Exploring the Challenges of Virtual Teaching and Learning From a Developing African Country Context

Abstract

There is limited knowledge about the challenges of the virtual learning program, particularly from students' perspectives. The purpose of the study is to explore the challenges of virtual teaching and learning from students' perspectives. From the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behaviour's (DTPB) perspective, qualitative data from 40 private and public university students through eight focus group discussions were collected and analysed thematically. The result identified distraction, lack of socialization, lack of technical know-how and technical challenges such as unsupportive devices, and poor internet connectivity as major challenges to virtual teaching and learning. Reducing these challenges would significantly improve the effectiveness of the virtual teaching and learning program. The study contributes to theory by using DTPB to understand facilitating, control, and self-efficacy beliefs hindering the adoption of virtual learning from students' perspective.