Faculty and Students Perceptions about E-learning for Enhancing Interactive Learning in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania

Marwa, Anthony (2016) Faculty and Students Perceptions about E-learning for Enhancing Interactive Learning in Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania. ["eprint_fieldopt_thesis_type_phd" not defined] thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study investigated academic faculty and students’ perceptions about e-learning for enhancing interactive learning in universities in Tanzania. The study employed quantitative and qualitative methods to generate rich, contextual data from the four higher learning institutions namely The Open University of Tanzania (OUT), the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) and Mzumbe University (MU). The study involved 225 students, 12 lecturers and four ICT administrators from the four higher learning institutions obtained through purpose sampling. Questionnaires, interviews, documentary analysis, observations of e-learning facilities, and content analysis of posts through social media (Jamii forums) were used in data collection. Data were analysed using the SPSS package. Findings show that 62.0% of faculty and 73.89% of students respondents perceived e-learning to have relative advantage over traditional forms of interactive learning, strategies employed to effect wide adoption of e-learning among students and academic faculty were; skill training, ICT policy development, erection of e-learning infrastructure and use of the Moodle as official e-learning. Students engaging in interactive learning through e-learning were those; exposed to high engaging tools, owning smart phones, skilled in using e-learning technologies, while distance, cost, social roles and slow internet speed were considered to be influencing factors to adoption of e-learning for interactive learning purposes. The study recommends that; further research be conducted in the area, learning theory and or research be an integral part of need assessment, teachers selected to teach through e-learning should have required skills or be trained in e-teaching, design and frequent review of ICT policy should be implemented.

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