Review by: Hartmann, Werner (2004-07-04)

Information and communication technologies are used progressively in university education. The paper summarizes a study conducted with 150 students in two schools of a Swedish university; the students had an two-year e-learning experience on campus. The goal of the study was an analysis of factors which help overcome problems of implementation of e-learning on campus.

Three specific questions were adressed in the study: (1) The students’ general attitude towards e-learning, (2) analysis of the relation between students’ attitudes and background factors such as gender, previous experience with computers or learning style, and (3) the major advantages and disadvantages of e-learning as experienced by the students.

Surprisingly, more than 50% of the students disagreed totally or to a large extent with the statement that e-learning improved their learning. Students did not regard access to e-learning on campus as a benefit. Students at the school of engineering showed more negative attitudes than students at the school of health sciences.

Male students and students with previous knowledge of computers and students with positive attitudes to new technologies were significantly less positive towards e-learning on campus than other students. No significant relationship was found between attitudes and age group or learning style.

The main advantages of e-learning were reported to be the added value in organizational matters, such as easier access to information and the flexibility regarding time and place. Inconsistent and sporadic use of the e-learning platform by the teachers decreased the initial enthusiasm.

Students’ perceptions of e-learning in university education on campus was rather discouraging. Access to a Web platform in regular on-campus courses does not provide an added value per se, and not even students with previous computer experience can be expected to be more positive towards e-learning than other students.

The main finding of the study was that the different e-learning implementation strategies of the two schools were more important in influencing students’ perceptions than the individual background variables.