Evaluating Factors Explaining Lecturer Adoption of E-Learning at the E-Campus of Maseno University

Abstract

A wide range of literature on evaluation of eLeaming projects in Kenya indicates that its adoption in Higher Education Institutions (HEls) is low and faces a wide range of challenges. Studies on factors enabling eLeaming adoption indicate that personal and institutional factors are important in the successful eLeaming projects. In the first year of the rollout of online courses at the eCampus of Maseno University, an evaluation of statistics on the institutional Learning Management System (LMS) revealed that a number of lecturers had minimal or no log in statistics, a further analysis of the lecturer participation within the courses revealed that the lecturers were not interacting with the students enrolled in the online courses. This was indication that there was a gap in the adoption of eLeaming among lecturers. The objectives of the study were to; evaluate the effect of lecturer personal factors in the adoption of eLeaming at the eCampus of MasenoUniversity, examine the effect of institutional support factors on the adoption of eLeaming and identify challenges experienced by lecturers in the adoption of eLeaming at the eCampus of MasenoUniversity. The lecturer factors of selfefficacy, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use in relation to eLeaming were adopted from the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) which is used to understand the user acceptance of technology. The study further evaluated the institutional support factors of policy on eLeaming, lCT infrastructure and the support accorded to lecturers involved in eLeaming. The institutional factors were adopted from the Conceptual framework on inhibiting and facilitating factors for eLeaming by Andersson. A sample of 55 lecturers was selected based on the sample selection formula by Calmorin. A questionnaire was administered to the 55 lecturers from seven schools that offer courses online through the institutional eLeaming system. There were 48 responses which represents 87.3% response rate. The study revealed that lecturers had a positive perception of the usefulness of eLeaming in improved leamer-lecturer participation and dissemination of learning resources in a variety of formats to learners however, support factors of lCT infrastructure and policies on eLeaming did not make it favorable for the lecturers to adopt eLeaming. The findings further revealed that minimal administrative support was the major contribution to slow adoption of eLeaming. Based on the findings, a Logical Framework Matrix for lecturer adoption of eLeaming in an eLeaming project for an institution of higher learning was developed. The matrix developed from this study will be useful in the evaluation of lecturer adoption of eLeaming in institutions of higher learning. The findings from this study will contribute to the academic literature on critical success factors for eLeaming adoption among faculty in Higher Education Institutions in Kenya and will be critical in formulating eLeaming policy that is favourable for lecturer adoption of eLeaming within the eCampus of Maseno University