A strategy to enhance e‑safety among first‑year students at Zimbabwean universities: an action research
The widespread use of ICT offers considerable opportunities to society. However, there is ample evidence that students are exposed to various e-Safety challenges and risks through the use of ICT. Most Zimbabwean students who are not adequately prepared for e-Safety are now entering universities a...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2022
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11408/4987 |
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| Summary: | The widespread use of ICT offers considerable opportunities to society. However, there is
ample evidence that students are exposed to various e-Safety challenges and risks through
the use of ICT. Most Zimbabwean students who are not adequately prepared for e-Safety
are now entering universities and are thus exposed to the risks posed by ICT. Therefore,
this action research developed a strategy to enhance e-Safety among first-year students in
Zimbabwean universities. The overarching research strategy was action research, which
used qualitative research methods to collect information on e-Safety, usage and risks
students face, and how these risks can be mitigated. Data was collected using an online
questionnaire, interviews, observation and netnography. The results showed that the under-
standing of e-safety issues is still in its infancy. Therefore, an e-safety strategy was formu-
lated to clearly indicate what to report, to whom and how concerning safety. This strategy
was based on the overall reflection of the research, which recommended that education
plays a central role in e-safety, as perpetrators or victims may not be aware of the chal-
lenges of e-safety. Thus, this research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by
providing a clear strategy for dealing with e-safety challenges in Zimbabwean universities.
Furthermore, this research is important in understanding the future of ICT use in develop-
ing countries like Zimbabwe. |
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