Critical Success Factors for Electronic Learning from the Perspectives of Faculty Members and Experts of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, Using Delphi Method and Analytic Hierarchy Process

Abstract

Background: The present study aimed to investigate and rank the effective success factors for e-learning based on the perspectives of the faculty members, students, and technical specialists of Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Methods: This descriptive survey was conducted using the qualitative-quantitative method. At the first stage of the qualitative approach, 15 specialists in e-learning were selected from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences through the purposive sampling technique to discuss and confirm the effective factors in the e-learning success using the Delphi method and a questionnaire. Subsequently, these students categorized the effective factors in the success of e-learning based on their level of importance using a researcher-made paired comparison questionnaire and analytical hierarchy process. The reliability of the study tools was confirmed by showing a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of higher than 0.7, and their structural validity was confirmed using the confirmatory factor analysis. Results: According to the results of the study, the management with the relative weight of 0.311 was found to be the most effective factor in determining the success of e-learning. This factor was followed by support services, teaching strategies, financial sources, technology infrastructure, and teacher-learner with relative weights of 0.236, 0.197, 0.124, 0.094, and 0.038, respectively. Conclusion: As the findings of the current study indicated, the factors of management, support services, education strategies, financial sources, and technology infrastructure had the highest significance in e-learning, respectively, whereas the factor of teacher-learner had the lowest importance in this regard.