The Adoption of E-learning by Students in Zimbabwean Universities in the Wake of COVID-19

Abstract

COVID-19 effects have been felt in the education sector worldwide where schools, colleges, and universities were closed as a way to reduce the spread of the deadly pandemic and loss of lives. The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education. advocate that no child should be left behind during the COVID-19 era, therefore gave a directive for universities to use other alternative means of teaching and learning to continuously provide teaching and learning to students during the series of lockdown. An efficient eLearning system in universities is very important as an alternative to face- to-face teaching and learning in this COVID-19 era to have continuity in teaching and learning during the induced lockdowns. Success in online learning can be achieved by understanding the level of readiness of online learning environments. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the adoption of online learning by students in Zimbabwean universities. A descriptive online survey employing questionnaires to collect data on the adoption of eLearning by Zimbabwean universities students was used. Results indicated various eLearning platforms have been introduced in Zimbabwean universities though there is a need for eLearning infrastructure to be availed, students to be trained or students to effectively adopt the eLearning.