Affiliation:
1. University of South Africa
Abstract
This study was inspired by the increasing reports on failures of e-learning initiatives in higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing countries. The aim was to investigate academics’ readiness for online teaching in higher education (HE) in developing countries, with a major focus on Africa. The qualitative data collection and synthesis approach was used through the exploratory configurative systematic review. Four electronic academic databases —Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and Sabinet African Journals were searched using an iterative and systematic process to find relevant studies. Four hundred fifty-seven peer-reviewed papers were retrieved, and seventeen studies were selected for inclusion after the screening procedure. Data were imported to the EPPI-Reviewer software program for coding. Then, coding reports were created and exported in Excel for thematic analysis. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and present the data. The technological pedagogical content knowledge theory (TPACK) supported and guided this study. Consistent with previous research, this review found that one of the biggest obstacles is that many higher education academics lack the digital skills to facilitate learning and offer student support in online spaces. The move to online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic also revealed the significant digital skills gaps in e-learning for higher education educators.