Ikpe, I.B.(Edinburgh University Press, www.eupjournals.com/ijhac, NaN, 2011)
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Abstract:
The advent of e-learning has been a welcomed development in
African universities, especially in countries where the demand for university
education far outstrips capacity. This form of instruction not only has helped
in reducing the problem of managing and testing large classes, but it also
has helped lecturers in providing valuable assistance to students who would
otherwise not have such access. The limitations of the e-learning platform
coupled with a distorted student-teacher ratio has raised concerns about quality, especially for traditional humanities disciplines where the emphasis
on argumentative rigor and critical thinking are at odds with the science leaning
orientation of e-learning platforms. This concern is especially important
because the technology is relatively new and there are problems of access not
only in terms of infrastructure but also in terms of the relevant computer literacy
skills required of users of the technology. This essay examines the problems
associated with the use of e-learning in teaching and examining traditional
humanities courses in general but especially the problems encountered in using
e-learning in teaching and assessing critical thinking courses at the University
of Botswana. I argue that although certain aspects of e-learning are structured,
confining, and therefore unsuitable for traditional humanities disciplines,
e-learning can still be an appropriate tool for the humanities if used
appropriately and creatively.