scholarly journals Factors influencing the use of e-learning facilities by students in a private Higher Education Institution (HEI) in a developing economy

Author(s):  
Sunday C. Eze ◽  
Vera C. A. Chinedu-Eze ◽  
Clinton K. Okike ◽  
Adenike O. Bello

Abstract While research into the adoption of e-learning in Nigeria has mainly focused on its use in public Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), there is still a lack of research on factors affecting students’ use of e-learning in private HEIs in Nigeria. This study, therefore, explores factors influencing the use of e-learning by students in private HEIs in Nigeria using Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework. We use a data collection method encompassing semi-structured interviews with 15 students from L-University drawn purposefully from the Landmark directory and a hybrid thematic analysis to analyse the data. Our findings reveal that technology-related factors (ease of use, speed accessibility and service delivery), organisation-related factors (training support and diversity), environment-related factors (attitudes of the users) and impact-related factors (learning experience, skill development, academic performance, and degree of engagement) influence the students’ adoption of e-learning facilities. We develop an extended TOE framework that integrates the impact context which considers the students likely expectations if these facilities are fully adopted and implemented. The study also unveils techniques that may accelerate the development of e-learning structure in private HEIs and which could provide the opportunity of assisting communities of learners to adopt and use e-learning facilities regularly.

Author(s):  
Sunday C. Eze ◽  
Vera C. A. Chinedu-Eze ◽  
Clinton K. Okike ◽  
Adenike O. Bello

Abstract This paper examines critical success factors shaping the adoption of digital marketing devices (DMD) by micro-businesses. The study adopted a qualitative approach. Both unstructured and semi-structured interviews were conducted with a total of 26 micro-businesses drawn purposefully from the online database and underpinned by technology, organisation and environment (TOE) framework. This helped to unravel 14 critical success factors influencing the adoption of DMD by micro-businesses in Nigeria. These factors include functional capability, adaptive capacity and expandability which are related to technology context. Collective understanding, degree of partnership and diversity of information are linked to the organisation context while the level of training, quality of service delivery, customer fulfilment and intense competition are associated with environmental context. The study expanded the TOE framework by unravelling the impact expectancy context which is associated with factors, such as budget, business expansion, diversity and return on investment. This study will be of importance to academics and practitioners because it provides further awareness into DMD adoption framework, factors critical to the DMD adoption and may assist in reducing the number of resources spent in search of information aimed at helping DMD adoption by micro-businesses.


Rheumatology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mandeep Ubhi ◽  
Shirish Dubey ◽  
John Reynolds ◽  
Caroline Gordon ◽  
Tochukwu Adizie ◽  
...  

Abstract Background/Aims  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affect patients from minority ethnic backgrounds, with many patients experiencing symptoms that affect their daily lives despite receiving long-term controller medication. Work is a large part of most people’s lives, yet little has been explored into how people from minority ethnic backgrounds cope at work whilst living with SLE. We conducted a study to understand the impact of SLE on working lives of South Asian patients. The aim was to identify and develop support mechanisms that could assist them with remaining at work. Methods  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten patients of South Asian origin with SLE to explore their work experiences. Patients were recruited from three rheumatology centres in the West Midlands, UK and were interviewed between November 2019 and March 2020. Interviews were audio-recorded and typed by an independent transcribing company. Returned transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis and QSR NVivo 12 software was used to organise and manage the data. Results  The majority (n = 8) of patients were female. Eight patients were from an Indian background, and two were from a Pakistani background. Half of all patients were educated to degree level. The age range of patients was 23 - 58 years old (S.D = 10.79), and disease duration varied between 3 months-33 years (S.D = 9.52). All patients had permanent jobs; six were in full-time employment, and four were in part-time employment. Four main themes emerged from the data: 1) Disease related factors; impacting work ability; 2) Employment related factors; impacting work ability; 3) Personal and cultural related factors; impacting work ability; 4) Recommendations for improvement were made by patients. Conclusion  In this novel study we highlight patients’ experiences of being at work. This study reports low awareness of SLE and mixed support in the workplace. Patients discussed work to varying degrees with their clinicians and needed further information for employers that was not available nor provided by their clinicians. The study reports cultural barriers in understanding SLE that could lead to lack of family support to remain in employment. Moreover, recommendations made in this study require further investigation and could be used by clinicians and Lupus UK to support patients of South Asian origin at work. Disclosure  M. Ubhi: None. S. Dubey: None. J. Reynolds: None. C. Gordon: None. T. Adizie: None. T. Sheeran: None. K. Allen: None. R. Jordan: None. S. Sadhra: None. J. Adams: None. R. Daji: None. K. Kumar: None.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-23
Author(s):  
Maha Al-Freih

