E-Learning System Success in Higher Education

Summary

E-learning systems have become integral to higher education, shaping how institutions deliver instruction, support learners and measure outcomes. Success in this context combines technological, pedagogical and organisational dimensions, including system quality, information quality and service quality. Equally vital are instructor presence, course design and content relevance, which underpin learner satisfaction, engagement and academic performance. Adoption frameworks such as the Information System Success Model and Technology Acceptance Model offer theoretical lenses to evaluate determinants of effective use, while self-regulated learning and peer collaboration mediate the impact of system features on learner autonomy. Recent global upheavals have accelerated digital transformation in universities, underscoring the need for sustainable and inclusive e-learning strategies. Measuring success extends beyond initial uptake to continuous usage, net benefits for students and educators, and long-term institutional resilience.

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E-Learning System Success in Higher Education publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in e-learning system success in higher education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Information System Success Model: A theoretical framework assessing success through system quality, information quality, service quality, use, user satisfaction and net benefits.

Technology Acceptance Model (TAM): A model that evaluates user acceptance of technology based on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use.

Structural Equation Modelling (SEM): A statistical technique for testing and estimating causal relationships using a combination of statistical data and qualitative causal assumptions.

Self-Regulated Learning: The process by which learners personally activate and sustain cognitions, behaviours and affect towards achieving learning goals.

References

  1. A holistic success model for sustainable e-learning based on the stakeholder approach: Case of Vietnamese students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cogent Business & Management (2023).
  2. Adoption of E-learning systems: An integration of ISSM and constructivism theories in higher education. Heliyon (2023).
  3. What impacts learning effectiveness of a mobile learning app focused on first-year students?. Information Systems and e-Business Management (2023).

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