Preliminary Study on Multi-Factors Affecting Adoption of E-Learning Systems in Universities: A Case of Open University of Tanzania (OUT)

Abstract

Literature show that there are limited factors for existing models in e-learning systems’ adoption. This has raised an increasing sensible debate about factors affecting successful adoption of e-leaning systems in universities in developing world particularly in Tanzania. This preliminary study aimed at exploring multiple factors for successful adoption of e-learning systems in universities in learner perspective, using DeLone and McLean (2003) IS success model as a base model. This study was conducted by collecting data randomly, using the questionnaire from students of Open Universities of Tanzania (OUT) with response rate of 0.83 in a cross-sectional study and later analyzed through content validity, reliability, and criterion-based predictive validity. The preliminary analysis shows that there are twelve distinctive factors affecting e-learning systems’ adoption in universities in Tanzania. This finding suggests more empirical research studies to follow it up, to cement and generalize this case and validate the proposed model in large scale. The novelty of this research lies on the number and uniqueness of factors found.