**3. UNISA as a mega university**

UNISA has been described as a *mega* university, and the only dedicated distance education provider in the African continent [3, 6, 7, 9–11]. In his book, *Mega Universities* & *Knowledge Media: Technology Strategies for Higher Education*, Professor John S. Daniel [6] of the Open University, United Kingdom (OU UK) described UNISA as the oldest *mega university* which began as the University of the Cape of Good Hope in 1873 when it was an examining body for affiliated university colleges. In 2018, UNISA will celebrate 144 years of existence. Letseka and Pitsoe [4] described UNISA as "the largest university on the African continent". Daniel [6] noted that, by 2010, UNISA had a projected student headcount of 290,000. At the time of writing, in 2017, UNISA's student headcount enrolments stood at 350,641, confirming its status as one of the world's *mega universities* (see **Figure 4**).

Daniel noted that as far back as the mid-1990s, UNISA has been regarded as (**Figure 5**):

*A vita academia which centres round the adult learner and creates an environment of lifelong learning through systems of adult basic education, student support and interactive means of teaching technologies. Furthermore, this vision of vita academia acknowledges the existence of all other institutions of higher learning and foresees a very broad co-operation with them to bring about living systems of dualmode teaching.*

UNISA's ([37], p. 8) *Strategic Plan 2016–2030* articulates the university's vision as "*The* African University shaping futures in the service of humanity". In the same vein, UNISA [13] commits

**Figure 5.** UNISA enrolments, 2013–2017. Source: UNISA's institutional information and analysis portal.

**3. UNISA as a mega university**

126 Trends in E-learning

one of the world's *mega universities* (see **Figure 4**).

*mode teaching.*

UNISA has been described as a *mega* university, and the only dedicated distance education provider in the African continent [3, 6, 7, 9–11]. In his book, *Mega Universities* & *Knowledge Media: Technology Strategies for Higher Education*, Professor John S. Daniel [6] of the Open University, United Kingdom (OU UK) described UNISA as the oldest *mega university* which began as the University of the Cape of Good Hope in 1873 when it was an examining body for affiliated university colleges. In 2018, UNISA will celebrate 144 years of existence. Letseka and Pitsoe [4] described UNISA as "the largest university on the African continent". Daniel [6] noted that, by 2010, UNISA had a projected student headcount of 290,000. At the time of writing, in 2017, UNISA's student headcount enrolments stood at 350,641, confirming its status as

**Figure 4.** SA population distribution for top management. Source: Commission employment equity reports [32–36].

Daniel noted that as far back as the mid-1990s, UNISA has been regarded as (**Figure 5**):

*A vita academia which centres round the adult learner and creates an environment of lifelong learning through systems of adult basic education, student support and interactive means of teaching technologies. Furthermore, this vision of vita academia acknowledges the existence of all other institutions of higher learning and foresees a very broad co-operation with them to bring about living systems of dual-*

UNISA's ([37], p. 8) *Strategic Plan 2016–2030* articulates the university's vision as "*The* African University shaping futures in the service of humanity". In the same vein, UNISA [13] commits "to advancing social justice with an emphasis on redress, equity and empowerment of the previously disadvantaged groups in South Africa such as blacks, women, people with disabilities, the rural and urban poor and adults generally who have missed out on opportunities to access higher education". It seeks to position itself "as a leading provider of higher education opportunities through open distance learning (ODL) nationally, on the African continent and internationally". In its *Strategic Plan 2015*, UNISA [38] noted that the institution "is unique in the sense that it is the only dedicated distance education institution, and justly claims to be the only truly national university. Its size, and the aggregated resources and capacities at its disposal, place it in a position to make a vital contribution to development in Southern Africa". The *Strategic Plan* further stated that UNISA's "geographical reach enables it to support highlevel capacity development beyond the borders of South Africa, especially on the continent".

The above-mentioned commitments are consistent with the commitments made by South Africa's Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET). For instance, the DHET ([15], p. 8) is committed to "an expansion of open and distance education and the establishment of more 'satellite' premises where universities or colleges provide classes at places and times convenient to students (including in rural areas)". The DHET ([15], p. 22) further committed to "establishing dedicated distance education capacity at one or more of the community colleges, with the requisite resources and capacity to provide education and training opportunities to eligible youth and adults who are unable to attend face-to-face institutions". In its *Draft Policy Framework for the Provision of Open Learning and Distance Education in South African Post-school Education and Training*, the DHET ([39], p. 1) adopted "open learning as a strategy to increase access to education and training opportunities for all and to construct quality learning environments which take account of learners' context and use the most appropriate and cost-effective methods and technologies". It is the DHET's ([39], p. 55) stance that "like distance education, open learning focuses directly on making access to learning a primary goal, and may use the benefits of online and *e-learning* to achieve this end".

*e-learning* initiatives". The above-cited literature confirms our expressed view that there is "a

The Challenges of *E-learning* in South Africa http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.74843 129

It is our conviction that UNISA is "ideally placed to play a leading role in increasing access to higher education for marginalized communities", and "to support high-level capacity development beyond the borders of South Africa, especially on the continent" ([38], p. 2). As Africa's largest and the only dedicated distance learning institution, UNISA has the necessary capabilities to mount structured and sustainable *e-learning*, understood as "a wide set of applications and processes, including computer-based learning, Web-based learning, virtual classrooms, and digital collaboration" ([19], p. 15). Bates [14] noted that governments "see *e-learning* as a new knowledge-based industry, able to lever the advantage of advanced educational systems to create educational products and services that can be marketed internationally". In the same vein, South Africa's DHET ([39], p. 3) "views ICTs and *e-learning* as very significant aspects of open leaning approaches", and as "critically important tools in the struggle against poverty, underdevelopment and marginalisation" ([39], p. 26). The DHET ([39], p. 11) categorised *e-learning* as "digitally supported, digitally dependent, internet supported, internet dependent, and fully

There is, therefore, a sense that *e-learning* can potentially create the desired impact in efforts to widen access to higher education with success. For instance, the DHET ([39], p. 55) noted that while, "distance education is well-known for increasing the educational reach of institutions, and for providing learning opportunities to many who would otherwise be deprived of formal learning…open learning may use the benefits of online and *e-learning* to achieve this

• Learning becomes more active and dynamic when compared to traditional in-class learning, allowing it to be cantered on the students and their learning, instead of focusing on the class-

• Learning can be differentiated pedagogically, it can accommodate different learning styles, allow students to work at their own pace and facilitate learning through a variety

• New tools and social media encourage collaboration between students and the community,

• Those same tools allow for the development of virtual communities that can persist after

• IT and the Internet can transform processes and institutions, transforming, in consequence, the ways of teaching and learning and opening the door to innovation and new pedagogical

end". Boddy et al. ([19], p. 17) identified the following advantages of *e-learning*:

• Access to a vast quantity of resources is possible and at lower cost.

bourgeoning interest in *e-learning* among South African academics".

online" (see **Figure 6**).

room activities.

of activities.

theories.

without barrier to space and time.

the program/course is done.

**Figure 6.** DHET's categorisation of *e-learning.*

The DHET ([39], p. 34) advocated distance education and specifically *e-learning* to provide increased access to post-secondary education and training opportunities for those who cannot or choose not to enrol for traditional campus-based provision; and second, to lower costs per student by collaborating in curriculum design and materials development, by spreading some teaching and support costs across larger number of learners and by obviating the need for continuing investment in physical infrastructure. It envisions a new post-school education and training system (PSET), that is, responsive to the social, economic and transformative needs of the country, and that will increase "access to, and success in learning through open learning in PSET Institutions" ([39], p. 6).
