Vol. 39 No. 1 (2024)
Research Articles

Exploring factors affecting the academic performance of young female students in an open and distance e-learning environment during Covid-19

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Thulani Chauke
University of South Africa
Bio
Ntandokamenzi Dlamini
University of South Africa
Bio

Published 2024-07-18

How to Cite

Chauke, T., & Dlamini, N. (2024). Exploring factors affecting the academic performance of young female students in an open and distance e-learning environment during Covid-19. International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education Revue Internationale Du E-Learning Et La Formation à Distance, 39(1). Retrieved from https://ijede.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/1298
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Abstract

The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt by both male and female students in Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL) and contact-based learning institutions in South Africa. However, young female students have been the most affected group. Societal norms that reinforce cultural practices which favour male students hinder the academic performance of young female students. Therefore, this study aims to explore the factors that affected the academic performance of young female students in an ODeL environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight female students between the ages of 21 and 35. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the categories of factors that negatively affected their academic performance were a lack of family support, a lack of resources, and living in an overcrowded home. This study recommends that local municipalities in rural areas where these students reside should have at least one community hub centre that has working computers with consistent and stable access to the internet to enable female students to access information and their educational material.
Keywords: academic performance, COVID-19, young female, students, open and distance e-learning

Exploration des facteurs affectant les performances académiques des jeunes étudiantes dans un environnement d'apprentissage en ligne ouvert et à distance pendant la pandémie de COVID-19

Résumé : L'effet de la pandémie de COVID-19 a été ressenti par les étudiants et les étudiantes des établissements de formation ouverte et à distance (ODeL) et des établissements de formation par contact en Afrique du Sud. Toutefois, les jeunes étudiantes ont été le groupe le plus touché. Les normes sociétales qui renforcent les pratiques culturelles favorisant les étudiants masculins entravent les performances académiques des jeunes étudiantes. C'est pourquoi cette étude vise à explorer les facteurs qui ont affecté les résultats scolaires des jeunes étudiantes dans un environnement de FOAD pendant la pandémie de COVID-19. Des entretiens semi-directifs ont été menés avec huit étudiantes âgées de 21 à 35 ans. Les données ont été analysées au moyen d'une analyse thématique. Les résultats ont révélé que les catégories de facteurs qui ont eu un impact négatif sur leurs résultats scolaires étaient le manque de soutien familial, le manque de ressources et le fait de vivre dans une maison surpeuplée. Cette étude recommande que les municipalités locales des zones rurales où résident ces étudiantes disposent d'au moins un centre communautaire équipé d'ordinateurs en état de marche avec un accès constant et stable à l'internet pour permettre aux étudiantes d'accéder à l'information et à leur matériel pédagogique.

Mots-clés : résultats scolaires, COVID-19, jeunes femmes, étudiants, formation ouverte et à distance.

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