Potential strategies to address gender disparities in the use of instructional tools for E-Learning in Higher Education Institutions

Potential strategies to address gender disparities in the use of instructional tools for E-Learning in Higher Education Institutions

Temitope J. Owolabi , Tendayi C. Garutsa & Othusitse Maunatlala

Issue: Vol. 7 No. 6 2026 Article 3 pp.599 – 620
DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026763 Published online 14th July 2026.

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ABSTRACT

The rapid growth of digital learning environments provides many new avenues for accessibility, flexibility, and innovation. However, despite the increased number of options available through digital learning environments, research continues to demonstrate that males and females are not benefiting equally from digital learning technologies. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach to explore the potential strategies to address gender disparities in the use of instructional tools for E-learning in higher education institutions. It included both qualitative information obtained through in-depth interviews with 20 students (10 men and 10 women) at a South African University, and quantitative data collected using surveys administered to 358 undergraduate and graduate students. The research applied three theoretical frameworks: Social Cognitive Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Constructivist Learning Theory. These theories guide the investigation into how individual factors (digital self-efficacy), technological factors (perceived usefulness and ease of use), and pedagogical social factors (instructional design) combine to influence the adoption of e-learning technology by men and women. Findings show how disparities exist between men and women in the use of e-learning technology. These are socially and institutionally constructed rather than biological. Therefore, it was recommended that the education community consider using more systemic and integrated strategies to address the issue of gender disparity in e-learning.

Keywords: E-Learning, Digital Equity, Gender Disparities, Higher Education, Inclusive Pedagogy

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AUTHOR(S)

Temitope J. Owolabi is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Sociology at the Faculty of Humanities, North-West University, South Africa. He earned his doctoral degree in Sociology from the same institution, where his scholarship demonstrated strong theoretical and practical engagement with contemporary social issues. His research interests span Gender Studies, Development Studies, and Industrial Sociology, with a particular focus on the intersections of gender, work, and social change in African contexts. Owolabi’s work contributes to advancing debates on equity, development, and organisational dynamics, positioning him as an emerging scholar committed to producing impactful research that informs policy and academic discourse.

Tendayi C. Garutsa (PhD) is a Professor in Sociology, Faculty of Humanities at North-West University, South Africa, and currently the Director, Centre for Contemporary Identity and Diversity Studies, North-West University, South Africa. She holds a PhD in Social Sciences from the University of Fort Hare. Her research focuses on gender, rural development, food security, and Indigenous Knowledge Systems. Garutsa has served as a National Research Funding Proposal Evaluator and was a post-doctoral fellow with the Climate Impacts Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement Programme in Africa under DFID and the African Academy of Sciences. She has received several awards, including the 2022 Teaching Excellence and Top Senior Lecturer Researcher Awards at NWU. Her work, grounded in social justice, is widely published in areas such as feminist pedagogies, rural development, and gender.

Othusitse Maunatlala is a Junior Lecturer in Communication Studies and Visual Narrative. His research interests include corporate communication, artificial intelligence, visual communication, and digital media. His work focuses on the relationship between communication practices, technology, and institutional engagement.

TO CITE ARTICLE

Owolabi, Temitope J., Tendayi C. Garutsa, and Othusitse Maunatlala. “Potential strategies to address gender disparities in the use of instructional tools for E-Learning in Higher Education Institutions.” Journal of Education and Learning Technology 7, no.6 (2026): 599-620 https://doi.org/10.38159/jelt.2026763