E-Learning Services to Achieve Sustainable Learning and Academic Performance: An Empirical Study

Abstract

E-Learning has proven to be the only resort as a replacement of traditional face-to-face learning methods in the current global lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic. Academic institutions across the globe have invested heavily into E-Learning and the majority of the courses offered in traditional classroom mode have been converted into E-Learning mode. The success of E-Learning initiatives needs to be ensured to make it a sustainable mode of learning. The objective of the current study is to propose a holistic E-Learning service framework to ensure effective delivery and use of E-Learning Services that contributes to sustainable learning and academic performance. Based on an extensive literature review, a proposed theoretical model has been developed and tested empirically. The model identifies a broad range of success determinants and relates them to different success measures, including learning and academic performance. The proposed model was validated with the response from 397 respondents involved with an E-Learning system in the top five public universities in the southern region of Saudi Arabia through the Partial Least Squares regression technique using SmartPLS software. Five main factors (Learner’s Quality, Instructor’s Quality, Information’s Quality, System’s Quality and Institutional Quality) were identified as a determinant of E-Learning service performance which together explains 48.7% of the variance of perceived usefulness of ELS, 71.2% of the variance of use of the E-Learning system. Perceived usefulness of ELS and use of ELS together explain 70.6% of learning and academic performance of students. Hence the framework will help achieve the sustainable and successful adoption of E-Learning services.

E-Learning Acceptance: The Role of Task–Technology Fit as Sustainability in Higher Education

“…Academic universities all over the world have made substantial improvements in e-learning, and the bulk of conventional lecture classes have been migrated to e-learning. The success of e-learning programs must be assured in order for it to become sustainable for learning [9].…”

“…The ultimate goal of e-learning implementation is to improve learning pedagogy and academic performance [60,61]. Other studies have been conducted to assess the progress of e-learning adoption and its effect on student academic performance [9,62,63]. The current research will aim to investigate the essence and extent of the relationship between e-learning use as sustainability and student academic performance.…”

“…In the ongoing global lockdown due to the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID- 19) pandemic, e-learning has proved to be the only choice for ongoing learning [7]. Every university in the world has now invested extensively in e-learning, and many traditional classroom-based classes have changed to e-learning [8,9]. Advancements in digital and communication technology (ICT) have resulted in major improvements in all related areas.…”

“…As a result, while early attempts to adopt and use e-learning were rare, the shift in higher education toward e-learning to ensure sustainability has now hit a global scale that can hardly be ignored [26,29]. Many recent studies [8,9] have looked at the effectiveness of e-learning programs. Various analytical models, such as the acceptance model [30], information systems success [31], and decomposed theory of planned behavior [32], have been used to research this topic.…”

“…Many e-learning performance and quality models have been suggested, including e-learning system success [1,33], measuring e-learning system success [2], e-learning quality [34], e-learner satisfaction [8,35], student satisfaction model [36], and student academic performance [37,38]. Similarly, considerations such as usefulness, perceived satisfaction, grade anticipation, advantages, device utilization, adoption, and acceptance have been evaluated [9]. Task-technology fit (TTF), the technology acceptance model (TAM), and social influence have also been studied separately in the past to understand e-learning system use.…”