Virtual platforms: Assessing the challenges of e-learning in Ghana

Abstract

This paper investigates virtual platforms (VPs) and how they are used for e-learning. It assesses the challenges students face when they use VPs for e-learning from the perspectives of student capacity, institutional perspectives, and external factors, such as the environment or context. Students in Ghana who are engaged in e-learning through external universities outside Ghana were targeted as respondents for this study. It is generally established that different types of computer systems have been adopted by students engaged in e-learning. Two types of computer systems were adopted by the respondents in this study: Open edX and Latitude Learning systems. Three sets of challenges are identified: 1) institutional challenges (ineffective orientation of students by service providers, systems failures, and speaking patterns); 2) student-technological challenges (poor computer skills and self-efficacy, inadequate knowledge and skills in the use of online handles, and poor time management by students); and 3) environmental factors (poor Internet connections, lack of advanced ICT technologies to support e-learning.