The Challenges of Implementing E-learning Courses in Iran’s Higher Education: A University Management Perspective

• Main Authors: Seyyed Majid Abdellahi, Amir Bagherzadegan, Zohreh Aghakasiri
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shiraz University of Medical Sciences 2020-12-01
• Series: Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Sciences
• Subjects: e-learning; challenges; developing countries; solutions; isfahan university
• Online Access: https://ijvlms.sums.ac.ir/article_47065_7361dbda7a2681ec02bee039fa31d750.pdf
• ISSN: 2476-7263; 2476-7271

Background: Integrating e-learning into the higher education of developing countries entails identifying the challenges of setting up e-learning courses in these countries. The present article aimed to identify these challenges in Iran. For this purpose, Isfahan University was selected as a leading institution in innovative developments. The University launched its e-learning courses in 2012, and the associated challenges were evaluated from the viewpoints of university officials at the time. Methods: This research was a qualitative study. Based on the literature review, a guideline devised by Ojo and Awiah was used for semi-structured interviews. This instrument categorizes the technological challenges in developing countries into strategic, operational, and thematic limitations. Further, researchers divided the thematic problems into two subgroups: administrative and cultural–legal problems. Then, they interviewed 10 university officials who were course supervisors during 2012-2013 and were practically involved in addressing the problems of organizing these courses in that period. Results: After gathering data, an analysis was conducted by coding the interviews. Then the challenges and their solutions were determined. The major challenges in setting up e-learning courses were lack of strategic insight and planning for using e-learning courses in line with the University’s mission (strategic challenge) and lack of active participation by instructors and learners in e-learning due to limited face-to-face interactions between them in online classes (operational challenge). Conclusions: Research findings pointed to the need for a change in outlook on the part of authorities and policymakers for the purpose of identifying and removing the existing challenges of implementing e-learning in higher education institutions.