Factors Influencing Student’s Perceptions Towards E-Learning Adoption During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Developing Country Context

Abstract

After the coronavirus outbreak, face-to-face teaching was interrupted partially or entirely, and several universities adopted a variety of remote-based learning approaches. Most institutions in the developing world were not ready for such an abrupt change. Access to appropriate devices that facilitate students' effective learning in developing countries remains a challenge. This study evaluates university students' perceptions regarding e-learning deployment during COVID-19 and the factors that affected usage. The quantitative study employed an adapted Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model to guide the research process. The model has five exogenous and two endogenous variables. The survey research was administered to randomly selected undergraduate University students, with 314 completing the online questionnaire. The results show that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and the facilitating conditions positively influenced the students' behavioural intentions to use Moodle. Thus, the students had a positive perception of online learning. Results indicate a significant loss of learning due to the unavailability of technology and the cost of data; nevertheless, students agreed that online learning represents the future of teaching and learning. The findings also show that subsidised access to resources and materials is critical for the effective adoption of e-learning. This study's output provides valuable information to policymakers and researchers regarding students' perceptions and the state of elearning at institutions of higher learning.

Perceptions about Teaching in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic: Experience of Secondary Education in Chile

“…Along these lines, the Google Classroom platform and the ZOOM application were temporarily transformed into virtual classrooms, given that the pandemic context in which we live cannot interrupt the educational process of billions of young people. This is consistent with the research of Maphosa (2021) who reports that subsidised access to resources and materials is fundamental to the effective adoption of e-learning.…”

Perceptions Towards Adoption of Online Learning Under COVID-19 Pandemic Among Library and Information Science Students

“…It should be of interest to know the level of preparedness of universities in Nigeria and other developing countries before they embarked on online teaching during the COVID-19 outbreak. Furthermore, the success of online learning methods is largely dependent on students' extent of acceptance (Al-Qirim et al, 2018;Maphosa, 2021). Dodge et al (2009) reported higher drop-out rate with online learning than with face-toface method.…”

Online Teaching and Learning Under COVID-19 Pandemic; Perception of University Students in Ghana

“…The clear presence of limited ICT resources and capacity will require that governments and all stakeholders find sustainable solutions that will be able to transform such challenges into opportunities for schools and the entire economy. In a very recent publication, Maphosa (2021) examines the perception of tertiary students on e-learning technologies deployed COVID-19 and the key factors regarding their usage. Efforts and performance expectancy, and facilitating conditions had positive impact on the behavior intentions of students use of the Moodle virtual class platform.…”

“…Thus, the students had a positive perception of online learning. It was also established that absence of technology devices and high cost of internet data remains key impediment to e-learning (Maphosa, 2021).…”