Using E-learning System in Jordanian Universities during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Benefits and Challenges

Ahmad Abu-Al-Aish

doi:10.5539/cis.v14n3p49

Abstract

During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the national lockdowns implemented in countries around the world, many universities worldwide made the transition from face-to-face delivery to online learning using e-learning systems. However, the successful transition from traditional class-based learning to online learning depends greatly on understanding the challenges related to the implementation and use of e-learning systems, as well as the technical and management factors that need to be enhanced. This study aimed to investigate the challenges related to the use of e-learning systems in Jordanian universities and to explore the technical and management aspects that impacted the successful implementation and use of e-learning systems during COVID-19. To achieve the study objectives, a questionnaire was developed by the researcher and distributed online to lecturers working at Jordanian universities. A total of 184 lecturers participated in the study. Based on the findings, the study provides recommendations which will help higher education policy makers, university management teams, and software developers build strategies to ensure the successful implementation and use of e-learning systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Highlights

The rapid spread of COVID-19 at the beginning of the year 2020 greatly impacted countries worldwide and forced many governments to implement national lockdowns, impacting economic, education, and tourism sectors worldwide
There is a need for empirical research which investigates the challenges related to the implementation and use of e-learning systems in Jordanian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic
Many lecturers and students in Jordanian universities had not been prepared for the sudden transition from traditional learning to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

Summary

Introduction

The rapid spread of COVID-19 at the beginning of the year 2020 greatly impacted countries worldwide and forced many governments to implement national lockdowns, impacting economic, education, and tourism sectors worldwide. In response to the outbreak, educational institutes made the transition from traditional face-to-face or blended-learning delivery methods to distance learning. In Jordan, the decision to terminate campus-based delivery in universities and transition to distance learning was made by the Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education in the second semester of 2020. This came as a surprise for many lecturers and students, as university education in Jordan is usually mainly classroom-based. Most Jordanian universities were already utilizing blended-learning methods using e-learning systems, the transition from traditional to online learning was not straightforward and came with many challenges (Bataineh et al, 2021)

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Conclusion