The current state of e-learning at universities in Zimbabwe: opportunities and challenges

Abstract

E-learning is gaining some ground in University education throughout the world. Currently, a large number of universities world–wide support e-learning in different forms. Despite this wide spread adoption of e-learning in university education, research on e-learning adoption suggests that it has not reached its full potential. This paper discusses the opportunities that exist and challenges that hinder the successful adoption of e-learning technology as a medium of instruction at selected universities in Zimbabwe. The findings and comments provided are expected to help universities develop their e-learning strategies. The participants of this study are university lecturers who are beginning to use e-learning. The results indicate that e-learning at most of the universities is still at its infant stage. This research exposes a number of reasons for the limited successes, which are related to infrastructural development, support and pedagogical considerations for e-learning. Universities are investing more and promoting administrative software at the expense of Learning Management Systems (LMS) software that supports teaching and learning. This study recommends that professional development programs with emphasis on e-learning pedagogies as well as the establishment of e-learning support structures should be promoted.