Assessing the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students

Received Aug 31, 2020 Revised Apr 20, 2021 Accepted May 8, 2021 This study assessed the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria. Survey type of descriptive research design was used in the study. There were 381 students randomly selected in four higher institutions. A questionnaire with test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.88 was used to gather data from the respondents. The researchers used Frequencies, percentages, means and t-test to analyze the data collected for the study. Findings revealed that all the fifteen impediments investigated in this study affect the e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria in varying degrees. The foremost factor is money to purchase e-learning resources followed by limited electricity supply. Moreover, significant difference was not found in the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students on the basis of gender (t=-.796, Df=397, P>0.05) but significant difference was found in the factors affecting the use of e-learning by students’ of Universities and Colleges of Education (t=-2.969, P<0.05). It was recommended that all the identified impediments affecting the e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria should be addressed by the government.

from add-on functions in conventional classrooms to full substitution for the face-to-face meetings by online encounters [5]. However, e-learning is described as ICTs used to help learners to enhance their learning [6]. According to Suo [7], e-learning is an enhanced and efficient method of learning by utilization of multimedia and hypermedia technologies. It limits the expenses such as stationary cost consumed by learners every day in the classroom. Bates [8] and Wang [9] opined that e-learning is an innovative platform that offers students another learning environment. The technology and internet driven education have led to a paradigm shift in learning from teacher centeredness through to learner centeredness [10]- [12]. E-learning as opposed to distance learning refers to all information and communication technologies (ICTs), networks, internet connectivity and other forms of electronic media that can be used to facilitate teaching and learning [10]. Moreover, Farrel [13] opined that there are common beliefs that ICT can be an essential tool to which can be used to sustain the education reform agenda in Africa. E-learning in its broadest sense refers to any learning that is electronically enabled. In a slightly narrower sense, it is learning that is enabled by the application of digital technologies. Narrowed down further, it becomes any learning that is Web-based or Internet-enabled. Instruction over the Internet is perceived by many to be a significant breakthrough in teaching and learning [14], [15]. Liaw [16] defined e-learning based on the summaries of its characteristics. E-learning helps the tertiary institution students to study while at the same time pursuing their careers [17], [18]. Despite the numerous merits of e-learning in higher institutions, several challenges are affecting the use of it in the tertiary institutions.
Thus, Anene [19] investigated the challenges and prospects of e-learning in Nigerian universities. They discovered that one of the challenges to the use of ICT was inadequate facilities; the learners complained that Nigerian Universities do not have sufficient e-learning library domain, online interactions with lecturers and online tests. In addition, the findings of Eze [20] in their study on the utilization of elearning facilities in the educational delivery system of Nigeria: a study of M-University revealed that attitude of users, inadequate internet facility and inadequate training of partakers affect the successful adoption of e-learning facilities. Moreover, Aboderin [21] studied revealed that the learners major problems in using e-learning included inadequate computers, inadequate internet facilities, learners' inadequate access to e-learning instruments and tools, costly software and poor power supply. The outcome of study of Chiaha [22] revealed that about 42.9% of the learners had opportunity to use e-learning tools; some learners have privilege to use only email and the some impediments to the use e-learning tools by learners include poor power supply, slow network connectivity, among others. Furthermore, content and infrastructure development have not been sufficient for successful implementation of e-learning systems [23]. Both the lecturers and students in Nigerian higher institutions have been facing a lot of problems that make the use of e-learning not to be effective and efficient. Hence, this study investigated some impediments to the utilization of e-learning facilities by higher institution learners Two research questions were raised to guide the study: 1) What are the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria; 2) What is the ranked order of impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria.
Two research hypotheses were formulated for the study: 1) No significant difference exists in the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students based on gender; 2) No significant difference exists in the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students based on institutions.

RESEARCH METHOD
The researchers adopted the descriptive research design in the study. All the learners in higher institutions in Katsina State constituted the study population and the target population consisted of all the students in higher institutions in the state (i.e. two Colleges of Education and two Universities). The researchers selected three hundred and eighty-one participants using a simple random sampling technique. Questionnaire titled: "Impediments to E-Learning Utilization Questionnaire" (IEUQ) designed by the researchers with four-point Likert-type scale and five points was used to collect relevant data for the participants. Both validity of the instrument was done. The test-test reliability coefficient of 0.88 was obtained. Frequencies, percentages, means and t-test were used to analyze the data collected at 0.05 alpha level. The variables that had a mean of 2.5 (Midpoint) and above represented 'agree' while mean below 2.5 represented 'disagree'. It was used to indicate the extent of variability of the participant responses were determined using standard deviation (SD). A SD that is less than 1.0 shows low variability.

