Assessing Contextual And Prospective Situations Of E-learning Integration In Ethiopian Higher Education Institutions The Case Of Addis Ababa University (aau)

This study was aimed at exploring AAU’s status in efforts towards e-learning integration by assessing accessibility of vital hardware and software e-learning resources to instructors, e-learning literacy level of instructors, digital practice level of instructors as well as institutional support provided in technical and pedagogic needs to the academic staff. In order to get answers for the basic questions, a partially mixed method was employed on purposively selected three colleges and a school of AAU. Totally 126 instructors were randomly selected from all departments in cluster sampling technique, of which 108 returned completed questionnaires. The questionnaires were tabulated and analyzed, supplemented by interviews with an ICTDO director, two program directors two associate deans and two vice directors taken as key informants. Document analysis, especially review of the AAU digital platform covered infrastructure topic. For data analysis, mean values, standard deviation and Likert scale were used. The results indicated that AAU’s instructors’accessibility to digital resource, basic ICT tools and internet was adequate, but digital skill and practice level were very low in techno-pedagogical areas. Instructors’ e-learning practice in instructional planning, delivery and browsing for professional development aspects was very insignificant. The technical support need was not consistent; but comparatively better among CEBS and CHJC. Network and administration, and maintenance issues are signified as concerns of instructors in applying e-based instructional practice. Capacity development tasks were COVID-19 initiated, not well-planned and were not practiced at university-level programmed packages. Absence of e-learning policy and an institutional frame work suited specifically for e-leadership; as well as limited sense of ownership at top level so far were stressed as profound challenges to the e-learning integration from the Instructor-User side. Thus the integration level at AAU was found to be at initial stage. Based on the results, the study suggests availing comprehensive e-literacy and e-based pedagogy capacity development programs for staffs, speeding up ratification of inclusive e-policy based on an all-rounded baseline study and, scaling up user attitude in organized manner. It is possible to conclude that the bright future of AAU as a graduate university among Ethiopian HEIs can be realized by enacting sound e-learning policy with strong all-rounded e-leadership that focuses on improving user and institutional aspects of e-learning system.rnKeywords: E-learning, integration, higher education institutions, institutional support

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