The Impact of E-Learning on Student Performance: A Case Study of an Entry-Level Module at a South African University

Abstract

This study seeks to establish the impact of introducing an online learning platform, using an entry-level module, on student performance. Measures of central location and dispersion are used to analyze the secondary data for three consecutive periods of which the most recent is the year in which an online learning platform was introduced. The results show that there were no noticeable changes in the overall pass rate during the year in which the online learning platform was introduced. However, there were improvements in the distribution and dispersion of the marks in that year. When the class is segmented into racial groups, results show that the African students were the most adversely impacted by the introduction of online learning, while the Indian students benefited the most from the implementation of the online learning tool. Furthermore, the full-time mainstream students realized an improvement in the pass rate compared to full-time evening students. These findings imply that in spite of marginal changes in the student performance it is essential for institutional mechanisms to provide online support to entry-level students in order to realize the full benefits of online learning platforms in universities in developing countries. This may be done through the promotion of student engagement and by introducing some ‘stick and carrot’ initiatives into e-learning activities. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n9p478