E-Learning in Place of Face-to-face Lectures: An Exploratory Study of Students’ Perceptions

Abstract

E-learning has emerged as an essential system in higher education. In an era of technological advancement the move to online learning is inevitable as students are becoming more technically knowledgeable. Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) the objectives of this study are to explore
students’ perceptions towards e-learning as a replacement for face-to-face lectures in the discipline of Information Systems and Technology. A mixed methods approach was utilised. Questionnaires were employed as the primary source of data. A sample of 60 students from the IST discipline
shows that both e-learning and face-to-face lectures were considered relevant for different forms of subject matter. Additionally, it was found that
most students valued face-to-face lectures in contexts that require a common understanding of cognitively higher level of learning, and students valued elearning for the convenience and ease of use. These findings also suggest that students have different learning styles and therefore researchers should take into consideration instructors’ competence in instructional pedagogy in e-learning. Instructors should, likewise recognize that e-learning may be perceived differently by students. Based on these findings, implications for theory and practice are explained.