Securing the cybersafety of South African online high school learners beyond COVID-19

The unprecedented online learning that took place at several schools during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is predicted to continue on the same trajectory when learners return to classroom learning. Continuing with online learning implies that learners will spend most of their time learning and socialising online, which exposes them to cybersecurity risks. Hence, this study investigated strategies for securing the cybersafety of online learners at South African high schools. The study adopted an interpretivist approach, and qualitative data were collected from school teachers. Fifteen school teachers from five private high schools in Centurion, Pretoria, were interviewed, and the data were thematically analysed. All the schools were multiracial and English-medium schools. The teachers from the schools were selected to participate in the study because they had experienced online learning during the times of COVID-19. The study proposed cybersafety strategies that are centred around providing cybersafety policies, conscientising learners about cybersecurity risks (awareness), preventing cyberbullying, discouraging the consumption or production of inappropriate content and protecting learners from Internet addiction. Transdisciplinarity Contribution: The proposed practical strategies for securing the cybersafety of online learners are valuable for promoting safe and responsible use of Internet -connected devices in online learning. The strategies encourage schools to integrate Internet -connected technologies and overcome cybersecurity risks in online learning.

Perceived Readiness of Information and Communication Technology Policy in Supporting Mobile Learning in Times of COVID-19 at South African Schools

This study answers the research question, “how do teachers perceive the readiness of information and communication technology (ICT) school policies in supporting the provision of remote m-learning as a strategy for mitigating learning disruptions caused by COVID-19?” To investigate this question, the study adopted and adapted the UNESCO policy guideline for m-learning as an evaluation framework. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews from five schools in South Africa, and ten teachers participated in the study. The sampled teachers perceived the ICT policies at the selected schools as outdated, not recognizing mobile devices as tools for learning, and silent on providing teachers with resources that facilitate m-learning. The results indicate that the ICT policies at the sampled schools were perceived as not supporting the UNESCO policy guideline for m-learning. Perceptions of teachers were investigated in this study because teachers are the custodians of m-learning at schools. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

Conceptualizing Factors that Influence Learners’ Intention to Adopt ICT for Learning in Rural Schools in Developing Countries

Despite the positive contribution of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to learning outcomes in education, its adoption, integration, and use remain a challenge for rural school learners in developing countries. To understand why ICT adoption by rural school learners has been slow, a systematic literature analysis was undertaken in this study. An analysis of twenty-nine peer reviewed and published papers selected from five electronic databases was conducted to identify the key factors that influence rural school learners’ adoption patterns. The findings revealed the key factors as ICT infrastructure, technical support, access to resources, and social influence. Deductively, infrastructure was found to have a direct obstruction and negative consequences on the adoption of ICT technologies in learning. The findings are valuable for illustrating factors that affect the adoption of ICT technologies by rural learners in developing countries. The results inform educational policy strategies for providing rural schools with infrastructure and resources that promote the use of ICT in learning. Providing ICT infrastructure is fundamental to rural schools, especially in this era where the COVID-19 pandemic has made it compulsory for learners to adopt online learning. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.