Predicting the Predicting the Acceptance and Intention Acceptance and Intention to Use E-learning at the to Use E-learning at the University of Zululand, University of Zululand,

South AfricaSouth AfricaBy Neil EvansBy Neil Evans

Supervisor : Supervisor : Prof. CJB le RouxProf. CJB le RouxCo-supervisorsCo-supervisors : : Prof. S Mutula and Dr. Prof. S Mutula and Dr. D JacobsD Jacobs

Outline of PresentationOutline of Presentation Introduction and Conceptual Setting Contextual Setting Problem Statements Research Aims and Objectives Research Questions Significance of the Study Scope and Limitations Research Design and Methodology Dissemination of Research Findings Preliminary Chapter Division ReferencesReferences

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Learning can be defined as the acquisition of knowledge, crucial for the development of new skills and attitudes, and its goal is to give experience.

Image reference: http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/hlm.phpImage reference: http://cetl.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/hlm.php

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Over the last twenty years, technology has modernized how we live, how we communicate, and how we learn.

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Fox predicts changing expectations from learners.

Based on their learning experiences within different semantic networks.

Fox (2005:13)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Fox predicts changing expectations from learners.

Based on their learning experiences within different semantic networks.

Fox (2005:13)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

The move from linear to multi-threaded learning

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

From static to dynamic information

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

From content to experience

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Demonstration to inference

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Objectives to goals

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Uniformity to diversity

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Receipt to responsibility

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Consumption to contribution

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Research recommends that institutions of HE need to follow global education trends in technology and innovation.Damoense (2003)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Intructivist Constructivist Experiential

learning Problem based

learning (PBL) Engagement theory Connectivism

Need to adopt learning theories that promote Need to adopt learning theories that promote participation, collaboration and interaction participation, collaboration and interaction between learnersbetween learners :: OutOut InIn

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Image reference: http://lh6.ggpht.com/philippe.boukobza/R9esWOb-1nI/AAAAAAAAA30/FTgIHlOi5oc/image%5B5%5D

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Carol (2007) suggests that we have moved beyond the Information Age, to the Age of Networks and therefore Networked Learning.

E-learning is a term broadly used to describe any type of learning that utilises ICTs and IS to assist in learning.

Identified four types of e-learning, namely:

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Informal: learners access a web site or join an online discussion.

Self-paced: learners access computer based (CBT) or Web-based (WBT) training materials at their own pace.

Leader-led: differs from the latter in that there is always an instructor, tutor or facilitator leading the learning process. synchronous asynchronous

Performance support tools: which refers to materials that learners access to help perform a task, e.g., using a wizard

Broadbent (2002:10)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Rich hybrids of e-learning would be formed from combining any of the four types described above.

Blended learning combines conventional learning methods with e-learning methods.

Introduction and Conceptual Setting

Community Outreach

Face to Face

Research

Mentoring

Experiential

Learning

Blended learning approach

E-learning e.g. LMS, Blog , Quiz, Wiki, Email, Chat, multimedia etc.

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

E-learning comes with its own opportunities and challenges for the four key stakeholders in the process, namely:

the learner, the academic, the online developer and

instructional designer and management.

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

ICT skills ICT skills Just in timeJust in time

TechnophobiaTechnophobia Portability Portability

Opportunities and challenges for tOpportunities and challenges for the he learner:learner:

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Pre-packaging of essential information.

Allows for more feedback.

Creating course content can be labour intensive.

Specialised skills required.

Opportunities and challenges for tOpportunities and challenges for the he academic:academic:

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Ravjee discusses four competing points of view on the relation of ICTs and HE change in South Africa namely:

globalisation, digital divides, market driven forces, and politics of e-learning. (Ravjee, 2007:28)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Globalisation: ICT use is seen as inevitable progress. ICT skills necessary to participate in

the knowledge societies and economies.

ICT is replacing traditional information and communication and models.

(Ravjee, 2007:28)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Digital divides: Difference in accessing resources including

hardware, software and Internet connectivity exist across nations and within national contexts.

There exists numerous individual, social, cultural, economic and institutional factors that influence peoples intention to use and the use of ICT resources that they have access to.

