E-Learning readiness assessment: a case of higher education institutions in Kabul, Aghanistan.

Abstract

E-learning has helped many nations to generate, disseminate, use, and expand internet based learning among citizens for the benefit of society and the economy. While faced with the challenge caused by many years of wars and conflict, Afghanistan is harnessing E-learning techniques to expand education and training opportunities in the face of lack of infrastructure and very low literacy levels. Whereas a number of E-Iearning initiatives exist in the higher education sector, there has not been an attempt to carry out a country E-leaming readiness assessment. This project presents a first step towards addressing this need by identifying factors that support viability of E-Iearning; measuring various stakeholders' perceptions of Elearning readiness, and the impact of factors such as gender and education levels on Elearning perceptions; and the relationships that exist between technology and educational system. A survey of three-hundred and fifty users of structured E-Iearning in four public Universities in Kabul has been done in this study. The results indicate an overwhelming majority having a positive perception of country E-Iearning readiness. In addition, the study results show that there is no significant relationship between gender, and level of education on E-Iearning readiness perception. However, the study results indicate that there is a very strong linkage between the investment in ICT infrastructure for education and the resultant impacts from the E-Iearning educational system.