Exploring How Lecturers Have Designed Their Online Courses to Promote Active Engagement in Teaching and Learning Contexts

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it mandatory for all university courses to be taught using online technologies. One of the major challenges experienced by Lecturers has been how to make students responsive and engaged in online environments as opposed to face-to-face classrooms. This study seeks to investigate how extended curriculum programme academics design their online extended curriculum courses such that they can promote active engagement in their online classrooms. The research design adopted for this study falls within the interpretative paradigm, embracing a qualitative research approach within a case study methodology. For data collection purposes, three courses and nine Lecturers, three from each faculty were selected for each of these faculties because of their engagement in online learning and hybrid learning initiatives, making nine courses. Two theoretical frameworks underpinned this study: the SAMR Model and the Technology integration matrix (TIM). The researchers argue that it is imperative that academic development supports and enhances the development and agency of academics in designing and creating active and engaging hybrid or online environments.