A Review of the Literature: Determinants of Online ... - EuroJournals

European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 8, Number 2 (2009)
A Review of the Literature: Determinants of Online Learning
Among Students
Hasnah Tang King Yee
Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia
Selangor, Malaysia
Wong Su Luan
Corresponding Author Faculty of Educational Studies
Universiti Putra Malaysia
Selangor, Malaysia
E-mail: wsuluan@gmail.com
Ahmad Fauzi Mohd Ayub
Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia
Selangor, Malaysia
Rosnaini Mahmud
Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia
Selangor, Malaysia
Abstract
The use of Information Technology and the Internet as a teaching and learning tool is
rapidly expanding into today’s learning environments (Liaw, Huang, & Chen, 2007).
Specifically, the Internet has been used as a medium to conduct online learning and this has
made learning more complex in such a learning environment (Sun et al., 2008). Sun et al.
(2008) forewarned that such complex learning environments can cause online learners to
drop out. For this reason, the main purpose of this review paper is to explore the factors
that can influence the use of online learning among students. Based on a review of the
literature, this paper suggests that there are four main determinants of online learning which
are gender, attitudes toward online learning, perceived ease of use and perceived
usefulness.
Keywords: Online learning, gender, attitudes, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness
1. Introduction
Technology has inevitably become the most powerful tool in almost every aspect of human’s daily life.
Technology is regarded as a major revolution and this has a significant impact on education. The use of
Information Technology (IT) and the Internet are the new paradigm of learning in 21 st century. These
technological advancements allow people to easily access, gather, analyse, and transfer data and
knowledge. This makes it possible for them to function as teachers, study-mates and more importantly,
as tools to improve the entire teaching and learning process. This current development which relates to
the role of IT and the Internet shows that the phase of the whole educational system has changed.
According to Horton and Horton (2003), trends in technology influence education and
knowledge management. Fundamentally, the development of the Internet has made it possible for
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higher institutions to offer online courses. As such, Malaysia is now looking forward to use online
education on the next generation of students and knowledge workers (Multimedia Development
Corporation, 2005) where online learning delivers a broad array of solutions that enhances knowledge
and performance using Internet technologies (Liaw, Huang & Chen, 2007). Thus, online learning has
started and is gaining popularity in many universities in recent years, for example, most of the
universities in Malaysia use online learning to supplement regular campus instruction (Daing Zaidah
Ibrahim, Abu Daud Silong & Bahamam Abu Samah, 2002).
Literature reviews on online learning revealed that learners have a favourable opinion of the
online course or online learning system which helps to equip students with the necessary reading and
computer skills along with providing a fun, entertaining and flexible environment to learn (Thang &
Bidmeshki, 2004; Paris, 2004; Sun, Tsai, Finger, Chen & Yeh, 2008). Moreover, learners can use the
Internet to access up-to-date and relevant learning materials, and interact with their instructors (Ally,
2004). Students can always access the online courses whenever they need to do so, communicate with
their instructors and friends through interactive medium, such as e-mail and discussion boards.
A study carried out by Paris (2004) showed that, students preferred the online web-based
learning rather than the traditional learning because they could get most of the diagrams required for
their school projects readily from an Internet site than from a textbook. Moreover, the study indicated
that the students were attracted to the graphics, animations and movies on the website. Online
education with the multimedia elements successfully attracted students’ attention and made the
learning process more interesting because colourful pictures and learning videos were provided in the
online instruction (Liaw et al., 2007). These studies proved that students were motivated to learning
online. Thus, more learners are willing to take an online course based on the wider scopes of
provisions offered by online learning.
2. Research Problem and Purpose
Many institutions worldwide have started to invest heavily in online learning. Many researchers have
documented that the utilization of online learning can enhance the quality of education, and the
students’ knowledge and performance (Nguyen & Kulm, 2005; Thang & Bidmeshki, 2004; Sun et al.,
2008; Kadijevich & Haapasalo, 2008). However, in Thang and Bidmeshki’s (2006) study, they found
that the online learners lacked autonomy. Apart from that, it was also found students possessed only
moderate levels of readiness and attitude towards online learning (Daing Zaidah Ibrahim et al. 2002). It
is important to note that before the implementation of online learning can be successful in any
institutions of higher learning, it is important to understand the determinants of online learning among
students. In other words, the incidence of dropout among online learners can be reduced if online
instructors understand why students stopped their online learning. For this reason, based on a review of
the literature, this paper explores the factors that can influence online learning among students.
3. Research Method
A comprehensive search of the literature was done to collect the related information and data. All
articles were selected from refereed prints, online journals and conference papers. The main focus of
these articles was on the possible factors influencing online learning, in particular, among students.
