Online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in the developing universities in South Africa: a literature review

Abstract

There is limited evidence showing how developing universities in South Africa have successfully adopted and effectively used online learning to support students for positive learning experiences. Presently, there are numerous challenging factors with regard to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption in South African developing universities. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the extent of online learning support for student learning at developing universities in South Africa. The study resides in an interpretive framework as it adopts a hermeneutic framework, with the literature obtained being classified, mapped, critically assessed, and themes and arguments developed. There is scant evidence of studies conducted and published between 2000 and 2024 on online learning support as a pedagogical strategy for student learning in developing universities in South Africa. The review included a total of 40 studies, which highlighted findings using three levels of organisation which consist macroscopic, mesoscopic, and microscopic scales. This study is expected to have a significant impact on the development of universities’ online learning support policies and practices. It will also contribute to the pedagogical strategies and frameworks of academics and scientific knowledge on how scholars should perceive online learning support in the context of developing universities.