An Assessment of the Distance Learners Acceptance and Readiness for e- Learning in the State of Uttar Pradesh (India)

Abstract

E-learning is broadly used to describe “instructional content or learning experience delivered or enabled by electronic technologies”. It is seen that in the past few years e-learning becomes very popular among students worldwide, an assessment of e-learning acceptance and readiness is very much needed for the implementation of Electronic Learning as a platform for distance learners. In the draft new education policy government of India focused upon the creation of the environment to facilitate e learning by universities especially “Open and Distance Learning (ODL)” institutions in India. In the above context this study explored the distance learners presently enrolled in the various programme of IGNOU in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India about their readiness and acceptance for the e – learning. This study is based upon “Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) (Venkatesh, et al. 2003)”. The major factors taken into consideration regarding e- learning readiness and acceptance in this study are performance criterion, efforts criterion, social criterion and facilitating environment.