E-learning has become an integral part of mainstream society and hence revolutionizing distance education endeavours. A number of change agents and bureaucrats in Uganda have embraced this pedagogy constructing it as an alternative to the traditional brick and mortar educational systems, which have become difficult to develop and maintain. However, despite the high level of investment on e-learning programs, there is a slow adoption of this new pedagogy amongst students and faculty, and those who do start to use the system opt out later. This trend of slow adoption is likely to constrain government’s efforts of improving the skill mix, competencies and numbers of midwives in the country. This research intended to ascertain whether instructional design was an influencer of e-learning adoption and profile the salient instructional design traits relevant to e-learning adoption in midwifery schools in Uganda. Ten schools were sampled with 224 participants. Data collection was conducted in two phases, the first entailed quantitative data collection and analysis to ascertain whether instructional design played a significant role in e-learning adoption and the second embraced a qualitative data collection and analysis to ascertain the salient traits of instructional design to be relied on by midwifery schools. Simple linear regression analysis established that instructional design had a significant influence on e-learning adoption with p value of (p = 0.016), and it accounted for 38.7% of the variance in e-learning adoption, with a moderate positive relationship and its key salient traits includes: choosing an appropriate instructional design model to guide the entire e-learning process, interactivity of e-learning materials, collaborative working in developing and updating e-learning materials, eliciting feedback on instructional materials, and engaging in more than one e-learning activity. Midwifery schools therefore have to focus on these six traits if they are to improve e-learning adoption.
<p style="text-align: justify;">E-learning pedagogy is used in many health training institutions in Uganda, However, despite the high investment, e-learning adoption is still low. This study aimed at ascertaining the relevance of on-line quality management in improve e-learning adoption in midwifery schools in Uganda. It used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to ascertain if on-line quality management was significant at improving e-learning adoption and the on-line quality traits which would be implemented by midwifery schools to improve e-learning adoption. Data collection was conducted in two phases, the first entailed quantitative data collection and analysis to determine if on-line quality management was significant to e-learning adoption. The second embraced a qualitative data collection and analysis to ascertain the detailed traits of on-line quality management relevant to e-learning adoption. Linear regression analysis established on-line quality management had influence on e-learning adoption (p=0.000). On-line quality management accounted for 55.5% of the variance in e-learning adoption with a strong positive statistically significant relationship, and its salient traits included; Compact Disc, Read-Only-Memory materials meets the expectation of users, collaborative improvement of on-line quality, Learning Management System meets expectations of users, providing the best on-line experience, e-learning program being described as an excellent on-line learning experience, and guidelines for improving on-line quality. Midwifery schools therefore have to focus on the six most relevant traits of on-line quality management if they are to improve e-learning adoption.</p>
Despite the high level of investment on e-learning programs in Uganda, there is a low adoption of this new pedagogy in midwifery schools. This trend is likely to frustrate government's efforts to improve the skill mix, competencies and numbers of midwives. This research sought to establish whether school financing role was essential to e-learning adoption, and the salient traits of school financing role to be focused on by midwifery schools. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed, ten midwifery schools were sampled with 167 respondents. A moderate positive relationship between school financing role and e-learning adoption (r = 0.402, p = 0.000, n = 167), was ascertained and school financing role accounted for 15.7% of the variance in e-learning adoption. The salient traits were; diversified sources of funds, deliberate efforts to expand sources of funds, coordination mechanisms for the sources of funds, affordable school fees structure, and a convenient fees payment system. Midwifery schools ought to implement these traits if they are to improve e-learning adoption.
In order to chant John Stuart Mill’s Utility Theory in Service Delivery, this study focuses on the quality of student support in Postgraduate Education at Makerere University’s College of Education and External Studies (CEES). Using 50 Masters’ and Doctoral Student respondents, the study investigated an alleged gap between students’ expectations and experiences of service quality in Postgraduate programs offered by the College. Four dimensions play a cardinal role in the measurement of student support service quality in postgraduate education, namely supervision support, infrastructure, administrative support, and academic facilitation. The 4-dimensions are student dissatisfiers necessitating interventions to improve quality. From the Step-Wise Regression computations, support supervision and administrative support are the most important determinants of quality postgraduate support. As recommendations, support supervision and administrative support must be targeted as drivers of quality student support at this level. The Utilitarian Theory, if well-integrated, provides moral bounds in which quality support systems could be optimally scaled up.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.