Abstract:

A 21st century university student in this technology dominated era needs to have higher levels of digital literacy. Central University of Technology (CUT) as a contemporary university strives to ensure that its students have vast opportunities to have comprehensive digital literacy by teaching using e-learning. Despite varying opportunities afforded to students, they have different perceptions about e-learning which is deemed an important method of teaching and learning. Students are encouraged to visit the web-site in order to upload what has been placed by the lecturers. A mixed method approach was used to gather data. A sample size of fifty (50) characterised of thirty-five (35) females and fifteen (15) males, out of a population of three hundred and eighteen (318) third year student- teachers doing third year level of training were conveniently selected to participate in the study. They were observed in an e-learning classroom for three consecutive weeks to determine how they download modules and how they place comments on the Blackboard or e-Thuto-as it is called at CUT. A researcher-prepared questionnaire was prepared using information gathered from observations and was thereafter administered to the participants to determine their perception about e-learning. Interviews were also conducted to get the views of the participating group and to ensure the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. The results indicated that although e-learning seems to be tedious and boring, it is helpful because students are able to access lecturer’s information at their own time and leisure. The article thus aims at proposing a framework that could encourage those students who are not into e-learning to get involved for their own benefit. Lastly, the research should be conducted with the lecturers in order to get their perceptions about this new trend of teaching and learning.

Keywords:

e-learning, perceptions, student teachers, modules, information, blackboard.