The Internet serves as a tool to facilitate the socio-economic, political, and educational advancement of any nation. It has become one of the most vital ways to make available resources for teaching and learning for both teachers and students to share and acquire information. The globalization of society through the internet is connected to remarkable developments in information technology and has given birth to the e-learning phenomenon, which broadens our horizons in teaching and learning and creates opportunities for all stakeholders in the teaching and learning process.
E-learning involves the use of the internet and other important technologies to produce educational materials for teaching and learning, instruct learners, and also regulate courses in an organization. E-learning has become an essential method and a new innovation and paradigm that is widely used and implemented by educational institutions all over the world.
Table of Contents
E-learning according to Kumar and Bajpai (2015) is an umbrella term that describes learning done at a computer, usually connected to a network (internet), giving the opportunity to learn almost anytime, anywhere. Alismail (2015) describes e-learning as a powerful tool that provides direct access to information and knowledge for effective teaching and learning. Tossy (2017) defines e-learning as the use, acquisition, distribution, and facilitation of knowledge through the internet and computer.
E-learning generally encompasses the use and application of information and communication technologies at web sites, personal computers, tablet, cell phones, learning management systems, and other ways to improve teaching and learning processes. Alismail (2015) opines that with e-learning leading to independent learning, teachers have the responsibility to guide students as they explore and obtain necessary knowledge and information in order to further develop such skills. Subsequently, without even knowing it, students “learn how to learn” and construct their own learning strategies that can last a lifetime.
Importance of E-Learning
The importance of e-learning in higher institutions of learning according to Holmes and Gardner (2006), Smedley (2010), Arkorful and Abaidoo (2014) include: e-learning provides institutions and students the flexibility of time and place of delivery. It enhances the efficacy of knowledge and qualifications via ease of access to huge amount information. It provides opportunity for interaction and relation among students through the use of discussion forum. E-learning is cost effective in the sense that there is no need for the students or learners to travel. It is also cost effective in the sense that it offers opportunities for learning for maximum number of learners with no need for many buildings.
Review of Studies
A number of studies have been conducted on the use of e-learning. Studies like that of Holley (2012) indicate that e-learning systems permit instruction methods geared to improving top quality related to instruction and higher education students’ academic achievement. Holley (2012) added that university students who generally participate in online or e-learning achieve far better amounts compared to university students who examine traditional methods. Keshavarz, Rahimi and Esmaili (2013) concluded that e-learning has a positive impact on the academic achievements of students.
Mahmoodi (2015) found that the use of e-learning in the physiology teaching-learning process improves students learning and creativity. Mothibi (2015) found a significant impact of e-learning on students’ performance. Elfaki, Abdulraheem, and Abdulrahim (2019) examined the impact of e-learning on the students’ academic performance and found that the average score of students exposed to e-learning was higher and statistically significant than the average score of students in the control group. Jawad and Shalash (2020) found statistically significant differences in the students’ academic achievements during the implementation of the e-learning strategy.
Models of E-Learning
Algahtani (2011) and Mahmoodi (2015), identifies six (6) models of e-learning. These six models are:
- E-learning with Physical Presence and without E-communication (face-to-face)
- E-learning without Presence and without E-communication (self-learning)
- E-learning without Presence and with E-communication (asynchronous)
- E-learning with virtual Presence and with E-communication (synchronous)
- E-learning with occasional Presence and with E-communication (blended/hybrid-asynchronous)
- E-learning with Presence and with E-communication (blended/hybrid-synchronous)
Therefore, this study adopted E-learning with virtual Presence and with E-communication (synchronous) model.
Challenges
In spite of the importance of e-learning for students’ performance in higher institutions of learning, a number of universities, polytechnics, and colleges could not meet the ICT facilities required for effective curriculum delivery through e-learning. Shekari (2010), Mahdinejad and Amoii (2011), and Ansari, Alas and Guan (2016) identified the major challenges to effective utilization of ICT facilities for the teaching-learning process in tertiary education institutions as: inadequate supply of computer hardware and software; irregular power supply; limited training opportunities for teachers; low level of institutional partnership with professional and corporate bodies for technical support; poor funding and maintenance.
The challenges identified are inimical to effective teaching and learning processes. Mahdinejad and Amoii (2011) and Ansari, Alas and Guan (2016) observed that the majorities of the students lack knowledge and skills in information and communication technology. Mahdinejad and Amoii (2011) added that adequate provision of information and communication technology facilities and better management of available information and communication technology facilities were identified as the means to improve information and communication technology facility utilization in tertiary institutions to enhance students’ academic performance and motivation. Yahiaou and Brika (2022) reported that e-Learning is a key strategy in the course of higher institutions to improve the results of the educational learning process and stimulate students’ motivation.
Motivation
Motivation is a vital aspect of the educational process and is considered an indispensable element that offers guidance, inspires, and maintains a constructive attitude toward a shared goal. Espinar and Ortega (2015) define motivation as what inspires students to dedicate time to a certain task freely. Filgona, Sakiyo, Gwany and Okoronka (2020) described motivation as students’ attitudes and feelings about the activity, as well as how long they remain committed to the task. Keller (2010) identified four categories of motivation that stimulate and keep motivating the learners to learn.
The four categories include attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction. The first step according to Keller (2010) is to maintain learners’ curiosity and interest (Attention), the second step is to convince the learner that his or her experience is personally meaningful (Relevance), the third step is to convince the learners that they can understand the material and accomplish a task (Confidence), and the last step is to be sure that learners feel good about what they did (Satisfaction). Herath, Bano and Vasantha (2021) found that e-Learning had positive effects on students’ motivation and active participation in the learning process.
Recommendations
These are the recommendations for Impactful e-learning:
- Workshops, conferences, seminars and training should be organized for lecturers on the implementation of e-learning to improve lecturers’ knowledge on the use of e-learning, thereby enhancing students’ performance.
- Lecturers at Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education should adopt e-learning as a method of instructions.