1. Department of Information Systems, Rhodes University
PREDICTORS OF STUDENT SUCCESS IN E-LEARNING IN TANZANIAN HEI: CASE STUDY OF UNIVERSITY OF DAR-ES-SALAAM
By Tumaini Kabudi
Department of Information Systems, Rhodes University
1. BACKGROUND
3. METHODOLOGY
The use of e-learning has prompted a radical change in the education offered by higher education institutions.
Most universities in developing countries, especially Africa, are still struggling in adopting e-learning in support of research, teaching and learning.
As e-learning continues to expand, the necessity of determining factors that affect and predict students success in e-learning is becoming a critical issue.
It is important to understand the predictors that may contribute to a student’s successful learning experience in such an environment.
Research suggests that motivation, learning styles and personality preferences, among other factors, are important determinants in predicting student’s success in an online or e-learning course
A mixed (qualitative and quantitative) method with interpretivism as the paradigm will be employed as the research methodology for this study.
A single case study design is considered to be more appropriate in obtaining exhaustive information for the study.
The instruments will include semi structured and hybrid interview self-administered questionnaire.
The hybrid questionnaire instrument will be composed from Kolb’s Learning Style Inventory, Motivated Strategies for Learning and Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicators instruments.
The target population for this study will be post graduate e-learning students at the University of Dar-es-Salaam.
2. PROBLEM STATEMENT AND PURPOSE
4. EXPECTED CONTRIBUTION
The findings of this research will build a better understanding of predictors that determine the success of students in e-learning courses.
This will assist the students in improving their skills, beliefs and attitudes towards e-learning.
Moreover, the findings will ensure better decision making and effective retention strategies will be implemented.
By understanding student success and its contributing factors, lecturers and course developers will better customize and modify the e-learning environment for students to succeed.
The student attrition rate in relation to completion of degree in an e-learning environment is an identified problem within Tanzanian Universities.
Moreover, there is paucity of detailed research into why this remains a problem in Tanzania higher education institutions.
The purpose of this research is to examine learning style, motivation and personality preferences as predictors in relation to students’ success in an e-learning environment within higher education institutions in Tanzania.
Many Thanks to:
Supervisor: Mr. Chris Upfold