Overcoming the Odds: Online Learning Experiences from Open University of Tanzania’s Regional Centre Rural-based Students

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study that has explored rural students’ experiences with online learning in Tanzania. The study used purposive sampling to select twenty-five participants. It employed a phenomenological design, primarily using semi-structured interviews coupled with document review, to obtain data on students’ lived experiences. The data was then subjected to thematic analysis to generate study findings which show that rural students used the Moodle system to support their online learning. Moreover, they had Zoom meetings, discussion forums and WhatsApp as recourse to the Moodle system. According to the findings, the students faced challenges such as poor access to the Internet, prohibitive costs of learning infrastructure, and limited technical skills. Furthermore, these students faced inflexible schedules and limited access to assistive technologies. As a result, they complemented their study processes with downloaded materials, printed learning materials, regional centre physical visits and university graduates’ additional support. The study concludes that the complex nature of the rural environment marked by limited infrastructural and technological development makes studying through ODL doubly daunting for rural-based students. The paper, therefore, recommends instituting transformative strategies aimed to enhance the quality of rural students’ lived experiences of ODL online learning.