Divulging the efficacy of e-learning through the eyes of university students: Lessons from a third world perspective

Abstract

The COVID-19 has resulted in the shift from the physical classroom education to online learning or a combination of both. At the height of the pandemic, over 1.2 billion children were out of the classroom as schools were completely shut across the world (Li and Lalani, 2020). This has dramatically changed education with the distinctive upsurge of e-learning, whereby teaching and learning is conducted remotely with the aid of digital platforms. This sudden shift from the traditional classroom in various parts of the world has left many not sure about the future of the education market. The question from all quarters is whether online learning will continue post the pandemic, and in response to the pandemic many online platforms are offering their e-learning platforms for free (Holmes, 2020) but there is need to see their applicability to the context of Zimbabwe or other third world countries.The research used qualitative data collection method in which 4th year students were asked to write an essay about their experiences with e-learning. 50 students took part in the research and their responses were evaluated using R qualitative data analysis (RQDA) software. The results were used to come up with a model that explains the critical success factors for the adoption of e-learning in higher learning institutions. The results show that a combination of organizational, technological, environmental and behavioral factors affects the efficacy of e-learning.