4. Discussions
4.1. Determinants of Online Learning
The interest in using online learning in higher education is increasing and this can be seen by the large
number of recent publications through the Internet, schools’ promotion exercise, and other current
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developments. In the following sections, four factors are discussed as possible significant variables that
can influence online learning among students.
4.1.1. Gender
Gender differences exist in many disciplines, including technology. Currently, not only males are
skilled to use computer and Internet technologies. For technology to change knowledge there is a need
to change the way students learn. A study conducted by Kramarae (2002) stated that currently more
females than males are enrolling in online courses. The question is does females do better or worse in
an online learning environment.
Gender has been examined in many researches. A research conducted by Hoskins and van
Hooff (2005), determined whether gender predicted the extent to which the undergraduates utilised
online learning in support of a core Biological Psychology unit. In the study, Hoskins and van Hooff
(2005) verified that gender is one of the factors that determine students’ use of the web-base learning,
as there was a large number of males than females who were engaged in the dialogue with their peers
and teachers. While Ong and Lai (2006) reported a similar finding where they found that males have
higher computer self-efficacy, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and behavioural intention to
use online learning than females. Evidently, more males have higher intention on using an online
learning system in their learning process than females.
Males have more experience with computers, have more computer knowledge and are more
positive about computers and online learning than females. This is consistent with Hoskins and van
Hooff’s study (2005) that males are more knowledgeable of the web and use the web more than
females. From the study, it shows that there is a gender difference on behavioural intention to use an
online learning system.
Furthermore, based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), gender differences in
perceptions will also affect the utilisation of an online learning system. Male students are found to have
better perceptions and attitudes towards computer and Internet learning than female students. In Ong
and Lai’s (2006) research study, males’ ratings of perceptions with respect to computer self-efficacy,
perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and behavioural intention to use the online learning portal
are all higher than females’. Daing Zaidah Ibrahim et al. (2002) have further stated that males had a
significantly more positive attitude than females. Hence, males tend to have higher behavioural
intentions to use the online learning systems than females.
Briefly, the aforementioned studies have suggested that gender can determine students’ use of
online learning. Therefore, in online educational settings, the effect of gender on students’ behavioral
intention to use online learning should be specified in order to attain online learning efficiency and
success.
4.1.2. Attitudes
Learner attitude is defined as learners’ impression about performing the target behaviour (Fishbein &
Ajzen, 1975). This means that learners’ positive or negative feelings of participating in online learning
activities through computer use will directly influence their behaviour to use online learning to study.
Different students have different insights on online learning. Understanding students’ attitudes towards
online learning can help to determine the extent to which students utilise the online system (Ong & Lai,
2006).
In the classroom, students often experience reactions towards computers either positively or
negatively. Some of the students have computer phobia and this may influence their attitudes toward
using the computer and also the online learning system. Computer interactivity is influenced by
students’ perception of the computer. A student with a negative attitude towards computers may not
desire to do anything related to computers (Yushau, 2004). Hence, for those students who are
unfamiliar with computers and have computer phobia, they may not be willing to use computers to
learn online. Consequently, the intention to use online learning system or portal will be low.
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The more convinced a student is of the advantages of online education, the more likely the
student is to have a positive attitude towards online education. Aversion is one of the elements that will
influence students’ behavioural intention to use online learning in their learning process. According to
Habibah Hj. Lateh and Arumugam Raman (2005), students who promote positive attitude will also
promote achievement, liking, and learning. Hence, with a low level of aversion and higher level of
liking, students will have more intention to use online learning. Consequently, students will perform
well in their online courses.
Learners’ attitudes toward computers and online courses will positively influence learners’
satisfaction and acceptance of online learning (Sun et al., 2008). The TAM has clearly stated that
learner attitude is an important factor in influencing the use of new technologies (Davis, 1989). In other
words, learners with positive attitude will have higher acceptance of the use of online learning rather
than those who do not have positive attitude. Accordingly, this will result in higher performance of the
learners in their learning process. Negative attitude such as having less interest and negative
impression will influence a learner’s readiness to accept online learning. Students who have an
aversion of online learning system will affect acceptance of online learning in their learning process.
This argument strengthens the notion used to define a student’s attitude towards online education.
Another negative attitude, for example, the learners’ anxiety can decrease their tendency to use
online learning technologies (Habibah Hj. Lateh & Arumugam Raman, 2005). Learners’ anxiety seems
to be a vital variable in relation to students’ perceptions of online courses (Saade & Kira, 2006).
According to Rezaei, Mohammadi, Asadi and Kalantary (2008), computer anxiety has a negative effect
on students’ intention to use an online learning system.
