An empirical study on the success factors to consider in developing e-Learning systems: a learner-oriented system

Abstract

Over many decades now, software design and system development is confronted with development crisis due to a number of causes. And the development has led to a chain of transformation mainly in the area of methodologies and approaches used during the development procedures. The crisis is still continueseven on e-Learning systems notwithstanding the huge effort applied by researchers to preclude the issue. Nonetheless, one big issue that has not been fully addressed nor much attention given in the on-going development crisis is the effective success factors to consider in the development of the e-Learning system that appeal to learners. Although some researches claim to have reduced the effect of software crisis with the evolution of new approaches, frameworks, paradigms and methodologies. This research reports the qualitative empirical data on the success factors to consider in the development of an effective e-Learning systems that fulfillearner's expectations in the developing country. Originally, this study deployed mixed research method on the thesis but this study is an abstract data of the qualitative method which focuses on e-Learning system development among the following educational institutions: University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), University of Cape Town (UCT) and North-West University (NWU). These institutions was selected due they student cultural diversity and international presence and also on their knowledge in developing, customising and deploying e-Learning system as a learning platform. In summary, this study identified different success factors that developers must consider while developing e-Learning systems.