STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING OF UBIQUITOUS LEARNING AT ZIMBABWEAN SCHOOLS

STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELLING OF UBIQUITOUS LEARNING AT ZIMBABWEAN SCHOOLS

GABRIEL KABANDA

The study tested the application of structural
equation modelling (SEM) to ubiquitous learning of selected
Zimbabwean schools. The purpose of this study was to explore
the effect of diffusion factors toward ubiquitous learning in
Zimbabwe. The main hypothesis being tested was: “ ICT
facilities have a positive effect on the diffusion and adoption of
ubiquitous learning in Zimbabwean schools”. Three models
fundamental to SEM are confirmatory analysis, causal modes
and measurement models. A good model is parsimonious,
theoretically justifiable and reproduces the underlying
correlation matrix based on the constraints imposed. The
methodology used is quantitative where the research design is
a survey method. The SEM is a comprehensive
methodological approach that allows the analysis of the
relationships between observed variables and unobserved/
latent factors. A questionnaire and a scale were administered
to heads of computer studies to 15 selected Zimbabwean
schools in May 2012.
The successful Presidential E-learning programme is the
national beacon, vision and national policy direction that
should be pursued by all schools, colleges and universities in
Zimbabwe. All the schools surveyed were aware of the
Presidential e-learning programme. However, the adoption
and diffusion of the national e-learning programme exhibited
disintegrated efforts in implementation of computerization
projects, marginally high digital divide, cyber-bullying among
school pupils, inadequate cyber-security technical measures, a
huge appetite for computer training, computer literacy rate
for teachers ranging from 5% to 80% in some of the schools,
little evidence of integration of e-learning into the school
curricula, and shocking levels of inadequate networked
computing facilities

International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering

2013