Bridging the digital divide with changing information literacy methods in post-apartheid South Africa

Abstract

This paper reports on a study done at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). The aim of the study was to identify innovative teaching and learning methods that would accommodate the diverse student population in the IL classroom and to recommend guidelines for teaching and learning of IL. The digital divide is defined as the gap or divide between those with access to and skills in information and communication technologies (ICTs) and those without such access or skills. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used. Self-administered questionnaires were administered to 227 students from the Faculty of Health who were engaged in the IL module, Subject Librarians (SL) teaching IL and the Co-ordinator of the IL module from the Centre of Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT) at the Durban University of Technology were interviewed. The findings of this study could be applied globally.