An analysis of e-learning facilitating factors in elementary school education

Abstract

The present study made use of a descriptive analysis approach to examine the strategic factors that facilitate electronic learning among elementary school students in Hamadan, Iran, in 2023. The research community includes all of the principals and teachers employed in Hamedan’s elementary schools (N = 917), who were selected using a stratified random sampling method and Cochran’s formula with an error level of 0.05 calculated for 294 participants. The research instrument was a researcher created questionnaire whose validity and reliability were evaluated and confirmed. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inferential statistics and exploratory factor analysis, Bartlett’s sphericity test and the KMO sampling adequacy index. The data analysis identified several factors that affect e-learning: the creation of technological infrastructure and support services; a flexible education system; the empowerment of teachers to use electronic equipment; acceptance and incentives; support of principals and of innovative management; legal, administrative and financial systems; and teaching and learning strategies. Our findings indicate that these seven strategic factors that facilitate e-learning determined 64.75% of the variance of the entire test. The creation of technological infrastructure and support services was found to define 13% of variance; a flexible education system also 13%; the empowerment of teachers to use electronic equipment 10%; acceptance and incentives 9%; support of principals and of innovative management 7%; legal, administrative and financial systems also 7%; and, lastly, teaching and learning strategies 5%. Therefore, defining the strategic factors that facilitate electronic learning and striving to overcome obstacles to its implementation may improve learning among children.