Here and Now or Coming in the Future?: E-Learning in Higher Education in Africa

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Abstract

Phenomenal changes have occurred in higher education (HE) since the emergence of e-learning, thus necessitating change in teaching and learning approaches. The rate of change, demands, and pressures of the workplace brought by these ICTs, and the need for continual self improvement, job market competition, and job relevance have created an unprecedented demand for HE. There seem to be mythical ideas about the potential effects of e-learning and the proximal and contingent contextual factors that might affect its use, especially in Africa. Thus, e-learning’s ability to reach non-traditional learners to offer the required alternative access to education or offer supplementary access to traditional learners is questioned, leading to the observation that its benefits may be achieved only in the future rather than in the present. Hence the focal question: Is e-learning coming in the future or is it a present engagement, and how do partnerships figure into this issue?