CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Conceptual Framework

This research work gives conceptual framework that are related to the title of this study for the
purpose to give the reader(s) an insight knowledge about what the study is built on. It involves
the detail explanation on the conceptual terms related to meaning of E-learning and its
history, E-learning and pedagogy, Purpose of E-learning, need and Importance of E-
learning, the Adaptation, challenges and problems of E-learning in Nigerian Institution and
summary

Meaning of E-learning

The term E-learning means something different to almost everyone who uses it. Some use the
term to refer to pieces of content packaged using technical infrastructures. Some think only of
web-based self-study, while others realize E-learning can encompass real-time learning and
collaboration. Almost all also agree that E-learning is of strategic importance. Almost all also
agree that E-learning is an effective method that should be blended into a corporation current
learning style.

E-learning refers to the use of internet / ICTs i.e. Information and Communication Technology to
enhance and support teaching and learning process. It is a way of using wireless and internet
technologies to deliver a broad array of training solutions. E-Learners access the learning from
computers via the internet or an intranet, or through a hand held device like the mobile phone. In
2001 Marc Rosenberg suggested the following definition of E-learning as “the use of Internet
technologies to deliver a broad array of solutions that enhance knowledge and Performance.”
(p. 28). In less than two short years this definition has expanded to include wireless as well as
internet technologies with the two technologies often working together to delivery focused
learning to the problem site.
We are all familiar with classroom-based learning, which is face-to-face group learning led by an
instructor or subject matter expert. In E-learning environments learners interact with learning
materials, their instructors and other learners from various locations and often at various times
using network technologies. So by its nature, E-learning offers significant flexibility as to when
and how learning occurs. E-learning can include independent, facilitated, or collaborative
approaches to learning. Independent learning refers to each individual learner completing
learning activities or modules on their own, on their own schedule and in their own environment.
The learner is independent of a facilitator and the other learners. This does not mean that the
learner does not have access to other resources such as a facilitator or coach, but the learner is in
control of whether they contact them, when they contact them, and on main reasons.

Collaborative learning refers to working with other learners in an online environment. A typical
example is an email discussion with other learners on a particular topic or everyone posting to a
course room or a forum educational group discussing on a particular subject matter, topic or
issue. On the other hand, Facilitated learning is designed to be completed through interaction
with instructors or coaches. There are several ways and methods to achieve this task, for
example, a learner might complete a section of learning on-line then discuss key concepts via e-
mail with the instructor or with classmates.

E-learning can be synchronous (meaning learners are experiencing the learning at the same time)
or asynchronous (meaning learners are experiencing the learning at different times) or it can
incorporate both drawing on the strengths of each. Independent learning is, by definition,
asynchronous. Facilitated and collaborative can be either asynchronous or synchronous.

Salleh, Oye and IA had, 2010 described E-learning as the use of Information and
Communication Technology e.g. Internet, computer, mobile phone, Learning Management
System(LMS), Radios, Televisions and other to enhance teaching and learning activities. They
see E-learning as a unifying term used to describe the fields on online learning, technology
delivered instructions and web based training. It can also be defined as “a generic term covering
a wide set of ICT technology-
based learning, virtual classrooms, digital collaboration and networking” (Hambrecht, 2000;
Kaplan Leisero’s online glossary).The E-Content Report (2004) describes E-learning “as an
 umbrella term describing any type of learning that depends on or is enhanced by electronic
communication using the latest information and communication technologies (ICT)”.

