Unisa KZN rolls out student technology support in rural areas

In April 2025, the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Region Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) Unit launched a campaign to help students in rural areas by preparing them for their online examinations, and assisting them to avoid common mistakes related to the Invigilator App and other technology-related issues.

Students attending a training session with Siyabonga Zama, digital learning advisor (centre)

The onset of COVID-19 created uncharted challenges in the higher education sector, necessitating a shift to fully online examinations.  Unisa, like other universities, had to quickly coordinate and implement these online examinations, requiring new approaches to invigilation and proctoring systems. Owing to the pandemic, institutions had to swiftly cancel venue-based examinations and introduce online examinations, a move that was unprecedented but unavoidable.

The shift from venue-based to online examinations required students to quickly adapt to an unfamiliar system. This transition presented several challenges, particularly with the complex technology tools used for invigilation. To help students adjust, Unisa introduced various resources for online invigilation and proctoring.

Despite these interventions, there remained a significant gap in adaptation, prompting the university to develop a strategy to better support students in their examinations.

To help students improve their examinations, the TEL Unit conducted a series of hybrid sessions, both online and venue-based. These sessions primarily targeted students in rural areas, as data analysis revealed that most students facing technology-related challenges during examinations were from these regions.

A training session under way

Sessions were held at the uMkhanyakude and uMhlabuyalingana district municipalities, which are both in the far-northern KZN.

Presentations on the following topics were made by the regional digital learning advisors (DLAs):

• Accessing the myExams portal
• Accessing the examination timetable
• Finding out which proctoring tool is used in your examination
• Proctoring tools: Moodle Proctoring
• Activating your camera for the Moodle Proctoring Tool for MCQ examinations
• Proctoring Tools: Invigilator App
• Proctoring Tools: IRIS

The DLAs can provide students with sufficient information to prepare for their examinations, and it is hoped that this effort will lead to positive results. Additionally, partnerships with municipalities facilitate these sessions by offering Unisa access to municipal infrastructure, such as libraries and venues, at no cost.

* By Siyabonga Seme, Manager: Communication and Marketing, KZN Region