The utilization of E-learning among engineering educators in Malaysia has
not been fully investigated. Thus, the two main objectives of the study were
to determine utilization of E-learning technologies among engineering
educators and to establish relationships between the independent variables
and utilization of E-learning technologies. The independent variables were
selected demography variables (age, teaching experience, academic
qualifications, specialization areas, computer and Internet experience), self-
directed learning beliefs (educators’ beliefs, beliefs about students’ learning
and facilitation beliefs) and readiness in using E-learning technologies
(educators’ readiness, students’ readiness and organizational readiness).
This survey research used a Likert-like instrument comprised of questions
designed to obtain response on self-directed learning beliefs, readiness,
utilization of E-learning technologies and selected demography variables.
The population for the study was 580 engineering educators teaching at
Universiti Kuala Lumpur. A sample of 165 respondents was selected using
stratified sampling among engineering educators teaching at all institutes of
Universiti Kuala Lumpur, with the exception of UniKL-Royal College of
Medicine. A total of 119 completed questionnaires were returned and used
for analysis giving a 72.2 percent response rate.
Findings from the study revealed that engineering educators were average
users of E-learning technologies. Using Pearson correlation analysis,
significant relationships were found between teaching experience, computer
and internet experience and utilization of E-learning technologies. There was
no significant relationship between age and utilization of E-learning
technologies. ANOVA analysis indicated significant mean differences
between different academic qualifications and utilization of E-learning
technologies, while specialization areas were not statistically significant.
Significant relationships were also established for educators’ beliefs, beliefs
about students’ learning, facilitation beliefs, educators’ readiness, students’
readiness and organizational readiness. Multiple regression analysis
indicated that these variables contributed 40.7 percent of the variance in
utilization of E-learning technologies. The most significant predictors in the
regression model were educators’ own readiness and educators’ beliefs.
While the analyses indicated that there were significant relationships
between self-directed learning beliefs, readiness and utilization of E-learning
technologies, the results must be interpreted with caution. The average
utilization implied that there were other possible reasons for engineering
educators’ decisions in utilizing or not utilizing E-learning technologies
which the management of the university should investigate. Suggestions for
future research include exploring other factors which may influence
utilization of E-learning technologies among engineering educators,
extending the study to include the students’ perspectives and the
implication of the introduction of outcome-based education in engineering
education and its implication on utilization of E-learning technologies. (Author's abstract)
