The struggle with eFundi
The eFundi website is a learning platform that enables communicates information between students and lecturers.
This app has advantages and disadvantages for both students and lecturers. The North-West University Potchefstroom Campus (NWU) uses the old version of the site and for many students it causes problems.
The IT centre on campus is in charge of the eFundi website. Thapelo Tladi is an IT specialist who works for the institution at the IT centre. He mentioned that creating the eFundi website was extremely expensive and that is why the website is being upgraded every year.
“As an IT specialist I assist students with their laptops, computers and mobile phones to connect to the institution’s Wi-Fi in order for them to access the eFundi website. Most students complain about how difficult it is for them to use the website and I always try to motivate the students to use the website more effectively, ” Tladi said.
Cornia Pretorius, a lecturer at the NWU School of Communication, mentioned that eFundi helps lecturers to communicate and share resources with students.
According to her, the site is not user-friendly and it has shortcomings. “The biggest problem with eFundi is that the grading system is complicated and it makes the work difficult. Whenever I use eFundi I often find glitches that the staff members at the IT centre can fix,” Pretorius said.
Dr Lizel Brink, another lecturer at the NWU, mentioned that the eFundi website makes life easy for her because it is easy and fast to use.
“I like the fact that I can see how many students visit the site on a daily basis. Being able to upload slides is my favourite part of the site. eFundi is an organised site that is user-friendly and easy to access,” she said.
However, first years and some students on campus struggle to use eFundi. They complain about the fact that it is difficult to use.
Ontlametse Tshibiri, a first-year student, mentioned that she doesn’t know how to use the site.
“I struggle to access the eFundi website because I do not have a smartphone and I am sure that other students are experiencing the same problem. There are other alternatives that can help me, as well as other students on campus, to access the eFundi website.
“The university has free Wifi that students can use to access the website every day. Students who do not know how to use eFundi will have to go to the IT centre or speak to their lecturers for assistance.
“It is really important for students to use the website because information and communication is shared on the website. The website is an advantage to students to get as many resources from the lecturers as possible and to know what to prepare for the rest of the semester,” Tshibiri said.
