Digital inhibitors in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

The novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) global pandemic has brought vast changes to people’s lifestyles in general and has changed business processes globally. The education systems are not spared from the COVID-19 impact and business delivery procedures. Africa mainly being the consumer of digital goods and services and not necessarily the producer as shown in the centre periphery model was not spared either. This paper explores the effects of COVD- 19 at institutions of higher learning and how they were immensely affected resulting in increased use of the web 2.0. However, the digital learning methods encountered digital inhibitors which include but not limited to accessibility, connectivity, social, geographical, economic, legal and technological digital issues. Challenges faced by the community of higher learning institutions in Zimbabwe embracing the digital learning tools are discussed. Using a qualitative approach, this article interrogates the impact of these higher education digital inhibitors in Africa with special reference to Zimbabwe during and post COVID-19 global pandemic. The research instruments used were online interviews and experiences. It is against this background that the writers unearth digital inhibitors in higher education during the COVID-19 era. Post COVID-19 era cannot be still business as usual. It is recommended that to bridge the gap there is need to consider Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as basic necessity not a luxury that have too be accessed by all as well as being in a position to operate the tools and having information literacy skills.