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Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 67 (2012) 621 - 625
The 3rd International Conference on e-Leaming ICEL 2011, 23-24 November 2011, Bandung, Indonesia
E-Learning Awareness in a Higher Learning Institution in
Malaysia
Zazaleena Zakariaha*, Nursyahidah Aliasa, Mohd Norafizal Abd Aziza and Nor
Zalina Ismaila
aFaculty of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, UiTM Pahan, Malaysiag
Abstract
Electronic learning (E-learning) is the current technology that is widely used nowadays. E-learning goes beyond digital technologies. New E-learning technology continues to become increasingly accessed and implemented by people of all walks of life. Increasingly, the technologies are becoming more integrated as an invisible and ubiquitous part of a global system. This study attempted to identify the students' awareness on E-learning in higher learning Institutions. E-Learning in higher learning Institutions aim to give students a greater autonomy regarding the point in time, the content and the method by which they learn by providing on demand learning, that eliminates the barriers of time and distance. This paper presents a survey from 120 students of Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang (UiTM). Data were then analyzed using SPSS. The results show that the students are interested on this new technology as they are willing to use E-learning. The results prove that the concept of E-learning can be more easily acceptable if it is able to provide at least the same learning experience based on the current education style and able to provide an interactive learning environment for them. The acceptance level of the students is also high, and the results obtained revealed that the respondents accept E-learning as one method of teaching and learning process. It is believed that E-learning will be able to improve the educational efficiency by complementing traditional learning in Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang (UiTM).
© 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection andpeer-reviewunderresponsibility of i-Learn Centre, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
Keywords: E-learning; Awareness; Higher learning institution; Malaysia; UiTM Pahang
* Corresponding author. E-mail address: zazaleena@pahang.uitm.edu.my
1877-0428 © 2012 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of i-Learn Centre, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.368
1. Introduction
Internet is one of the recent developments in communication and information transfer. Internet is considered as a technology asset due to its ability to disseminate large volumes of information quality and efficiently to all types of stakeholders including employees, customers, shareholders and suppliers. Internet is so much more than information environment. It is a social technology, an advanced communication medium, a new publishing paradigm, a recreational and commercial entity. In today's environment, internet is gradually being translated into a public utility with the potential, to transform everyday information and communication behavior. Nowadays, internet is more accessible and less expensive than it was, and because of that, the number of internet users is growing tremendously.
The rapid development and commercialization of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for the education industry has prompted universities and others higher learning institutions in this sector increasing to adopt the technology. The commercialization of the internet nowadays has turns this instrument into the greatest publishing machine and the greatest bookstore in the world. The commercialization of the internet is also a sign of the commercialization of science and education.
Commercialization of internet in education has prompt a new method of teaching which is known as electronic learning (E-learning). It is one of the current technology that is widely used nowadays especially in higher learning Institution. E-learning goes beyond digital technologies. New E-learning technology continues to become increasingly accessed and implemented by people of all walks of life. Increasingly, the technologies are becoming more integrated as an invisible and ubiquitous part of a global system. E-learning in higher learning Institutions aim to give students a greater autonomy regarding the point in time, the content and the method by which they learn by providing on demand learning, that eliminates the barriers of time and distance.
In Malaysia, the growth of E-learning services have been enormous over the last few years as the service offers many advantages to the involved parties especially institutions and students. Responding to the widely used of the E-learning services, the study is conducted to identify the students' awareness on E-learning in higher learning Institutions in the case of Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang (UiTM).
2. Literature Review
In this new century, internet has become an important medium in human life. Existence of internet has created new opportunities for human in making their affairs easier, faster, simpler, and involve less cost. Internet is an open worldwide computer network, linking together by fast data communication owned by government, education, commercial and other organizations (Zazaleena, 2008).
With the growth of internet usage, electronic service (E-service) is becoming important (Zazaleena, 2005). E-service is all interactive services that are delivered on the internet using advanced telecommunication, information, and multimedia technologies. E-service has undergone rapid development and dramatic transformation in a relatively short period of time. The notion of E- service has been increasingly recognized as being one of the key determinants in successful electronic commerce (Santos, 2003). In the process, many service sectors have changed forever. E-service is expected to help reduce customers' service costs, tighten customers' relationships and personalize marketing strategies.
Responding to the expand usage of internet as an communication medium, electronic learning (E-learning) services were introduced and universally used by many institutions including higher learning Institutions in Malaysia. E-learning is essentially the computer and network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual education opportunities and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet or extranet, audio or videotape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. It can be self-paced or instructor- led and
includes media in the form of text, image, animation, streaming video and audio. Dormant Woodall (2002) defined E-learning as capability of experiencing learning process by using technology to design, deliver, select, administer, support and extend the learning process. While Kapp (2003) defined E-learning as a process of delivery training materials, information and connect directly to an employee's computer desktop by taking advantage of Web browser technology to purposefully change behavior or attitude. According to Hall and Snider (2000), E-learning is the process of learning via computers over Internet and intranets and referred to as web-based training, online training, distributed learning or technology for learning.
Kirkwood (2001), commented that the emergence of E-learning has changed the education system nowadays. For example, educators use of the Internet technologies as an online learning ways for teaching and learning, in which enabling learners to receive and interact with educational materials and resources through internet, as well as engaging with teachers and peers in ways that previously may have been impossible. There are many factors affected the effectiveness of E-learning.