A study done by Singleton, Song, Hill, Koh, Jones and Barbour (2004), reported that students
seemed to prefer to attend class rather than take the course online because they are more familiar with
the traditional teaching and learning environment. Moreover, students felt that questions could be
resolved immediately in a traditional classroom setting (Singleton et al., 2004). Hence, students had
only a tepid interest in online learning which lacked face-to-face interaction. However, successful
online learning should be just like traditional face-to-face learning which must have interactions among
students, and between students and instructors. Therefore, the more confident the student is with online
courses through the Internet, the more likely he or she is to have a positive attitude towards online
education, and have higher incentive to use online learning (Tabatabaei, Schrottner & Reichgelt, 2006).
In addition, Tabatabaei et al. (2006) also stated that the more familiar the student is with the material
used in a particular course, students develop more positive attitudes towards online delivery of the
course.
In summary, positive attitudes toward online learning can encourage and motivate students to
participate in online courses as well as online activities. Hence it is important that negative attitudes
such as aversion and anxiety should be reduced or eliminated to ensure that students embrace online
learning successfully.
4.1.3. Perceived Usefulness
Perceived usefulness is defined as “the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system
would enhance his or her job performance” (Davis, 1989, p. 320). This means that if students perceive
that the online learning system can help improve their work performance, they are more likely to use
online learning in their learning process. Therefore, an online learning with a high level of perceived
usefulness, then there is a positive influence on the users’ performance (Ong & Lai, 2006). A
significant research has shown that perceived usefulness has a positive effect on students’ behaviour to
use online learning (Venkatesh & Morris, 2000). As such, students are more likely to use online
learning when they perceive online learning to be useful and create meaningful learning process for
them where they can learn in a more effective way and attain a higher performance in their studies.
Sun et al. (2008) stated that perceived usefulness of the online learning system would positively
influence the learners’ satisfaction with online learning. At the same time, perceived usefulness of an
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online learning system will influence the behavioural intention to use such system (Ong & Lai, 2006).
A significant body of prior research had shown that perceived usefulness has a positive effect on
behavioral intention to use (Venkatesh & Davis, 2000; Venkatash & Morris, 2000; Davis, 1989). In
other words, when more students perceive online learning based on its usefulness in their learning
process, it is more likely they are going to use online learning.
Suffice to say, it is important for students to perceive online learning as useful. When students
perceive online learning as such, the likelihood of them using online learning would be higher (Ong &
Lai, 2006; Tung & Chang, 2008; Sun et al., 2008; Rezaei, Mohammadi, Asadi & Kalantary, 2008).
4.1.4 Perceived Ease of Use
Ease of use is defined as the degree to which a person would be free of effort when using a system
(Davis, 1989). According to Ong and Lai (2006), the higher the degree the students believe that online
learning is easy to use, the higher the opportunities and acceptance of online learning are among the
students. As such, web designers play an important role in developing an educational website which is
suitable for the students. For example, according to Siti Hafizah Ab. Hamid and Yii (2006), a website
for students to learn such as to learn calculus, it should be more users’ friendly, have interface
simplicity, and be easy to use and control in order to ensure that all types of learners can use the system
well and effectively.
In addition, Ong and Lai (2006) indicated that perceived ease of use influences the behavioural
intention of learners to use online learning. When the learners perceive an online learning system as
easy to use, then it is highly likely that they will be satisfied with the system (Sun et al., 2008). When
the learners are satisfied with the system, the likelihood of registering for an online course is also
higher. For example, the ease of use of discussion board to interact with other learners and instructors
can increase students’ confidence to use online learning. This can be seen from how long and how
frequent they access the Internet per week. The simpler and user friendly the online learning system is,
more opportunities are available. Learners accept the online learning environment and remain online
longer.
The theory and relevant background literature have confirmed that it is valid to perceive
usefulness and perceive ease of use to determine students’ behavioural intention to use online learning
system.
5. Conclusion
Online learning is considered as an alternative learning environment to traditional face to face learning
(Sun et al., 2008). It has been widely implemented in many higher institutions of learning around the
world. The world wide web has been used as a medium to conduct online learning and this has made
learning more complex in such learning environment (Sun et al., 2008). For this reason, the main
purpose of this review paper was to explore the factors that could influence the use of online learning
among students. This paper offered a review of previous studies exploring several possible factors that
could be considered as the determinants of online learning. Based on the review of literature, the author
of this paper suggest that four main factors namely, gender, attitudes toward online learning, perceived
ease of use and perceived usefulness can influence students’ use of online learning. It is important that
these four factors are taken into consideration by online learning instructors to reduce the dropout rates
in online learning courses.
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