Attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards E-learning at the University of the Western Cape

Abstract

The development of the Internet has provided an opportunity for offering e-learning as a new addition to modern education. Substantial evidence indicates that many universities across the world are offering study programmes through a variety of e-learning methods. Although e-learning environments are becoming popular, there is limited research on learners’ attitudes toward online learning environments. Past research has identified a variety of factors affecting user attitude in relation to e-learning. It is against this background that this article seeks to determine the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students toward e-learning at the University of the Western Cape. A survey was conducted among 213 undergraduate nursing students to assess their attitudes toward e-learning. The study employed a survey methodology based on the questionnaire that was distributed randomly to students to assess their attitudes towards e-learning, and to establish whether any existing demographical factors impacted on the students’ use of e-learning. From a valid response rate of 86%, the statistical analysis revealed that learner satisfaction was influenced by perceived ease of use, gender, and study-year level of respondents. The findings demonstrate a favourable attitude towards e-learning among nursing students at the University of the Western Cape.