E-Learning in Higher Education: Challenges and Tribulations for Social Justice

The ubiquity of the internet and communication technologies has shifted the landscape of education. The above have also transformed the contemporary learner into a digital learner. Consequently, institutions are under immense pressure to respond to the digital lifestyles by transitioning to the modern education in an innovative way. This innovation boosts learner motivation, promotes learner engagement and enhances the learning experiences of the digital learner population. Academics usually engage with learners with varying aptitudes, backgrounds, and disabilities. Terms such as social justice, equity, equal opportunity, human rights, diversity in education, and social inclusion are used with varying conceptions in the education fraternity. The populist of the terms include 'addressing student needs' and 'addressing different learning styles' focusing on development of accessible teaching and learning resources. However, the sustainability of social justice in Higher Education requires a holistic implementation from the start to the end of the learning programme. It is therefore, the aim of this study to assess the extent to which e-learning is used in Higher Education Systems to achieve social justice. A qualitative research approach with semi structured interviewing as the major method of inquiry was followed. The study focused on the voices of teachers in higher education only. Audios were used in capturing the data. The presentation of the results included the identification of trends of responses. Direct quotes of the responses were included forming the major structure of result presentations. The findings are aimed at influencing the policy makers, government and industry to come up with e-learning policies which provide for and cement social justice in Higher Education Institutions. As a consequence of this paper an individualized educational package is recommended for social justice sustainability in Higher Education.