Implementation Pathology of the E-learning Curriculum in Iran (Case Study Shahid Beheshti University of Tehran)

Abstract

Introduction : E-learning is a new emerging phenomenon that has attracted the attention of higher education authorities and researchers in this field. The aim of this study is to identify the challenges of implementing e-learning curriculum of Shahid Beheshti University from the perspective of faculty members and students. Methods : The descriptive-survey method was employed in this study. Two researcher-made questionnaires were used for data collection. The study population comprised 48 faculty members and 635 students of virtual education. Statistical samples according to Morgan table were 42 and 237, respectively indicating that sampling was done by proportional stratified random sampling. The validity of research questionnaires was approved by professors and domain experts and by using Cronbach’s alpha; the reliability coefficient was calculated to be 89% and 85%, respectively. For data analysis, SPSS version 21, descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation) and inferential statistics (one-sample t-test and t-test) were used (P < 0.05). Results : The findings indicated that from the perspective of faculty members, the implementation of e-learning curriculum is being faced with cultural (P < 0.001), legal (P = 0.001), infrastructural (P < 0.001) and financial (P = 0.005) challenges and from the perspective of students are cultural (P < 0.001), infrastructural (P = 0.033), cognitive (P < 0.001), financial (P < 0.001), and legal (P < 0.001) challenges. These results with respect to the level of significance that is less than P < 0.05 are certainly 95% significant. Conclusions : The implementation of e-learning curriculum of Sahid Beheshti University faces challenges in which the problems and obstacles can be solved through the adoption of decisions that are consistent with the research results.

Keywords

• curriculum
• learning
• distance education
• university