Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review

There is limited evidence showing how developing universities in South Africa have successfully adopted and effectively used online learning to support students for positive learning experiences. Presently, there are numerous challenging factors with regard to Information and Communication Technolog...

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Main Authors: Khulekani Yakobi, Siphokazi Yakobi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2464310
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author Khulekani Yakobi
Siphokazi Yakobi
author_facet Khulekani Yakobi
Siphokazi Yakobi
author_sort Khulekani Yakobi
collection DOAJ
description There is limited evidence showing how developing universities in South Africa have successfully adopted and effectively used online learning to support students for positive learning experiences. Presently, there are numerous challenging factors with regard to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in South African developing universities. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the extent of online learning support for student learning at developing universities in South Africa. The study resides in an interpretive framework as it adopts a hermeneutic framework, with the literature obtained being classified, mapped, critically assessed, and themes and arguments developed. There is scant evidence of studies conducted and published between 2000 and 2024 on online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in developing universities in South Africa. The review included a total of 40 studies, which highlighted findings using three levels of organisation which consist macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic scales. This study is expected to have a significant impact on the development of universities’ online learning support policies and practices. It will also contribute to the pedagogical strategies and frameworks of academics and scientific knowledge on how scholars should perceive online learning support in the context of developing universities.
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spelling doaj-art-882bb4ab4de844ff8e0bef2541eddbba2025-08-20T02:38:10ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Education2331-186X2025-12-0112110.1080/2331186X.2025.2464310Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature reviewKhulekani Yakobi0Siphokazi Yakobi1Office Management and Technology, Mangosuthu University of Technology, South AfricaDepartment of Marketing, Mangosuthu University of Technology, South AfricaThere is limited evidence showing how developing universities in South Africa have successfully adopted and effectively used online learning to support students for positive learning experiences. Presently, there are numerous challenging factors with regard to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in South African developing universities. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the extent of online learning support for student learning at developing universities in South Africa. The study resides in an interpretive framework as it adopts a hermeneutic framework, with the literature obtained being classified, mapped, critically assessed, and themes and arguments developed. There is scant evidence of studies conducted and published between 2000 and 2024 on online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in developing universities in South Africa. The review included a total of 40 studies, which highlighted findings using three levels of organisation which consist macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic scales. This study is expected to have a significant impact on the development of universities’ online learning support policies and practices. It will also contribute to the pedagogical strategies and frameworks of academics and scientific knowledge on how scholars should perceive online learning support in the context of developing universities.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2464310Developing universitiese-learningICThermeneutic frameworkonline educationstudent learning
spellingShingle Khulekani Yakobi
Siphokazi Yakobi
Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review
Cogent Education
Developing universities
e-learning
ICT
hermeneutic framework
online education
student learning
title Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review
title_full Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review
title_fullStr Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review
title_full_unstemmed Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review
title_short Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review
title_sort online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in south africa a literature review
topic Developing universities
e-learning
ICT
hermeneutic framework
online education
student learning
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/2331186X.2025.2464310
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