Teaching And Learning Sepedi Using Blackboard: Challenges And Opportunities In The Age Of Covid-19 And Beyond

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the system of teaching and learning from traditional face-to-face to online in South African and global institutions of higher learning. This online teaching and learning system seem to have brought some greater challenges and opportunities. This study therefore sought to investigate and bring to the fore those challenges and opportunities with special reference to Sepedi as a previously marginalised module (language) offered at the University of Limpopo, South Africa. This is a qualitative approach study seeking to understand the challenges and opportunities Sepedi students and lecturers encounter using Blackboard during COVID-19 as well as post pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were employed to collect data from both Sepedi students (n=8) and faculties (n=4) at the selected university. The researcher (n=1) also found it fit to give his views as a Sepedi lecturer. Drawing from the responses of participants, it is evident that lack of computational competency is the main challenge in both teaching and learning of Sepedi via Blackboard. Significantly, it is further reported that there are some greater developments (opportunities). The study recommends that students and faculties should appreciate Blackboard