ERIC Number: EJ1318466
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1361-4533
EISSN: N/A
Maintaining Student Engagement: The Digital Shift during the Coronavirus Pandemic a Case of the Library at the University of Pretoria
Matizirofa, Lazarus; Soyizwapi, Lindiwe; Siwela, Anna; Khosie, Modisa
New Review of Academic Librarianship, v27 n3 p364-379 2021
The South African Higher Education Institution (HEI) sector had to move to 'emergency' online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they embraced a humanistic approach underpinned by the need to complete the academic year in 2020 and support all students. Because this emergency online learning accelerated the digital shift, evidence of pre-existing disparities and inequalities have been magnified, such as the digital divide, infrastructure, connectivity, access to data, digital literacies, vastly different learning environments, software and hardware tools, and others. The Department of Library Services (DLS) is aligned to the University of Pretoria's shift to online learning and to reimaging its service offerings and innovation readiness. It deliberately adopted a responsive engagement strategy for students, staff, senior management and service providers. Therefore, the DLS now offers a mix of services and programmes, with more reliance on virtual services to support and sustain the academic agenda. This paper provides real-life case study experiences of student engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, with reference to the relevant student engagement with literature. It also reflects on how the DLS previously applied attributes of service innovation, such as 'employing' a client-service robot at an HEI library in Africa, this being in keeping with the UP's innovation culture.
Descriptors: Learner Engagement, College Students, Electronic Learning, Electronic Libraries, Academic Libraries, Library Services, Emergency Programs, COVID-19, Pandemics, Access to Information, Librarians, Information Literacy, Tutoring, Innovation, Foreign Countries
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: South Africa
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A