Digital Literacies of Report 191 Programme Pre-entry Level Students at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training College in South Africa
Michael Mbongiseni Buthelezi 
, Dipane Joseph Hlalele & Ntokozo Mazwikayise Dhlamini
Issue: Vol.5 No. 8 October 2024 Article 1 pp.257-274
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2024581 | Published online 7th October, 2024.
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Grounded on connectivism learning theory, the current study concedes that beyond the phases of the digital divide, research has shown that there is still a digital literacy gap among Report 191 programme pre-entry level technical and vocational education and training (TVET) college students that require attention. While TVET college students are expected to possess digital skills, research has indicated that on reaching TVET Colleges, many students do not possess the requisite digital literacies. Using a survey design, this quantitative study explored digital literacies amongst Report 191 programme pre-entry level students at a TVET college in South Africa. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 22). With a Cronbach Alpha value of 7.6, the instrument was considered valid and reliable. The findings suggested the prevalence of an uneven/diverse digital literacy prowess among Report 191 programme pre-entry level students. Researchers recommended a focused and differentiated programme of digital literacy support for Report 191 programme pre-entry level students at TVET colleges. This study will help all TVET lecturers and policymakers start to acknowledge how ubiquitous digital literacy skills are becoming in educational settings, not just technological ones.
Keywords: Digital Literacy, Internet Access, Pre-Entry Level Students, Report 191 Programme, Technological Devices, TVET
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Michael Mbongiseni Buthelezi is a lecturer in the Department of Education Studies at the University of Limpopo. He has also served as a National Evaluator for 9 years in the Evaluation & Accreditation Unit at UMALUSI before he became an Accreditation Council Committee (ACC) member at UMALUSI. His research includes student development, inclusive education, sustainable learning, psychosocial support, and rural development. He has published more than ten articles and two book chapters. He has presented his articles at national and international conferences.
Dipane J. Hlalele is a Full Professor of Education at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and a C2 NRF rated researcher (2022-2027) who appeared in the World Top 100 Education Scientists in South Africa (2022, no. 92), (2024. no. 61) and Africa (2024, no. 87), according to the AD Scientific Index. He published over sixty articles, peer-reviewed conference proceedings and chapters in books.
Ntokozo Mazwikayise Dhlamini is a Senior Lecturer at Majuba TVET College in the Computer Related Subjects Department. He has nineteen years of lecturing, two of which were spent working as a Student Tutor at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (formerly known as Cape Technikon), and seventeen as a Lecturer/ Senior Lecturer at Majuba TVET College. He is also a part-time lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His highest qualification is MTech in Information Technology from the University of South Africa and currently doing his PhD in Computer Science. He has one published Research Article and one Textbook.
Buthelezi, Michael Mbongiseni, Dipane Joseph Hlalele & Ntokozo Mazwikayise Dhlamini.”Digital Literacies of Report 191 Programme Pre-entry Level Students at a Technical and Vocational Education and Training College in South Africa.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 5, no.7 (2024):257-274. https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2024581
© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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