Issues of adoption: have e-learning management systems fulfilled their potential in developing countries?

Despite the potential of learning management systems to support both blended learning and learning that is entirely delivered online, the majority of LMS-supported e-learning initiatives in developing countries do not fulfill their potential; they fail, either totally or partially. To identify the underlying causes of failure, a survey was conducted through interviews with key e-learning personalities directly involved in e-learning initiatives in five universities in Africa. Some of the most probable causes of failure were identified as: high ICT illiteracy rates among the student community; low comfort levels with technology; usability issues of learning management systems; poor marketing strategies; ineffective maintenance strategies and insufficient user/technical support. The dimensions of these causes of failure are discussed, as are the probable interventions likely to avert some of them. The findings are intended to inform further research towards more successful deployment of learning management systems in developing countries.

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