Despite the importance of tertiary education in South Africa, the high cost of full-time college studies is proving to be a significant barrier for many students, limiting their access to education and opportunities for economic mobility. While distance learning offers a potentially more affordable alternative, the current offerings in South Africa do not meet the needs of college students, who require flexible and interactive online learning experiences. By providing a platform that offers quality online courses specifically tailored to South African college students, College Studies SA aims to address this problem and provide a more accessible and affordable path to higher education, which can boost the economy and reduce government expenses in education subsidies
We believe that by designing an app that provides South African college students with easy and convenient access to accredited course materials, visual illustrations, and audio resources, we can help students overcome the barriers of cost and accessibility to tertiary education. By focusing solely on accredited courses and modules approved by the South African Department of Higher Education, our app will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in their studies and gain employment opportunities, leading to increased economic mobility and growth for individuals and the country as a whole
This project is necessary because it addresses a significant problem in South Africa, namely the high cost of full-time college studies and the limited accessibility of distance learning options for college students. By providing a platform that offers quality online tutoring and educational resources specifically tailored to South African college students, this app has the potential to make higher education more accessible and affordable for many students who may not have had the opportunity to pursue further education due to financial constraints or other barriers.
While the app won't provide certification, it will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in their studies and gain employment opportunities, leading to increased economic mobility and growth for individuals and the country as a whole.
Overall, this project has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of South African college students and the country as a whole by increasing access to education and improving the quality of available educational resources.
The app can generate revenue by charging students a monthly subscription fee to access the course contents and materials. Based on the content and features, the app can offer different pricing tiers that cater to different student needs and budget levels.
By partnering with providers of study materials, the app can expand the range of courses and resources available to students, making it a more comprehensive platform for learning. This can attract more students to the app and potentially generate revenue through revenue-sharing partnerships with the material providers.
By obtaining approval from the South African Department of Higher Education (DoHE), the app can increase its credibility and attract more students to the platform. This can also open up more business opportunities, such as potential partnerships with universities and other institutions in the education sector.
Partnering with student financing platforms can make the app more accessible to students who may not be able to afford full-time college education. This can provide additional revenue opportunities, such as commission on student loans, and increase the app's reach and popularity among students.
Overall, the "College Studies SA" app and website have the potential to generate revenue through a subscription-based model, partnerships with study material providers, collaboration with student financing platforms, and approval from the Department of Higher Education. These business opportunities can help the app grow and provide more value to South African college students.
Of Students Interviewees AGREE that most of their courses can be studied online
We have conducted 42 interviews with college students from three institutions
with these questions:
Both Part-time and Full-time college students pointed out that accommodation costs more than the studies in college
While part-time students agree that it is cheaper to study Nated Courses part-time, Full-time On Campus students finds it difficult to go with this method as it isn't funded by Higher education funding institutions
Part-time students struggles to find study materials and due to lack of platforms, they spend more time scrambling information than studying
Full-time on campus students pointed out their struggle to understand certain aspects of their studies due to lack of elaborations and visual elements
Both Part-time and Full-time students agree that they source more information and visual elements from social media and internet to improve their understanding of some concepts of their studies
Herman Bosa is a 38 years old, full time Sales Rep in Cape Town and a part-time student in CCT. “As a part-time student there’s no push towards doing your studies and it is this inconsistencies that leads a 2 years course to 4 years”. Bosa would like to have the ability to do his studies while on work breaks and even when they’re engaged with home chores.
Bill Kami is a 19 years old, full time SKN College student who would like more study materials and tutorials in his home language. He would like to see more illustrations about his studies. “I don’t understand most of the things I am taught in class as I have no real world reference”
"Understanding a concept that you have never seen can be challenging. Seeking visual illustrations from social media and the internet can cause distractions that can prevent effective studying. It's easy to get sidetracked scrolling through web pages or social media feeds instead of focusing on studying."
Enhance their learning experience
Improve their understanding of course materials
Achieve academic success
Access courses and materials that are accredited by the South African Department of Higher Education
Improve their grades and academic performance
Prepare for exams and assessments
Receive feedback and guidance on their progress and assignments
Track their academic progress and achievements
Enhance their job prospects
Increase their knowledge and skills for personal growth and development
Gain confidence and motivation to pursue further education and career opportunities.
Study at their own pace and convenience
Interact with other students and educators to collaborate and exchange ideas
Access affordable online courses and resources to reduce the financial burden of higher education.
Limited access to internet connectivity and/or digital devices, especially in rural or low-income areas
Limited access to quality educational resources and materials in their physical location
Language barriers for non-English speaking students
Inability to receive immediate or personalized feedback on assignments and progress
Limited motivation or self-discipline to study independently without the structure of a traditional classroom setting.
Limited financial resources to afford the subscription fees for the app and website
Limited time due to work, family, or other commitments
Technical difficulties or lack of technical skills to use the app and website
Limited social interaction and support from peers and educators compared to traditional classroom settings
These constraints can impact the effectiveness and usability of the app and website for certain users. To address these constraints, the app and website should be designed to be accessible, affordable, user-friendly, and responsive to users' needs and preferences. Additionally, the app and website should provide resources and support for users who may face these constraints to ensure that they have the opportunity to succeed in their studies.
One of the key design moments in the development of the "College Studies SA" app and website was ensuring ease of use and accessibility for all users, including those who may only use the app or website once or those who may not be very tech-savvy. To address this, the design team incorporated the following features:
Search Functionality: To help users quickly find the information they are looking for, a search functionality was included in the app and website. This allows users to search for specific chapters or articles and navigate directly to their preferred information.
Clear Faculty Navigation: The app homepage shows the Faculties in SA TVET College, making it easier for users to find and navigate to their relevant courses and modules. This clear navigation approach was chosen to simplify the app and website for users who may not be very tech-savvy.
By incorporating these features, the "College Studies SA" app and website is designed to be intuitive, user-friendly, and accessible for all users, regardless of their level of technical proficiency or familiarity with the app or website. These key design moments help ensure that users can quickly and easily access the information they need to succeed in their studies.
While conducting our research, we discovered that some of our users may not be familiar with technology and could be overwhelmed by a complex interface or design. In response to this, we intentionally chose to adopt a minimal and straightforward design approach to cater to these users' needs and make the app and website more accessible to them.
The design of our app and website prioritizes a simple and intuitive user flow. Users can quickly select their faculty from the homepage and then choose their qualification, level, and course subject with just a few taps. This streamlined design allows users to start learning in just a few clicks, making the app easy to engage with and helping to achieve our users' goals.
While conducting our research, we discovered that some of our users may not be familiar with technology and could be overwhelmed by a complex interface or design. In response to this, we intentionally chose to adopt a minimal and straightforward design approach to cater to these users' needs and make the app and website more accessible to them.
In addition to the app, we have also developed a complimentary website for "College Studies SA." The website offers a similar user experience to the app, with easy navigation and access to quality course materials, visual illustrations, and audio for South African college students. With both the app and website working together, our users can access their course materials and study resources at their convenience, whether they are on-the-go or sitting at their desk. The website also offers additional features such as forums, discussion boards, and access to live webinars, creating a dynamic online learning community for South African college students.
Design with prototyped screens illustrating concept of a mobile app and desktop website