(Ravjee, 2007:29)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Market driven forces: ICTs and the market as hand in hand

forces that permeate our educational institutions, leading to change.

Rise of ICT-enhanced for profit institutions (virtual universities), the selling of internet courses, the use of proprietary LMS software, and ICT – related intellectual property issues are examples of the increasing influence that markets have on HE globally.

(Ravjee, 2007:31)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Politics of e-learning in SA: ICTs are seen to provide working class communities

increased access to online HE programmes. Do online or mixed - mode programmes offer the

same quality education compared to the contact programmes?

(Ravjee, 2007:32)

Greater percentage of African students (64% of total enrollment) now enrolling in online or mixed - mode programmes, rather than contact programmes (48% of total enrollment).

(Department of Education; 2004)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Many researchers have published various theories that can help explain the adoption of both ICT and IS.

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Many researchers have published various theories that can help explain the adoption of both ICT and IS.

(Venkatesh et al, 2003:427)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Venkatesh et al (2003) formulated a unified model, called the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT):

(Venkatesh et al, 2003:445)

Introduction and Introduction and Conceptual SettingConceptual Setting

Modification of UTAUT model with some constructs from TAM (Moran, 2006:30)

Contextual SettingContextual Setting The University of Zululand, South Africa, is a

Comprehensive University offering certificate, diploma and degree programmes in the four faculties of Arts, Education, Commerce and Science and Agriculture.

There is currently no policy within the University of Zululand that refers to e-learning within the teaching and learning domains.

In 2006 the WUZULU project in partnership with NUFFIC, established an e-learning interest group who developed the first draft proposal for a unified e-learning initiative at the University of Zululand.

However mainly due to lack of funding for staff, the proposal never got off the ground. In 2008 an e-learning task team was established with the aim of reviving the project.

Contextual SettingContextual Setting At the same time UZ asked by UJ to participate in a

developmental study towards effective practices in e-learning through a process of self-evaluation.

During the two workshops it became clear that: Limited and fragmented e-learning integration

within different programmes curricula. No specific Quality Management processes in place

to enhance e-learning. Limited initiatives for the professional development

of staff to integrated e-learning within existing curricula.

No structures in place for technical and system support and working with pre-determined standards.

Few contributions from leadership and change management - bottom up approach.

Contextual SettingContextual Setting

ICT resources: Technical assistance is limited but

available. Server resources are available. In total: 600 seats shared between 10 000

students ( 1PC to 17 students). 300 of our PC seats are available 24/7. 200 are only available up to 22:00. And the rest is only available in office

hours. Only a very small portion of our students

own their own PCs.

Problem StatementsProblem Statements According to the Carol (2007) much of our

curricula and education systems are still products from a mechanistic past, in which predetermined knowledge was delivered in a linear format to a mass audience.

The focus was on transferring information in a controlled sequence without accounting for the contextual settings of the different learners.

Many traditionally contact institutions have heeded current research, which suggests that they cannot retain their traditional structures, both in terms of facilities and delivery of content via formal lectures and class based activity alone (O’Neill et al, 2004:1).

Problem StatementsProblem Statements In its Draft White Paper on E-education in South

Africa (2003:44), the Department of Education recommended that e-learning should become a “mainstream activity” in all classrooms. This recommendation corresponds with the development plans of most African governments in order to reach the Millennium Goal of “Education for all” (Conference Report, 2006:4).

Institutions of HE and the research and development community in general have a central role to play in exploring and experimenting with new e-learning technologies, methodologies and techniques to support learners, teachers and administrators in e-learning and e-administration (Draft White Paper, 2003:41).

Problem StatementsProblem Statements The University of Zululand needs to align its

teaching and learning methods with best practices found both nationally and globally.

Adopting the use of ICT and IS within higher education seems inevitable as digital communication and information models become the preferred means of storing, accessing and disseminating information.

However most academics and students at the University of Zululand will be ill-prepared to teach and learn within a blended learning domain without the correct facilitating conditions.

These include new policies, training, support and functional and accessible ICT infrastructure.

Problem StatementsProblem Statements The question of why users decide to

accept or reject a particular technology continues to be an important issue.

