Record Details

Using Reflexive Agency to Explore Students’ Access to Online Learning Resources in Resource Constrained Learning Environments

Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences

View Archive Info
 
 
Field Value
 
Title Using Reflexive Agency to Explore Students’ Access to Online Learning Resources in Resource Constrained Learning Environments
 
Creator Rambe, Patient
Chikobvu, Delson
 
Description The discourse on student access to learning resources in resource-poor African environments is often steeped in the digital divide, which reinforces technological determinism. However, at historically privileged South African universities where institutionally-sanctioned networks and learning environments mediate universal on-campus access to technologies, the digital divide insufficiently accounts for variations in student access to networked resources. The persistent information asymmetries cannot be explained diametrically in terms of digital natives and digital stranger arguments. This paper employs Archer’s construction of agency as an interpretive lens for understanding how students in resource-poor contexts appropriate existing technologies, enact new practices and renegotiate access to deal with inequitable technology provision. Findings suggest that albeit strategic but complex choices that students make regarding access to educational resources, historically-induced cultural imbalances, socio-economic disadvantage and gender asymmetries continue to implicate student access to these resources. Students tended to switch strategically to mobile access when access to resources via walk-in labs proved to be a challenge. Moreover, student levels of study and gender played a moderating role in their access to educational technologies. The study recommends context-driven, social practice informed approaches to the deployment of technologies in resource-constrained environments to address challenges of accessing educational resources.
DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p1147
 
Publisher Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2014-09-02
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
—
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier https://www.mcser.org/journal/index.php/mjss/article/view/3846
 
Source Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences; Vol 5, No 20 (2014): September 2014; 1147
 
Language eng
 
Relation https://www.mcser.org/journal/index.php/mjss/article/view/3846/3763
 
Rights Submission of an article implies that the work described has not been published previously (except in the form of an abstract or as part of a published lecture or academic thesis), that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, that its publication is approved by all authors and tacitly or explicitly by the responsible authorities where the work was carried out, and that, if accepted, will not be published elsewhere in the same form, in English or in any other language, without the written consent of the Publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit or otherwise alter all contributions, but authors will receive proofs for approval before publication.

Copyrights for articles published in MCSER journal are retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. The journal/publisher is not responsible for subsequent uses of the work. It is the author's responsibility to bring an infringement action if so desired by the author.