E-learning acceptance in Kenyan Universities: An extension of Rogers diffusion of innovation theory

Abstract

This study investigates the factors that influence the acceptance and adoption of asynchronous e-learning systems in Kenyan universities and presents a conceptual model based on Rogers‟s diffusion of innovation theory. The Model was tested with questionnaire Instruments to a sample size of 639 respondents from 4 public universities. The respondents included e-learning students (N=241), non e-learning students (N=344), elearning lecturers (N=33) and e-learning technicians (N=21). The results proved that for all the respondents, e-learning awareness and its benefits were the most important factors to influence adoption. Content quality, instructor influence, e-learning and computer training plus other technology use formed the other adoption factors for e-learning students while internet access, instructor and fellow student influence were instrumental for adoption by non e-learning students. The e-learning instructors showed that, training, institutional support, rewards, incentives and recognition influenced their adoption while other factors like training, other technology use, e-learning benefits and triability were also crucial. The most important factors for the e-learning technicians were training, triability, rewards and recognition and institutional support.