The Impact of E-Readiness on ELearning Success in Saudi Arabian Higher Education Institutions

This research investigates how e-readiness impacts the success of e-learning initiatives in Saudi Arabia’s higher education institutions. The research model assesses this relationship taking into account the unique attributes of teachers, students and administrator in higher education institutions. Seven dimensions constituting the component factors of e-readiness were identified including policy and institutional business strategy, pedagogy, technology, interface design, management, administrative and resource support as well as evaluation and continual improvement. Also six dimensions which constitute the component factors of e-learning success including system, information and service qualities, use and user satisfaction as well as net benefits were also identified. The research hypothesizes, construct and test structural equation models (SEM) on the current levels of e-readiness of Saudi Arabian higher education institutions to successfully implement e-learning initiatives. Research instrument was developed using a pool of items generated from literature. The instruments used were verified and confirmed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Results of EFA, CFA indicated the measurement scale can serve as reliable and valid tool to assess the relationship between e-readiness and e-learning success in Saudi Arabian higher education institutions. Structural equation modelling was used to test this relationship and to assess the applicability of the study’s theoretical framework to different and multiple groups. The unique attributes of teachers, students and administrator to achieve meaningful comparisons across groups were considered and the results exhibit adequate cross-group equivalence which was achieved at different levels. Finding confirmed the universality of the five dimensions of e-readiness to have significant effects on the six dimensions of e-learning success. Additionally, the findings indicated stability of the relationships among the variables within the structural equation model and it isn’t influenced by differences of teachers, students, and administrators either conceptually or psychometrically. The current work contributes to our knowledge of e-learning through the lens of theoretical insights and empirical findings. The implications of the research in the context of Saudi Arabia are discussed and it is intended that the findings from this research can be used to inform strategic decision making towards harnessing the power of e-learning in the country’s higher institutions of learning