A decade of unprecedented e-learning adoption and adaptation: Covid-19 revolutionizes teaching and learning at Papua New Guinea University of Technology (PNGUoT)

Abstract

This study examined the question of whether the “emergency remote teaching” that was accidentally adopted during the pandemic will eventually lead to an acceleration of digitalizing the teaching and learning processes at PNGUoT. Utilizing a mixed-method explanatory sequential design, quantitative data were collected first and followed by the qualitative data as a cross-verification strategy to increase control, generalizability, confidence, and validity of the study findings. The Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) was used to analyze numerical data obtained from 169 undergraduate students, while thematic analysis was found appropriate for interviews of 44 academic staff. The findings revealed that staff and students’ attitude, and ICT support were reliable predictors of e-learning adoption (F = 315.854, p ≤ 0.001 & F = 121.132, p ≤ 0.001). When all the four parameters of (X) were taken together, explained 57.3% variations in the dependent variable (adjusted r2 = 0.573). It was also clear that the multiple linear regression model showed a significant effect (F = 29.116, p ≤ 0.001) because the p value was less than the calculated probability (0.05) which was the minimum level of significance required in this study to declare a significant effect. Whereas the emergence of remote teaching seemed to have yielded tangible results during the pandemic, it, unfortunately, may not eventually lead to an automatic appreciation of technology in the teaching and learning processes at PNGUoT. There is a need to understand what is working and why, and use this to increase inclusion, innovation, creativity, and cooperation in PNGUoT in getting ready for the years ahead.