2016 IJRSET – Volume 5 Issue 2
Author/s:
Gomba, Clifford*
Dreeben School of Education, University of the Incarnate Word, Texas, USA (cgomba@uiwtx.edu)
Abstract:
Thirty-four Zimbabwean Advanced level students at a Catholic run boarding school were surveyed in regards to their perception of having distance education at high school level. The country is experiencing an increase in technology use, resulting in calls for the introduction of online education through distance learning (Bukaliya & Musika, 2011). The purpose of this survey study is to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of high school students in Zimbabwe towards distance learning. Participants completed a 15-item tool with domains in computer, internet, online learning, teachers and overall expectations of online education. The results showed that most of the participants favored the introduction of blended learning at Advanced level as opposed to having online learning. It is the author’s recommendation that steps should be made towards training instructors in online teaching, and helping schools introduce blended education into their curriculum. Professional development of teachers should also focus on the training of using computers in the classroom.
Keywords: distance learning; blended learning; advanced level; online education; Zimbabwe Open University
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrset.2016.1565
*Corresponding Author