Analysis of the factors and attitudes that influence lecturers readiness to adopt distance education and the use of ICT in teaching: The case of the University of Nairobi

Abstract

There has been a very low rate to adopt distance education and the use of information communication technology (ICT) based instructional delivery modes in the University of Nairobi by lecturers. This situation has hampered the expansion of distance education to all disciplines in the university. The aim of this research was to analyze the factors that influence the University of Nairobi lecturers' readiness to adopt distance education and the use of ICT based instructional delivery modes, and how lecturers' attitudes influence their readiness to adopt distance education and the use of ICT in teaching. Several studies conducted in both the developed and developing countries have generally agreed on the factors that deter lecturers from adopting ICT in delivering instruction in distance education (DE). The main factors cited by such studies are: increased time commitment (workload) for academic staff; lack of extrinsic incentives or rewards; lack of technical and pedagogical support; philosophical, epistemological and social objection. This study examined the factors that are critical in influencing the University of Nairobi lecturers' attitudes owards DE and their readiness to adopt distance education and the use of ICT in teaching. A structured questionnaire designed to elicit information on the factors and how their attitudes may influence their readiness to adopt ICT in distance education, was administered to a stratified sample of lecturers in altthe six colleges of the University. Factor analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were the main tools used to analyze the data. The results indicate that the factors that influence lecturers' participation in distance education in other institutions in the world are basically the same and also important to the University of Nairobi lecturers. It is also apparent that lecturers' attitudes towards the adoption of DE are not negative as hypothesized. There is no significant difference of attitude towards the adoption of DE between the various university colleges. Level of readiness for adoption varies according to the college. There was significance difference in readiness to adopt DE between the colleges. Results indicate that there is a linear relationship between readiness to adopt DE(dependent variable) and the independent variables. It is evident that there is significant positive relationship between readiness to adopt DE and training in DE; formulation of an open and distance learning (ODE) policy; support from the University administrators; incentives provided to lecturers while participating in DE activities. However, there was a negative relationship between readiness to adopt DE and the efforts the lecturers are expected to put in translating course materials into DE formats; the time commitment the lecturers must sacrifice in DE activities and formulation of an intellectual property rights policy. The result also indicates that the University of Nairobi lecturers support the use of E-learning in teaching. The results also indicate that lecturers from "hard" science disciplines, (College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences (CAVS), College of Physical Sciences and Biological (CPBS), College of Health Sciences (CHS) and College of Architecture and Engineering (CAE) differ from social science (CEES and CHSS) lecturers in terms of the importance they attach to the factors that influence their readiness to adopt the use of ICT in teaching