Digitalization of Teaching and Learning: Experiences and Opportunities in Selected Higher Learning Institutions in Zambia

The study was undertaken to analyze higher learning institutions’ e-learning policies post COVID-19. A descriptive research design was used. The sample comprised 10 administrators and 15 lectures in 10 Universities, and 30 students who were randomly selected. Data was collected using questionnaires while analysis of data was done using SPSS to obtain descriptive statistics. The study revealed that Universities have e-learning policies in place and are prepared for digital teaching and learning. The study established that lecturers and students prefer traditional face-to-face learning to e-learning. Though e-learning has opportunities in the COVID-19 era such as time and cost effective, and enhancing learning to a larger crowd outside campus, it is expensive to many institutions of higher learning due to high costs of maintenance of equipment, software and training of staff on online teaching. In addition, learners also find it challenging to use e-learning platforms due to factors such as poor internet connectivity, electricity load shedding which results in prolonged power outage and expensive data bundles in Zambia. The study concludes that e-learning is the safest mode of teaching during this period of COVID-19 and that despite learners favoring the traditional face-to-face learning, they must adapt to e-learning. Therefore, the study recommends that institutions of higher learning create digital technologies at local level such as Personal Learning Network (PLN) and Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) which are cost effective and easy to setup.