E-learning platforms and humanities education: an African case study.

The advent of e-learning has been a welcomed development in African universities, especially in countries where the demand for university education far outstrips capacity. This form of instruction not only has helped in reducing the problem of managing and testing large classes, but it also has help...

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Publicado en:International Journal of Humanities & Arts Computing: A Journal of Digital Humanities Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 83 - 102
Autor principal: Ikpe, Ibanga B.
Formato: Case Study
Publicado: Edinburgh University Press Mar2011
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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        au: Ikpe, Ibanga B.
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        Mobile learning
        Humanities education
        Classroom environment
        University of Botswana
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        subj:
          Mobile learning
          Humanities education
          Classroom environment
          University of Botswana
      keyword:
        classroom interaction
        e-assessment
        e-learning
        humanities disciplines
      ab: The advent of e-learning has been a welcomed development in African universities, especially in countries where the demand for university education far outstrips capacity. This form of instruction not only has helped in reducing the problem of managing and testing large classes, but it also has helped lecturers in providing valuable assistance to students who would otherwise not have such access. The limitations of the e-learning platform coupled with a distorted student-teacher ratio has raised concerns about quality, especially for traditional humanities disciplines where the emphasis on argumentative rigor and critical thinking are at odds with the science-leaning orientation of e-learning platforms. This concern is especially important because the technology is relatively new and there are problems of access not only in terms of infrastructure but also in terms of the relevant computer literacy skills required of users of the technology. This essay examines the problems associated with the use of e-learning in teaching and examining traditional humanities courses in general but especially the problems encountered in using e-learning in teaching and assessing critical thinking courses at the University of Botswana. I argue that although certain aspects of e-learning are structured, confining, and therefore unsuitable for traditional humanities disciplines, e-learning can still be an appropriate tool for the humanities if used appropriately and creatively.
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    language: English
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      custom: Copyright of International Journal of Humanities & Arts Computing: A Journal of Digital Humanities is the property of Edinburgh University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
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