According to a research conducted Aminul Islam (2011) demographic factors have an impact on effectiveness of E-learning. Based on the results of the research, level of education, program of study, age and gender were found to be significant in the effectiveness of E-learning. However race and marital status were found to have no significant effect on the effectiveness of E-learning system. Therefore it is indicated that respondents with higher level of education may have accepted using E- learning tool as a learning program and therefore contribute to the effectiveness of the e E-learning system. As far as gender is concerned, there is a significant effect on the effectiveness of E-learning. Thus, gender contributes to the effectiveness of E-learning system. Hence, it is very important to prepare and mange E-learning as it is a complex process and requires a shift from change management to strategic planning (Raja Maznah, 2004)
Cohen (2001) indicated that the use of technology has an effect on all aspects of teaching and learning. When educators integrated technology into the lesson, it required new learning approaches to the curriculum because of the ability to look at and explore information in new ways. Moreover, some studies have emphasized that technology can help by allowing learners to take a more active role in their learning through different instructional modes or methods (Kussmaul and Dunn, 1996). Dewar and Whittington (2000) said that the new technologies provide opportunities for creating learning environments that enhance learner learning and achievement. However, inappropriate uses of technology can become ineffective learning. Thus it is important to understand what technology is and how to use it and, most importantly, is comfortable using it (Smolin and Lawless, 2003).
3. Research Methodology
The survey was conducted by distributing a survey questionnaire to randomly 120 students from different courses in Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang (UiTM). The purpose of the survey questionnaire is to study the students' awareness on E-learning. Sekaran (2000) indicates that questionnaires are an efficient data collection mechanism where researcher can target his or her questionnaires to the more informed respondent and obtain better quality in the data. Besides that, a questionnaire is an effective and inexpensive way to gather data from a potential large member of respondents. Often questionnaires allow the researcher to carefully evaluate the findings, and also allow the respondents be more time to carefully think over the questions asked before answering them thereby the quality of the data received will be much better. The survey questionnaire is based on a 5- point Likert scale with strongly agree as 5, agree as 4, undecided as 3, disagree as 2 and strongly disagree as 1. The survey questionnaire was consisted of two sections: section A consisted of items to get demographic information and section B consisted of 9 items.
4. Result and Discussion
A total of 120 survey questionnaires were distributed among sampled population. These 120 questionnaires were used for analysis in the present study. The questionnaire data were analyzed using SPSS and the subsequent data analyses were undertaken using statistical approach, which is One-way ANOVA. The questionnaires used in the present work were designed into two main sections, which comprised demographic characteristics and the dependent variable (students' awareness o n E- learning). Section A contains a total of six demographic characteristics, which are gender, age, student status, program of study, level of education and marital status. In this aspect of gender, the gender respondents are divided into two main categories, male and female. Female students have the highest number, which is more than half of the total respondents (62.8%). This reveals that there are only 37.2% of the respondents are male students. The majority of the respondents are relatively young. Indeed, most of the respondents are from the age group of 18-20, which takes up 58.8% of the total respondents. These are then followed by the age group of 21-23 (25.3%), 24-26 (10.7%) and finally 27 and above (5.2%). The student status of the respondents is categories into two main groups which are those taking up the full time courses or the part time courses. From the analysis, it may be seen that approximately 78.8% of the respondents are taking up the full time courses, and the rest of the respondents are taking up the part time courses with only 21.3%. From the result, there are students from business administration, social sciences, computer science and engineering.
The results also indicate that students who are studying computer science constitute 35.8%; business administration (25.3%), engineering (25.1%) and social sciences (13.8%). In the level of education, there are relatively large percentage of the respondents are doing their diploma or currently pursuing their degree. Group of respondents who are doing their diploma consists of 75.0%. The second majority of the respondents have diploma qualifications and currently pursuing their degree, which is approximately 25%.
In terms of martial status, two major groups participated in the survey, single and married. The overall findings of the questionnaires reflected that almost all the respondents are single, which is about 118 respondents out of total 120, meaning that there are estimated to be 98.3%.
Section B, shows that the response of students' awareness on E-learning with 22.5% is strongly agreed and 42.5% agreed while 2.3% strongly disagreed. Another 5.7% disagreed while the remaining was uncertain. The obtained data indicates that the respondents are aware and interested in using of this technology. Significant percentages (65%) of the respondents have reported that E-learning is an interesting and enjoyable technology or instrument of learning.
Section B also indicates the result on students' acceptance towards E-learning. 25% strongly agreed and 38.5% agreed while 1.8% strongly disagreed. Another 5.3% disagreed while the remaining was uncertain (29.4%). The obtained data indicates that the respondents accept this technology as their method of learning. Significant percentages (63.5%) of the respondents have reported that E-learning can be used as a method of teaching. However, from the data obtained still the acceptance level of E- learning can not be considered to be as high enough as it is supposed to be due to inexperience use of E-learning as a learning instrument.
Section B also shows that 73% of respondents chosen combination of classroom/traditional method and E-learning method for their learning method. This indicates that most of respondents are eager to use this technology as a complement of classroom/traditional learning method. Generally, most of higher
learning Institutions students are familiar with E-learning technology, so that is recommended to use as a complement of classroom/traditional learning.
5. Conclusion
The paper presents a survey from 120 Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang (UiTM) students on the awareness of E-learning. The results show that the students are interested on this new technology. This also proves that the concept of E-learning can be more easily acceptable if it is able to provide at least the same learning experience based on the current education style and able to provide an interactive learning environment for the users. Apart from this, there are also some groups who disagree on this technology. Those who disagree on this technology want to stick to the traditional learning style or they might be resistant to accept new technology, by commenting the challenges of E-learning technology. Generally, E-learning is a good way of learning system to complement the current traditional learning system. So, from this study it can be concluded that E-learning is recommended for all institutions to get its advantage.
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