Critical success factors associated with the development and implementation of academic E-learning system : a study within the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of Stellenbosch
Carstens, Frederick Johannes
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study is an investigation into the four year implementation period of WebCT as
web-based learning support and content management system, within the Faculty of
Economic and Management Sciences in order to:
• Identify the critical success factors related to the success of the implemented system.
• Review the relevance of these critical success factors by means of literature study,
along with reference to case studies of similar WebCT implementations.
• Review the initiatives undertaken by both the university and the faculty in order to
adhere to the identified critical success factors.
• To test, by means of a faculty questionnaire, whether these critical success factors
have in fact been met.
• To make recommendations for the way fonward based on the literature review, the
faculty review and the results obtained from the faculty questionnaire.
Reviewing e-Iearning derives various definitions and understandings of the concept of
e-Iearning within the modem e-Iearning environment and expands into the basic
activities of e-Iearning as practised within traditional universities to establish an
understanding of e-Ieaming application of e-Iearning within the University of
Stellenbosch. A further investigation reveals how the leaming and content
management system (WebCT) was implemented at the University of Stellenbosch as
supportive e-Iearning systern as supported by various advantages and subjected to
The following eight critical success factors were identified for the faculty:
• All staff and students have access to the necessary stable 24/7 IT infrastructure
• All stakeholders have a shared vision of the system's objectives.
• Top management is strongly committed to the idea of e-Iearning.
• Performance evaluation of implemented system.
• Establishing a minimum online presence as launch pad.
• The Faculty buying into/taking ownership of the new system.
• Establishing lecturer's competency, benefits and e-Iearning integration.
• WebCT management becomes part of the normal business activities.
From the review into the relevance of the eight critical success factors, as identified
above, along with the faculty investigation of how these factors were managed and the
results obtained from the faculty survey, it can be concluded that there is room for
further improvement and that specific prioritised and classified management
recommendations relating to the future management of WebCT as learning support
system within the faculty can be made.
Specific recommendations are made to promote faculty development through strategy
formulation that addresses a prioritised list of recommendations, including the
• The inclusion and recognition of e-Iearning development and administration in
• Lecture's development through technical competency development, the
developing awareness of benefits of e-Iearning and developing the awareness and
competency of e-Iearning integration.
• Setting and maintaining a standard of minimum presence.
• Providing additional lecturer support.
• System evaluation.
• Establishing a reward system for e-Iearning initiatives.
• Strategy review.
• E-Iearning research.
These recommendations aim to drive the faculty development in line with the
university's e-Iearning's vision and the university's e-Iearning main objective of: "elearning
becoming a strategic asset". AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie is 'n ondersoek na die vierjaar-implementering van WebCT as webgebaseerde
leerondersteunings- en inhoudbestuurstelsel, binne die Fakulteit van
Ekonomiese en Bestuurswetenskappe met doel om:
• Die kritiese suksesfaktore t.o.v. die geimplementeerde stelsel te identifiseer.
• Die relevantheid van hierdie suksesfaktore te ondersoek deur middel van
literatuurstudie, tesame met verwysing na gevallestudies van soortegelyke WebCT
• 'n Oorsig te verskaf oor die bestuursinisiatiewe wat deur die universiteit en die
fakulteit onderneem is om te voldoen aan die kritiese suksesfaktore soos
• Om deur middel van 'n fakulteitsvraelys te toets of die fakulteit aan hierdie kritiese
sukses faktore voldoen het.
• Om aanbevelings aan die hand van die literatuurstudie, die fakulteit se inisiatiewe en
die resultate van die fakulteitsvraelys, aanbevelings te maak vir die pad vorentoe.
Uit die literatuurstudie spruit daar verskeie definisies en verklarings vir die konsep van
e-leer binne die moderne e-Ieer omgewing. Hierdie basiese definisies lei na 'n oorsig
van die basiese e-Ieer aktiwiteite soos beoefen in tradisionele universiteite om ten einde
'n basiese agtergrond daar te stel van die toepassing van e-Ieer by die Universiteit van
Stellenbosch. 'n Verdere ondersoek wys hoe die leer- en inhoudsbestuurstelsel
(WebCT) geimplementeer was in die Universiteit van Stellenbosch om as
ondersteundende e-Ieer stelsel te funksioneer aan die hand van die voordele en kritieke
gekoppel aan die gebruik van soortegelyke stelsels.
Die volgende agt kritiese suksesfaktore is vir die fakulteit geidentifiseer:
• Alle personeel en studente het 24/7 toegang tot die vereiste infrastruktuur en
• Alle belanghebbendes het 'n verenigde visie van die stelsel se doelwitte.
• Topvlakbestuur is sterk toegewyd tot die e-Ieer konsep.
• Prestasie-evaluasie van die geimplementeerde stelsel.
• Die daarstel van 'n minimum aan-Iyn teenwoordigheid as vertrekpunt.
• Dosente (gebruikers) se inkoop/eienaarskap in die nuwe stelsel.
• Die daarstel van dosente se bevoegdheid, voordele en e-Ieer integrasie.
• Bestuur van WebCT word gevestig as deel van normale besigheidsaktiwiteite.
Vanuit die oorsig van die relevantheid van elk van die agt kritiese suksesfaktore, soos
hierbo ge'fdentifiseer, tesame met die ondersoek t.o.v. hoe die faktore bestuur is binne
die fakulteit en die resultate wat vanaf die vraelys verkry is, kan daar tot gevolgtrekking
gekom word dat daar ruimte vir verdere verbetering bestaan. Om hierdie ruimte vir
verbetering te vul en die toekomstige bestuur van WebCT as e-Ieer ondersteunende
stelsel aan te spreek, kan spesifieke, prioriteitsgekoppelde en geklassifiseerde
aanbevelings t.o.v. die toekomstige bestuur van e-Ieer gemaak word.
Spesifieke aanbevelings is gemaak om die fakulteit se ontwikkeling d.m.v.
strategieformulering wat 'n Iys van geprioritiseerde aanbevelings aanspreek, te
bevorder. Die aanbevelings stuil die volgende in:
• Die insluiting en erkenning van e-Ieer ontwikkeling en administrasie in die normale
• Dosente-ontwikkeling d.m.v. tegniese vaardigheidsontwikkeling, ontwikkeling van
bewustheid van voordele van e-Ieer en die ontwikkeling van bewustheid en
vaardigheid t.o.v. e-Ieer integrasie.
• Die daarstel en onderhoud van 'n minimum teenwoordigheid.
• Verskaffing van addisionele dosente-ondersteuning.
• Die daarstel van 'n erkenning- en vergoedingstelsel vir e-Ieer inisiatiewe.
• Strategie hersiening.
• E-Ieer navorsing.
Hierdie aanbevelings poog om die fakulteit te dryf in Iyn met die universiteit se e-Ieer
visie en die hoofdoelwit van e-Ieer aan die universiteit: "dat e-Ieer 'n strategiese bate
moet word." Description:
Masters Degrees (University of Stellenbosch Business School)