Issues and Challenges of Using E-Learning in a Yemeni Public University

Abstract

Yemen is confronted with several challenges in implementing e-learning in public universities. Thus, this research paper aims to identify and addressed the major issues and challenges faced by a public university in Yemen in establishing e-learning as a successful medium of imparting learning process. These challenges and barriers are discussed in detail. Many issues of e-learning relevant to the context of Yemen are also identified based on literature review. This paper also discusses the enabling factors and benefits for using e-learning. Two separate research methods are implemented: a survey and an interview to study the respondent’s individual learning experience and what are the challenges and problems of using e-learning from their point of view. This study was conducted at Hodeidah University. Two major groups of informants are used and they are academic staff and administrators in the university. Findings show that barriers such as lack of quality e-content, lack of awareness, lack of skills, lack of foreign language skill, attitudinal hampering, infrastructural obstacles, cultural barriers and high rate of computer illiteracy in addition to barriers related to integrating e- learning into traditional education methods are the major challenges of implementing e-learning. The results show that all the obstacles can be categorized into five dimensions which are a human constraints, administrative constraints, technical constraints, financial and physical constraints. The results also revealed that factors such as technical suppor, social and cultural support of e-learning, financial support for instructors and faculty members, improving working conditions, improving technological background knowledge, improving foreign language skill, providing royalties on copyrighted materials and academic staff attention in professional development are the important issues in implementing e-learning in any public university in Yemen.