a semi-rural, resource-constrained environment. The research focuses on the intersection of technology, pedagogy, and care, drawing on the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework (Koehler & Mishra, 2006) and the Ethics of Care framework (Tronto, 1998).
Data was collected through qualitative surveys administered to lecturers. In a context marked by socio-economic challenges and the digital divide, lecturers demonstrated attentiveness and responsiveness to students’ unique needs, going beyond standard pedagogical practices to create supportive and inclusive online learning environments.
The study identifies three key teaching practices: meticulous planning with contextual care, fostering student engagement through interactive online activities, and providing comprehensive assessment preparation. The findings suggest that integrating care into online teaching practices can help mitigate educational inequalities, particularly in under-resourced environments. This dissertation concludes by recommending further research on how care-based pedagogical approaches can be applied more broadly in South African higher education to promote equitable learning outcomes.