Constraints to the Implementation and Adoption of E-Learning in Institutions of Higher Learning. A Case Study of Women’s University in Africa

Universities in developing countries are confronted with many challenges in implementing and adopting e-learning as a medium for their teaching and learning activities in line with the new models of learning following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The main aim of the study was to explore challenges affecting the implementation and adoption of e-learning in private Universities in Zimbabwe using Women’s University as a case study. A total of 500 students and 18 lectures drawn from private universities formed the sample of the study. The study was guided by the positivism research philosophy and hence adopted a quantitative research approach. A survey data collection method was used by means of a questionnaire. The results indicated that challenges affecting the implementation and adoption of e-learning in universities are of institutional and individual nature. Institutional related challenges that emerged from the study include limited financial investment in training and awareness in e-learning learning programs among lecturers and students, lack of e-earning technologist and specialists, limited investment in procuring affordable data for lecturers and students, lack of investment in the development and maintaining of e-leaning platforms and low university band width to cater for the neds of lectures and students. Individual related constraints to the implementation of e-learning from the lecturers and students’ perspective incudes limited access to low-cost data, poor connectivity to the university e-learning platforms and low band width causing serious delays and poor accessibility. The study concluded that the main constrains to the adoption of e-learning in private universities are mainly institutional in nature. Limited investment in the holistic development of e-learning has affected its implementation and adoption. The study recommends that universities put up huge financial investment in e-learning development. In addition, it is recommended that universities procure relevant equipment, set up reliable systems, and provide data to lecturers and students. The main contribution of this research is that it identified the main challenges that influence the successful implementation of e-learning in the private universities which may act as guide to the development of strategies to promote the effective implementation of e-learning in universities.