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Challenges experienced by lecturers and students at a University of<br />

Technology transitioning from classroom based to online Teaching<br />

and Learning activities as a result of <strong>COVID</strong>-<strong>19</strong><br />

Merlisa Claudia Kemp and Florence Elizabeth Davidson<br />

Introduction<br />

When the pandemic first hit South Africa in March 2020, the President announced that the<br />

country will be on lockdown level 5. At this level drastic measures are taken to contain the<br />

spread of the virus and save lives. Each person is confined to his/her place of residence unless<br />

it is strictly for the purpose of performing an essential service. Retail shops and shopping malls<br />

are closed except where essential goods are sold. As a result of lockdown level 5, all Higher<br />

Education Institutions across South Africa had to transition from classroom-based teaching to<br />

online teaching. Ways in which to share teaching and learning material with students also had<br />

to be considered. In order to comply with the lockdown restrictions, university management<br />

requested that lecturers change their pre-<strong>COVID</strong>-<strong>19</strong> planned Teaching, Leaning & Assessment<br />

(T, L& A) to better align with the online delivery of courses. These changes had to be carefully<br />

documented and presented to the faculty Teaching and Learning committee and then<br />

approved by the Senate executive committee of the institution.<br />

We describe challenges experienced by the Department of Medical Imaging and Therapeutic<br />

Sciences (MITS) which offers four professional 4-year BSc programmes (Diagnostic<br />

Radiography, Diagnostic Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine Technology and Radiation Therapy) at<br />

the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. This institution serves a culturally diverse group<br />

of students from different socio-economic backgrounds.<br />

Technological challenges<br />

With the sudden transition to online remote academic teaching and learning activities, many<br />

challenges were faced by academic staff and students navigating the online system. The<br />

pandemic has highlighted the issues experienced by the citizens of a third world country,<br />

South Africa. Due to the issues with the electricity power system, the South African society<br />

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