ERT as Mobile Learning by Necessity: A Sociomaterial Perspective of Lecturers' Design Journeys – Lecturers' Approaches to ERT in Resource-Constrained Settings as Shifting Digital Practices

Introduction

At the start of the pandemic, many South African universities encouraged ‘low tech’ approaches to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) (Hodges, Moore, Lockee, Trust & Bond, 2020), as an alternative to high bandwidth forms of online learning. Asynchronous ‘low tech’ content and activities that students could engage with via mobile devices was a shared aspiration. This was later followed by synchronous, more bandwidth intensive approaches when students returned to campus to study online from their residences or accommodation closer to the university. The term ‘low tech’ initially referred to the accessibility of asynchronous learning materials and online activities on mobile devices, particularly for students without laptops or poor connectivity. The term ‘mobile learning’ was never used, even though the experience of ERT for many students in resource constrained environments happened via mobile devices. The distribution of mobile data to students by some universities and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) as well as the zero rating of educational sites by national mobile network providers during lockdown reinforced the mobile centredness of ERT in the country. The term ‘lockdown’ was adopted in South Africa where levels involved different kinds of restrictions. More generally, the term ‘lockdown’ refers to forms of mandatory quarantine or recommendations that are non-mandatory such as staying at home, limiting or closure of events, social gatherings, businesses and educational institutions (Kaplan, 2000 cited in du Preez & le Grange, 2020). In South Africa, lockdown measures included the closure of universities followed by the staggered return of students (Krull et al., 2021) at some institutions in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus.

Lecturers had to rethink their courses as ‘low tech’ mobile learning by necessity and as a rapid response, rather than planned, intentional design that started developing to a certain extent later on. Hodges et al. (2020) caution that courses offered online in response to a crisis are distinct from planned online learning and that institutions need to bear this in mind when evaluating ERT. The authors argue that the same is true for mobile learning and that ‘low tech’ mobile learning for ERT is different to traditional understandings thereof. Traxler (2017) also notes that while there is considerable use of mobiles in various institutions (including universities), this is often not conceptualised or documented as mobile learning. This article discusses mobile learning by necessity and lecturers’ design journeys, demonstrating the role of the social, material and the political.