WhatsApp Messenger as a Supplementary Tool for School Curriculum Knowledge Transfer and Acquisition during COVID-19 Stricter Lockdown: Educators' Perceptions

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read Online Read More Add to Saved list
  • Author(s): Nkambule, Bongani Innocent (ORCID Nkambule, Bongani Innocent (ORCID 0000-0001-9022-0960)
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Research in Social Sciences and Technology. 2023 8(2):37-55.
  • Publication Date:
    2023
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Research
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      Research in Social Sciences and Technology. Yesilova Mah. Caldiran Cad. 29/11 Etimesgut Ankara, Turkey; Web site: https://ressat.org/index.php/ressat
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      19
    • Subject Terms:
      Computer Mediated Communication; Technology Uses in Education; Supplementary Education; Teaching Methods; COVID-19; Pandemics; Disadvantaged Schools; Foreign Countries; Knowledge Management; Teacher Attitudes; Usability
    • Subject Terms:
      South Africa
    • ISSN:
      2468-6891
    • Abstract:
      The COVID-19 pandemic is unarguably one of the most disastrous events whose detriment to the normalcy of the education and training sectors will never be forgotten. To salvage the academic year, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) encouraged historically disadvantaged schools to explore rotational learning. This was supplemented by mobile learning, with WhatsApp Messenger as the schools' most preferred application. However, in the face of the concerns that were raised by education commentators, student bodies and teacher unions about the lack of public schools' readiness for mobile learning, this social constructivist-oriented qualitative study adopted the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a lens to investigate educators' perceptions of WhatsApp Messenger as a supplementary tool for curriculum knowledge transfer and acquisition during the stricter COVID 19 lockdown at three historically disadvantaged schools in South Africa. This study drew on 12 educators' diverse and convergent views. The participants generally deposited positive feedback regarding the benefit of using WhatsApp Messenger to engender curriculum knowledge transfer and acquisition. However, they also detailed a few negative aspects of this pursuit, primarily on how the financially needy learners were excluded from participating in this process. Also, educators admitted that while going beyond the call of duty was necessary during the pandemic, the adoption of WhatsApp-mediated teaching consumed most of their leisure time. According to them, this was compounded by poor internet connectivity due to the country's power crisis. In some instances, this adversely affected the productivity of WhatsApp Messenger-mediated curriculum knowledge transfer and acquisition processes during the COVID-19 stricter lockdown regulations.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2023
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1389038