Instructors' Perceptions of Their Interaction With Students in Online Teaching and Learning

Background To The Study And Problem Statement

Within a South African mega distance-university context, there is an ongoing need to design unique courses with a focus on extensive online student mentoring and support, and to make better use of the interactive potential of digital technology (Hülsmann & Shabalala, 2016). Based on consultation with partners at several international institutions with a proven record of successful online teaching and learning, it was decided to initially design six first-level courses – one for each college at the university – with the potential for more courses to follow. Several design features were identified as necessary: first, in addressing enormous inequalities in technology and online learning skills, courses had to include support for students by developing their metaliteracy to produce graduates who could compete internationally, and also address the developmental needs of the African continent (Baijnath, 2014). Second, within specific disciplines, courses had to focus on self-directed learning, an approach aligned with the development of metaliteracies, as it allows students to determine their own learning with guidance and support from an instructor (Song & Hill, 2007). Last, in order to reap optimum benefits from the self-directed learning model, knowledgeable co-workers or tutors were needed to support lecturers in facilitating learning and grading student work (Baijnath, 2014). Such tutors had to work under the guidance of a lecturer, who would design the course and plan the assessment strategies.