**5. Conclusion**

*One method of increasing student teacher (two way) communication is through interactive satellite classes (real time verbal communication), which have the capacity to re-humanize distance education and are more accessible to the majority of UNISA students who are far removed from the major cities.* UNISA ([61], p. 8) defined satellite broadcast (SB) as "the distribution of visual images by means of a satellite link. It is less interactive than video conferencing, but more cost-effective. Students can see their lecturer, but their lecturer can't see them". One of the disadvantages of satellite broadcasts is that they encourage passive viewing instead of active participation. Students do not have control over the medium and are unable to stop the flow of information

In its *Strategic Plan 2016–2030*, UNISA [37] provided for the university to "Upgrade ICT platforms at all student centres and regions to promote ICT accessibility" and to "Sign agreements with, at least, 2 Multi-Purpose Centres in each province to serve as sites for the uploading and

*The identification and contracting of Telecentres across the country is an effort to contribute to a positive student experience by providing tools for students to access ICTs with ease. Telecentres are located within communities (mostly rural) and are usually public organizations that are funded by the govern-*

UNISA has established collaborative agreements with Telecentres throughout the country under the auspices of the Telecentre Community Outreach (TCO). In its submission to the Council on Higher Education (CHE) with reference to Quality Enhanced Project (QEP),

• "The institution has video conferencing facilities at the Muckleneuk and Florida campuses and across all regional learning centres to enhance the learning experiences of students". • "The institution has an initiative wherein it identifies centres with functioning computers (Telecentres), particularly in areas where the regional learning centres are not within easy

• "The regional learning centres have well-resourced computer laboratories to enable students to download and upload their study material as well as engage in other teaching and

The main objective of the TCO is to reach out to the rural and remote students nationally by

According to the UNISA Tutor Model, tutorials emphasise collaborative learning (group work) among students. They promote social integration particularly at the first-year level. Students who enter higher education are provided with a tutor who will guide them as they grapple with the many challenges that often confront students entering university directly from a school environment ([54], p. 5). Tutorials therefore offer "a facilitative space". Concomitantly, the tutor's

providing them with access to the Internet/computer facilities, for academic purposes.

downloading of students' assignments" ([37], p. 72). UNISA [52] stated that

*ment, such as public schools; non-profit organizations (NPOs); agencies.*

reach for our students, to facilitate student access to computers".

to ask questions and request clarification.

132 Trends in E-learning

UNISA [53] stated that

learning activities".

**4.4. The integrated tutor model (ITM)**

**4.3. The Telecentre community outreach (TCO)**

In this chapter, we outlined the way by which UNISA, which is the oldest *mega university* in the continent of Africa with a student enrolment more than 300,000, is ideally placed to play a leading role in the delivery of distance learning through structured and sustainable *e-learning*. We sketched South Africa's socio-economic and political landscape, which we argued, is marked by instability, uncertainty and unpredictability. We showed that because of this landscape, South Africa is the most unequal society. We broached the country's demographics, showing that Africans constitute about 80.8% of the country's total population, while whites constitute a meagre 8.8%, yet in terms of top management positions in the labour market whites dominate, and they also constitute over 80% of the entire university professoriate.

We sketched the country's high rates of youth unemployment, which peaked at 38.8% in 2016 as well as adult unemployment rates, which peaked at 27.7% in 2016. We showed that in terms of the poverty share, black African households accounted for over 90% of all poor households, and that this proportion grew to 93.9% in 2011, making black Africans to carry the highest burden of poverty in the country. We argued that this constitutes the imperative for UNISA to intervene through its expanded provision of distance learning through *e-learning.* We demarcated numerous ways by which UNISA can potentially achieve this imperative. We sketched UNISA's online learning management system (LMS) known as *MyUnisa,* the uses of video conferencing (VC) and Satellite Broadcast (SB) and the role of the UNISA Telecentre Community Outreach (TCO) initiative and the Integrated Tutor Model (ITM). We argued that collectively, these initiatives place UNISA in an ideal position to play a leading role in increasing access to higher education for marginalised communities in South Africa and in the African continent through its provision of *e-learning*. We should point out that because UNISA offers opportunities and access to mature adult working students to further their studies, the students are not required to be at institution in person in order to study. UNISA's e-learning systems are ideally suited to offer essential support to such students to further their studies and acquire higher education qualifications.

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