The aim of this phenomenological study is to provide a deeper understanding of the impact of remote teaching on instructors’ perceptions of online learning and future teaching practices amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze open-ended semi-structured interviews conducted with five higher education faculty in Saudi Arabia. Three major themes were identified: enhancing student engagement; increased awareness of technology affordances and constraints; and moving from emergency remote teaching to technology-enhanced and blended learning. Participants of this study were mainly concerned about finding ways to support active student engagement in this new learning environment, which in turn increased their awareness of the educational affordances and constraints of online learning and technologies. Participants’ deeper understanding of the potential of online technologies in supporting student learning, as well as their own and students’ increased familiarity and comfort with online learning and technologies, served as the main drivers for potential future implementation of blended learning and technology-enhanced teaching practices. With that said, participants were still apprehensive about engaging in fully online teaching, arguing that blended strategies and enhanced-technology integration are more likely to overcome some of the limitations of face-to-face teaching and improve the overall learning experience for their students. Discussion of these findings in relation to the extant literature and their implications for higher education institutions moving forward are provided.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 805-810
Author(s):  
Alka Sharma ◽  
◽  
Hina Jain Gupta ◽  

In the last two decades, technology has evolved at a great pace and has influenced almost all spheres of life and education is no exception to it. Nowadays, most of the educational institutions are using various tools and equipments to impart education to the students. This paper has tried to explore the impact of e-education tools on thestudents in higher educational institutions. The sample consists of students enrolled in higher educational institutions. Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been adopted for data collection including questionnaires, semi-structured &open-ended interviews. Use of computer and internet was found to be one of the most important e-learning tools. The findings are expected to assist the higher educational institutions in framing their policies to impart quality education to the students.


Author(s):  
Allan M. Lawrence ◽  
Peter J. Short ◽  
Deborah Millar

This chapter reviews and investigates the models and acceptability of E-Learning to the emerging students markets for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from the More Developed Countries (MDCs) and seeks to evaluate the differing models of delivery from a practical and a socio-economic perspective. The research also investigates the impact of the shifts in population growth and the subsequent impact upon the levels of demand from students in Less Developed Countries (LDCs) for higher education. In addition, the logistical and quality factors affecting E-Learning are evaluated, looking at the aspects of academic rigour, plagiarism, and the methods of managing the originality and authenticity of student work. Similarly, the research looks at the viability of situations where the education provider may never physically meet the students through the exclusive use of VLEs, and the possible credibility issues that this may present to institutional and awarding body reputations.


Author(s):  
Ahmad M. Al-Khasawneh ◽  
Randa Obeidallah

The development of information and communication technology (ICT) and e-learning has enhanced the process of teaching and learning in Jordanian higher education institutions particularly in the Hashemite University (HU). HU is considered one of the leading universities in adopting e-learning. The attitude toward ICT and e-learning is measured to understand how ICT and e-learning would be accepted through applying the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory. The results showed a significant relationship between students' perception of technology characteristics and their attitude towards using the technology in the educational system. In this chapter, factors influencing user acceptance and adoption of ICT in Jordan on student motivations for the acceptance of technologies necessary for the delivery of e-learning activities are being handled.


Author(s):  
Indira Padayachee

Virtual learning systems (VLSs), commonly referred to as learning or course management systems, have been formally adopted at many higher education institutions. However, knowledge of the actual usage of VLSs is limited in terms of what specific functional and non-functional characteristics are deemed useful and how this influences system usage. Furthermore, little is known about the role of other non-system-related factors related to VLS usage, such as pedagogic, organisational, and individual difference factors. This chapter proposes and describes the virtual learning system usage model (VLSUM), which represents the factors influencing VLS usage in higher education institutions. The VLSUM is based on a conceptual framework integrating multiple dimensions and is confirmed by the results of an empirical study. A mixed-methods research design was adopted in the development of the VSLUM. This model is valuable to educational technologists, instructional designers, and software designers for VLS implementation in higher education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 465-492
Author(s):  
Azilah Anis ◽  
Rafikul Islam

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a hierarchical model to rank the challenges faced by the private Malaysian higher education institutions (HEIs) in the provision of quality education and subsequently their corresponding critical success factors (CSFs) to address those challenges. Design/methodology/approach A sequential mix method was adopted in this study. Semi-structured interviews with 29 participants were initially conducted to identify the challenges and CSFs. This was followed by a questionnaire survey involving 158 respondents to prioritise the identified findings. Thematic analysis was conducted in the qualitative stage, uncovering the challenges and their corresponding CSFs. Data for both stages were accumulated from internal and external stakeholders of Malaysian private HEIs. Finally, the four stages of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) were applied to rank the challenges and CSFs. Findings The qualitative stage identified eight challenges, i.e. “academics”, “facilities”, “students”, “programmes and curriculum”, “competition”, “accreditation”, “finance” and “research” together with their corresponding CSFs. The AHP enables the ranking of these challenges. “Finance” has been found to be the most crucial challenge and “high competency in managing the institution’s finance” as the most important CSF to address this challenge. Research limitations/implications As the study restricted its focus on Malaysian private HEIs, the results may not be generalised for public HEIs and foreign private HEIs operating in Malaysia. Originality/value The hierarchical model developed in this study is deemed important for implementation to resolve the prioritised challenges. It spells out the specific areas in which the resources of Malaysian private HEIs need to be prudently disbursed and properly managed.


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