Thorough consultation of the users will determine what variables are important to facilitate their acceptance, adoption and use of e-learning resources.

Inadequate understanding and support of these constructs might lead to the unsuccessful implementation of the innovation and its integration into the current learning domain.

Research Aims and Research Aims and ObjectivesObjectives

The main aim of the study is to predict if academics and students will accept e-learning within a blended learning environment at the University of Zululand.

The objectives of the study are:1. To determine academics’ and students’ attitude towards e-

learning at University of Zululand.2. To predict whether academics and students will accept or reject

e-learning at University of Zululand.3. Identifying and weighting the structural and contextual

variables in the adopted user acceptance model that predict the acceptance or rejection of e-learning by academics and students at the University of Zululand.

4. Establish the ICT infrastructure needed to implement e-learning at University of Zululand.

5. Determine the functionality of e-learning resources offered to academics and students within a blended learning environment at University of Zululand?

6. Examine possible opportunities and challenges in the implementation and use of e-learning at University of Zululand.

Research QuestionsResearch QuestionsThe research questions are expressed below:1. Will academics and students have a positive or negative

attitude towards e-learning at the University of Zululand? 2. Will academics and students accept or reject the e-

learning at the University of Zululand?3. What are the structural and contextual variables in the

adopted user acceptance model that predict the acceptance or rejection of e-learning by academics and students at the University of Zululand and how much influence do they have on users attitude and behavior?

4. What ICT infrastructure is needed to implement e-learning at the University of Zululand?

5. What functionalities can e-learning resources offer academics and students within a blended learning environment at University of Zululand?

6. What are the opportunities and challenges of implementing and using e-learning at University of Zululand?

Significance of the Study Significance of the Study The study hopes to significantly contribute to: 1. the implementation and support of e-

learning at the University of Zululand, by identifying the structural and contextual variables that determine its adoption or rejection,

2. the adopted user acceptance model’s theoretical validity and practical applicability and

3. the management of e-learning based initiatives in higher education in South Africa.

Scope and LimitationsScope and Limitations The study will be limited to academics and students

at University of Zululand. Though the results of the study can’t be

generalized to all institutions of higher education because different contextual settings will lead to different acceptance decisions. However the outcomes of the study may be applied to similar educational environments (Yin in Tellis, 1997).

The predictive power of any user acceptance model is not one hundred percent efficient, which is a limitation. For example the UTAUT model was only able to correctly predict seventy percent (70%) of all cases surveyed, therefore thirty percent (30%) of cases will not be correctly predicted.

Research Design and Research Design and Methodology Methodology Research MethodsResearch Methods

To achieve the objectives of the study survey research will be conducted using two web surveys that will contain quantitative data collection methods to obtain the primary data.

The fundamental ethical principles of research will be observed by including a:

Asking the respondent for permission to take part in the study.

Informing the respondent of the study’s intentions.

Assuring confidentiality of the findings of the study.

Research Design and Research Design and Methodology Methodology Target populationsTarget populations The study’s two target populations

represent 288 academics and 10000 students who work or study at the UZ.

Research Design and Research Design and Methodology Methodology SamplingSampling Target populations will be sampled using

random sampling of all four faculties’ academics and students (under-graduate).

Replication of the study using different respondents from different faculties and in the case of the students, at different levels of study, will improve the study’s external validity.

Academic records from the ITS database at UZ will be used to provide sample frames for the different population groups.

Research Design and Research Design and Methodology Methodology SamplingSampling According to Chin (1997) Partial Least Squares (PLS)

can be a powerful method of analysis because of the minimal demands on sample size.

Guidelines provided by Chin (1997) on PLS-Graph recommend a sample size equal to the larger of two possibilities: (1) ten times the number of indicators on the most formative construct, based on the literature reviewed ten times the ten indicators of performance expectancy gives a sample of one hundred participants, or (2) ten times the largest number of precursor constructs used to determine a dependent variable, or ten times six, the number of constructs used to determine behavior intent.

So a minimal sample size of one hundred participants for each web survey should be aimed at for this study if the reviewed acceptance model is adopted for the study.

Research Design and Research Design and Methodology Methodology Research InstrumentsResearch Instruments The two e-questionnaires containing structured response

formats for the close-ended questions that will provide the primary quantitative data.

