Digital literacies in high schools within uMhlathuze Local Municipalities
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Date
2023
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University of Zululand
Abstract
The concept of digital competence is central to this study and can be broadly defined as skills, knowledge, creativity, and attitudes that everybody needs to use digital media for learning and functioning in the knowledge society. It is undeniable that we live in an information age in which everyone is dependent on electronic tools to access data. Digital incompetence affects people of all ages and that is why it is important for children, young adults, and adults to have digital skills. The foundation for the growth of digital competences should start in the foundation phases of early education to prepare learners for the digitised world they will experience in different stages of their lives. Most studies on similar topics did not cover grade level education and that is why this study focused on grade 11 learners. Educators are also imperative role players in the development of learners’ digital skills, as they are the ones responsible for facilitating the lessons to the learners. The study found that it was important that the educators’ digital competences also be investigated. The study primarily sought to establish the digital literacy programmes offered at high schools in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality, assess the digital literacy competences of learners and educators from high schools in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality and establish challenges faced by high schools in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality with regard to digital literacy education.
Two frameworks were adopted in this study. Baharuddin’s digital literacy framework (2016), which was used to understand the learners’ digital competences and digital tools used by the selected high schools. The second framework was the TPACK (Technological pedagogical content knowledge) framework by Mishra and Koehler (2006). This framework was used to understand how educators apply the three constructs of the framework when they teach learners.
The study adopted a post-positivism research paradigm in line for the type of data the study sought to collect. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches were adopted in this study, as well as a survey and case study research designs. The target population for this study was grade 11 learners and grade 11 educators from three selected high schools located in different geographic areas in the uMhlathuze Local Municipality. Simple random sampling was used to administer 234 questionnaires to grade 11 high school learners and two educators were interviewed through the purposive sampling technique. Quantitative data from the questionnaires were analysed using descriptive analysis and the qualitative data from interviews were analysed with the use of the thematic analysis method.
The findings of the study revealed that two of the three selected high schools offered digital literacy programmes at their schools, even though one of those two schools indicated a shortage of infrastructure. The findings of the study discovered that the majority (33%) of the learners had good digital literacy skills, 27% had average digital skills, a few (13%) had poor digital skills and a minority (11%) had excellent digital skills. The findings also revealed that the educators were highly qualified to teach digital-based subjects and had good and excellent digital skills. Furthermore, the study established different challenges faced by the high schools during digital literacy classes, such as power outages, which disturb examinations, no internet connection, slow computers and a shortage in resources.
The study therefore concluded that a digital divide exists between schools located in different geographic areas. Learners that attend schools in rural areas are still digitally excluded compared to their counterparts who attend schools in urban and peri-urban areas. Furthermore, the study concluded that learners who attend schools in urban areas are more digitally competent than learners who attend peri-urban and rural schools. Additionally, the study concluded that the biggest challenge facing schools with regard to digital literacy is a shortage in infrastructure.
The study recommended that the Department of Basic Education should bridge this digital divide by introducing compulsory digital-based subject in all high schools in South Africa. The study also recommended that the Department of Basic Education should provide funds for these schools to purchase all the necessary resources for the implementation of digital literacy education.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Library and Information Science in the Department of Information Studies at the University of Zululand, South Africa [2023]