Virtual migration of higher education institutions in times of crisis: Major challenges and critical success factors

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In the last few months, e-learning witnessed a considerable demand due to the Covid-19 pandemic that made it the pragmatic solution for all Higher Education Institutions (HEI). Currently, all public and private universities relying on technology to make education continues with few interruptions. The migration of HEI into the virtual education model experienced several challenges in delivering rich education content to educators and learners. OBJECTIVE: Critical Success Factors (CSFs) enabled many universities to transform efficiently into the virtual environment. Before this transition, universities should carefully consider the key challenges and the CSFs to achieve successful migration to the virtual environment. E-learning is not a substitute anymore, it is gradually becoming a de-facto technology transformation in the current exceptional situation. This paradigm shift contributes to the success of education continuity in higher education settings. METHODOLOGY: A survey instrument was distributed to 500 students effectively using e-learning systems. Out of which only 330 were completed and used in the analysis which determined 66%as the overall response rate. RESULTS: The results of the study indicate a positive and significant relationship between the 13 CSFs and the e-learning systems usage, and that also indicates a notable impact of the CSFs on the e-learning systems usage. CONCLUSION: The outcome of this research identifies the top 13 CSFs that contribute to delivering successful e-learning systems usage. The top 13 CSFs are positively and significantly correlated with e-learning systems usage.