The survey instruments will contain questions addressing each of the technology acceptance constructs and questions that address the participant’s age gender and computer experience.

The study will adopt and modify statements for each construct used from one of the validated user acceptance theories reviewed in literature.

Survey participants will be asked to indicate their response to each statement using a seven item Likert scale with one representing a strong disagreement and seven being a strong agreement with the statement.

Pre-tests of all the questionnaires will be done on a small group of colleagues and students to obtain feedback from respondents so as to reduce random or systematic measurement errors.

Research Design and Research Design and Methodology Methodology Data AnalysisData Analysis The statistical data analysis method used for this thesis

will be Partial least squares (PLS) using specialised statistical software.

The goal of PLS is to predict or analyse a set of dependent variables from a set of independent variables or predictors.

This is achieved by extracting from the independent variables a set of orthogonal (mutually independent) factors called latent variables which will have the best predictive power.

A complete analysis of the adopted technology acceptance model will require an examination of both the goodness of fit criteria to see how well it fits the study’s observations and a factor analysis that will give factor loading indicators (Moran, 2006:51)

Dissemination of Research Dissemination of Research FindingsFindings

The research findings will mainly be disseminated by means of an e-learning portal and this Thesis.

Other methods will include; paper publications in peer-reviewed journals, and presentations at conferences and workshops.

Preliminary Chapter Preliminary Chapter DivisionDivision

Chapter 1: Introduction and Background to the Study

Chapter 2: Literature Review Chapter 3: Theoretical Framework Chapter 4: Research Design Chapter 4: Presentation of Research

Findings and Data Analysis Chapter 5: Discussion of Findings Chapter 6: Summary, Conclusions and

Recommendations

Thank you for your Thank you for your attention.attention.

E-learning portalE-learning portal

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Francisco, CA.Francisco, CA.

2.2. Carol K. (2007). Linear and Non-Linear Learning Blog. [Online]. Available: http://ken-carroll.com/2007/12/13/linear-and-non-Carol K. (2007). Linear and Non-Linear Learning Blog. [Online]. Available: http://ken-carroll.com/2007/12/13/linear-and-non-linear-learning/. Accessed: 14th September, 2008.linear-learning/. Accessed: 14th September, 2008.

3.3. Chin W.W. (1997). Overview of the PLS Method by Wynne W. Chin - University of Houston. [Online]. Available: http://disc-Chin W.W. (1997). Overview of the PLS Method by Wynne W. Chin - University of Houston. [Online]. Available: http://disc-nt.cba.uh.edu/chin/PLSINTRO.HTM. Accessed 14th July, 2008.nt.cba.uh.edu/chin/PLSINTRO.HTM. Accessed 14th July, 2008.

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6.6. Department of Education (2004). [Online]. Available: http://www.education.gov.za/emis/emisweb/02stats/Education%20StatsDepartment of Education (2004). [Online]. Available: http://www.education.gov.za/emis/emisweb/02stats/Education%20Stats%202002.pdf . Accessed: 25th August, 2008.%202002.pdf . Accessed: 25th August, 2008.

7.7. Draft White Paper on E-education (2003). Transforming Learning and Teaching through ICT. Department of Education, Draft White Paper on E-education (2003). Transforming Learning and Teaching through ICT. Department of Education, (2003). [Online]. Available: http://www.info.gov.za/whitepapers/2003/e-education.pdf. Accessed: 18th January, 2008.(2003). [Online]. Available: http://www.info.gov.za/whitepapers/2003/e-education.pdf. Accessed: 18th January, 2008.

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13.13. Venkatesh V., Morris M., Davis G., & Davis F. D. (2003). User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified Venkatesh V., Morris M., Davis G., & Davis F. D. (2003). User Acceptance of Information Technology: Toward a Unified View. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425-478. [Online]. Available: http://www.cis.gsu.edu/~ghubona/info790/VenkEtAlMIQ03.pdf. View. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425-478. [Online]. Available: http://www.cis.gsu.edu/~ghubona/info790/VenkEtAlMIQ03.pdf. Accessed: 3rd July, 2008.Accessed: 3rd July, 2008.