An Analysis of Student Perception of Implementing eLearning in the Sri Lankan Private Higher Education Sector

Abstract

The importance of understanding student perceptions is to enhance student satisfaction which in turn can be used to successfully market private education in Sri Lanka. This study is further important due to increasing demand of education in the country and the increasing number of ‘institutes’ mushrooming in the Western Province. Through this research the relationship between the perceptions of students with respect to implementing eLearning in selected higher educational institutions will be examined. The research methodology was a survey approach where students were questioned from 5 quality institutes. SPSS v.16 was used to analyse the data. The literature for this study has been drawn mainly from educational management journals however there is also reference to information technology and business management. The factors suggested in the literature review that affect students perception of eLearning will be viewed in the local context. The secondary research for this report was mainly obtained from stakeholders of the various institutes’ under analysis as well as their websites and from the research done by the World Economic Forum. Primary data was obtained from questionnaires given to students. The ultimate goal of identification of student perceptions is so that a proposed eLearning model can be identified for the private higher education context benefiting students, teachers, the organization and eventually society.