ACCESS AND SUCCESS IN E-LEARNING IN THE ZIMBABWE
OPEN UNIVERSITY

ACCESS AND SUCCESS IN E-LEARNING IN THE ZIMBABWE
OPEN UNIVERSITY

CHRISPEN CHIOME

The study sought to determine distance education students’ experiences in access to and success in e-
learning endeavours. The study was qualitative as the questionnaire used as a data-gathering
instrument had both closed and open-ended sections that yielded qualitative data. The research
employed the descriptive survey design. In this study, a sample of 158 distance education students
from all faculties in the Zimbabwe Open University’s Masvingo Regional Campus was extracted using
the convenience sampling method. The study found out that while the majority of distance education
students use computer related gargets such as cell phones, television remote control the majority of
them did not have access to the computers and thus to e-learning access and success is affected.
Success factors such as collaborative learning and quality e-content were heavily deflowered, marred
and spoilt as the majority of them did not have e-mail addresses, had no skills in e-learning and hence
could not communicate with other students and tutors on the internet. The students nevertheless were
excited about e-learning facilities provided by the university. The study, among others, recommended
that wide access to e-learning facilities by distance education students, extensive skills upgrading
workshops targeting all students, e-learning support centre and e-learning course must be put in place
to enable Zimbabwe Open University students to benefit from e-learning

Online Journal of African Affairs

2012