Answers to research questions
The two research questions raised in this study were answered using frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviation.

Research question two:
What is the ranked order of impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria. Table 2 reveals that out of 15 impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria listed above; money to purchase e-learning resources ranked first followed by limited electricity which is ranked second; download delay ranked third, followed by cost of buying data; poor networking; lack of training on use of e-learning; skilled manpower is inadequate; cost of working in cyber cafe; inaccessibility of some websites; appropriate e-learning software is lacking; poor skills for operating elearning resources; lack of good quality of education content; problem with credibility of information; inability to find information and fear of e-learning resources usage.
The least of the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students is fear of elearning which means higher institution students in Katsina State did not have fear of using e-learning resources. Therefore, all other problems ranked 1 st to 14 th should be solved by governments and each institution management so that higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria can make use of elearning resources adequately. This will facilitate their progress in teaching and learning processes. The result in Table 3 shows that no significant difference exists in the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria based on gender. (t= -.796, Df = 397, P> 0.05). Thus, the null hypothesis one is therefore accepted. This implies that both male and female students faced the same impediments in the use of e-learning.

Hypothesis two: Significant difference do not exist in the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria based on institutions (Universities and Colleges of Education)
From Table 4, the researcher discovered that significant differences exist in the impediments to elearning utilization by higher institution students based on gender of Universities and Colleges of Education (t = -2.969, P< 0.05). Therefore, hypothesis two is rejected. This implies that students of Universities and College of Education are significantly different in the problems they faced in the use of e-learning.

Discussion of findings
The findings from research questions revealed that all the respondents agree that (Money to purchase e-learning resources; Limited electricity; Download delay; Cost of buying data; Poor networking; Lack of training on use of e-learning; Skilled manpower is inadequate; Cost of working in cyber café; Inaccessibility of some websites; Appropriate e-learning software is lacking; Poor skills for operating elearning resources; Lack of good quality of education content; Problem with credibility of information; Inability to find information and Fear of e-learning resources usage) affects their use of e-learning in Katsina State. The findings are supported by Aboderin [19] study which found that the Open University students' major challenges in using e-learning included inadequate computers, inadequate internet facilities, learners' inadequate access to e-learning instruments, costly software and poor power supply.
The findings from hypothesis one shows that significant differences do not exist in the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria based on gender (t= -.796, Df = 397, P > 0.05). This implies that the impediments faced in the use of e-learning by male and female higher institution students are not different. The findings were supported by the findings of Olutola [24] but the findings of this study is contrary to the study by Amkpa [25], which revealed that students' gender significantly differ in attitudes towards computer applications.
The result of data collected shows that significant differences exist in the impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institutions (t = -2.969, P< 0.05). This implies that students of Universities and Colleges of Education are significantly different in the challenges they faced in the use of e-learning. Chiaha [20] study disagrees with the findings of this study because they reported no significant difference between the mean scores of two higher institutions to the extent students have access to e-learning facilities.

CONCLUSION
Most of the factors considered (Money to purchase e-learning resources; Limited electricity; Download delay; Cost of buying data; Poor networking; Lack of training on use of e-learning; Skilled manpower is inadequate; Cost of working in cyber cafe; Inaccessibility of some websites; Appropriate elearning software is lacking; Poor skills for operating e-learning resources and Lack of good quality of education content) except three (Problem with credibility of information; Inability to find information and Fear of e-learning resources usage) serves as impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students in Katsina State, Nigeria in varying degrees.
In other words, respondents generally agreed that 12 out of the 15 factors considered in this study are the factors affecting the use of e-learning. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the government, University and Colleges of education managements and relevant education stakeholders to arise to tackle the impediments to e-learning faced by higher institution students in Katsina State and Nigeria in general. The researchers recommends that: 1) All the identified impediments to e-learning utilization by higher institution students affect the students in study state and Nigeria should be addressed by the government; 2) Adequate e-learning resources should be provided by the government to all the Universities and Colleges of education in the study state in order to enhance students' performance; 3)There should be adequate power to facilitate the use of e-learning in our universities and colleges of education.