Accessibility Of Digital Higher Education In The Global South

Accessibility of Digital Higher Education in the Global South, authored by Pfano Mashau and Tshililo Farisani from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is an academic book that examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education in Africa. The book aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the sustainability of the “new normal” approaches in African universities and institutions of learning as well as government responses to teaching and learning processes during and post pandemic. The sudden outbreak of COVID-19 triggered demands for informal, comfortable, and self-designed spaces that go beyond conventional formal classrooms where students can take initiative and demonstrate independence in learning. However, access to digitalized teaching methods remains problematic due to the digital divide among learners and the rural-urban dichotomy. The book invites researchers, academics, and scholars in the Global South to contribute to the narrative to document successes in and improve the higher education sector post pandemic. The book covers a range of themes including the sustainability of digitalized teaching approaches; integrative and interactive teaching and learning theories and practices; government responses to teaching and learning processes; comparative analysis of conventional and digitalized teaching and learning approaches; and equality, diversity, and participation in digitalized teaching and learning platforms, among others.

Education is the foundation to almost all successful lives, and it is important that a high level of schooling be available on a global scale. Studying the trends in accessibility in education will allow educators to improve their own teaching techniques, as well as expand their influence to more remote areas in the world. The Future of Accessibility in International Higher Education is a comprehensive reference source for the latest scholarly material on emerging methods and trends in disseminating knowledge in university settings. Featuring extensive coverage on relevant topics such as e-learning, economic perspectives, and educational technology, this publication is ideally designed for educators, academics, students, and researchers interested in expanding their knowledge of global education.

If you are involved in academia, policy-making, or are simply curious about the complex features of internationalisation in the Global South, this work is your roadmap to deeper, more critical reflections on the internationalisation of higher education.

This book discusses how digital inequalities today may lead to other types of inequalities in the Global South. Contributions to this collection move past discussing an access problem – a binary division between ‘haves and have-nots’ – to analyse complex inequalities in the internet use, benefits, and opportunities of people in the Global South region. Using specific case studies, this book underlines how communities in the Global South are now attempting to participate in the information age despite high costs, a lack of infrastructure, and more barriers to entry. Contributions discuss the recent changes in the Global South. These changes include greater technological availability, the spread of digital literacy programs and computer courses, and the overall growth in engagement of people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, and languages in digital environments. This book outlines and evaluates the role of state and public institutions in facilitating these changes and consequently bridging the digital divide.

Providing insight into the background, theory and practical applications of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), Transforming Higher Education through Universal Design for Learning: An International Perspective examines and shares best practice in UDL implementation worldwide to provide strategies for strengthening student accessibility, engagement and learning outcomes through the development of flexible learning environments. Drawing upon insightful, research-based contributions from educators and student service specialists in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Norway, South Africa, Spain, the UK and all across the USA, this book: considers diversity in the form of disability, minority ethnic groups, gender identities, first generation university students and varying socio-economic backgrounds; brings together key thinkers and actors in the field of UDL and expertly maps its practices to the higher educational domain; explores the multiple means of representation, expression and engagement that combine to create a successful UDL framework. Each chapter not only provides a different perspective of how UDL has helped meet the needs of all students to ensure that education is accessible, culturally responsive and socially just, but also considers how this can then be implemented into higher education environments the world over. This book is a crucial read for those who want to make a positive difference in higher education provision and outcomes.

Education in the Global South faces several key interrelated challenges, for which Open Educational Resources (OER) are seen to be part of the solution. These challenges include: unequal access to education; variable quality of educational resources, teaching, and student performance; and increasing cost and concern about the sustainability of education. The Research on Open Educational Resources for Development (ROER4D) project seeks to build on and contribute to the body of research on how OER can help to improve access, enhance quality and reduce the cost of education in the Global South. This volume examines aspects of educator and student adoption of OER and engagement in Open Educational Practices (OEP) in secondary and tertiary education as well as teacher professional development in 21 countries in South America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia. The ROER4D studies and syntheses presented here aim to help inform Open Education advocacy, policy, practice and research in developing countries.

This resourceful book provides cutting-edge exploration and insightful analysis of educational implications of technology and distance higher education in Africa and Asia, critically examining access, curriculum, pedagogy, externally designed programs, the quest for ownership and strategies for creating a knowledge society.

How can you design more inclusive learning experiences and environments? How can you overcome some of the challenges of designing and implementing more inclusive learning? You will find the answers to these questions and much more in this dynamic new text. Asserting that good teaching is inclusive teaching, it demonstrates how university modules and courses can be designed so that each student, regardless of their complex diversity, is valued equally. Drawing from the contributions of over 80 experts and colleagues alongside her own extensive experience, Rossi explores how to embed inclusivity at the point of course design and how to set up, run, assess and evaluate inclusive learning environments and experiences. Following a unique ‘roots to shoots’ journey through an inclusive learning design tree, chapters focus on five dimensions: Values Context Content Assessment Evaluation An accessible and practical guide for higher education course design, this book is a must read for higher education educators looking to be more inclusive in the way they design and offer learning experiences. For further reading, please visit inclusivelearningdesign.com where you’ll find extended contributor bios, more case studies, key concepts and background, an 'inclusive learning design' checklist and glossary.