Also, others refer to it as teaching and learning that is web-enabled (Rosenberg 2001: p 28-29,
Govindasamy 2002: p 288; Garrison & Anderson 2003: p 2). Building on the above descriptions,
the Europe Promoting Digital Literacy Initiative describes it as “the use of new multimedia
technologies and internet for improving the quality of learning by means of access to resources
and services, and long distance collaborations and exchanges”. In addition, the Commonwealth
of learning in 1998 described E-learning in two ways

i. As the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) to core institutional

functions such as administration, materials development and distribution, course delivery and
tuition, and the provision of learner services such as advising, prior learning assessment and
Program planning.
ii. As an organization that has been created through alliances and partnerships to facilitate teaching
and learning to occur without itself being involved as a direct provider of instruction.
Recognizing these elaborate definitions that have been given E-learning over the years, one must
point out that, the scope of such learning is unpleasantly broad. The globally available definitions
may however create confusion as a result of the fact that, not only that the subject is equally new
to course producers, to technology providers and to the end-users (i.e. the learners), but it has not
actually found its common ground and market position yet (E-Content Report,
2004).Recognizably, the huge emphasis that has been given E-learning, especially by leading
technology providers, might have resulted in the term rather being abused. However, as
technology and business evolve, so does the terminology, while other equally valid terms are
likely to persist, E-learning seems to have finally captured the field.

History of E-learning
In the history of E-learning, there is no standard definition of E-learning and there is no approved
theory of the evolution of E-learning. Since the 1960s, educators and trainers at all levels of
education, business, training and military made use of technology and computers in different
ways to support and enhance teaching and learning (Nicholson, 2007). For the past 40 years, E-
learning has evolved in quite different ways in different sectors. In the school sector, E-learning
refers to the use of both software-based and online learning, whereas in Business, Higher
Education, Military and Training sectors, it refers mainly to internet-based flexible delivery of
content and programs that focus on sustaining particular communities of practice (Campbell,
2004). The insightful work of Patrick Suppes at Stanford and Don Bitzer at the University of
Illinois was the foundations of the current practiced E-learning in business and higher education,
while others like Porter and Uttal also contributed in this area (Association, 2010; Fletcher,
2002). In 1966, Suppes argued that: “In the future it would be possible for all students to have
access to the service of a personal tutor in the same way that ancient royals were once served by
individual tutors, but this time the tutors would be in the form of a computer.”(Suppes, 1966)
In the early 1960s, Don Bitzer at the University of Illinois created a timeshared computer system
called Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations (PLATO) that was concerned with
literacy programs. PLATO allowed students and teachers to use graphics terminals and TUTOR,
an educational programming language, to communicate and interact with other users by means of
electronic notes, which is the forerunner of today’s conferencing systems (Bitzer et al., 1962).
Woolley (1994) argued that PLATO’s communication features were innovative and were the
base of today’s conference and messaging systems. Although Suppes and Bitzer created
technology mainly as a tool, their vision allowed them to use it in other directions and today’s E-
learning systems such as Blackboard and ANGEL are the successors of PLATO.
However, the emergence of E-learning in education and business, and its marketing has led to
concerns about the influence of quality assurance driven models on structure and quality of these
programs (McGorry, 2003). Other concerns target the ability to deliver pedagogically structured
learning experiences, or to have a clear learning paradigm have also been raised (Gillham, 2002)
Nowadays, E-learning is evolving with the World Wide Web as a whole and it's changing to a
degree significant enough to warrant a new name, specifically E-learning 2.0. The term E-
learning 2.0 is used to refer to new ways of thinking about E-learning inspired by the emergence
of Web 2.0. From an E-learning 2.0 perspective, conventional E-learning systems were based on
content delivered to students using Internet technologies. The role of the student was to learn
from the readings and prepare assignments and course works, which were later evaluated by the
teacher. In contrast, the new E-learning concentrates on social learning and use of social software
such as blogs, wikis, podcasts and virtual worlds. This phenomenon has also been referred to as
Long Tail Learning, and has witnessed increasing numbers of followers (Brown and Adler,
2008).

E-learning and pedagogy

E-learning can be viewed as an alternative to the face-to-face teaching method or as complement
to it. E-learning usually allows the student a greater choice as well as responsibility for their own
learning (Collis, 2008; Oye et al, 2011). E-learning can be viewed as "disruptive technology" and
as a new paradigm for learning (Christensen, Anakwe, & Kessler, 2001).Disruptive technologies
look at problems in completely new and creative ways. E-learning can change the methods of
learning and has the capability to overcome the barriers of time, distance, and economics
(Vrasidas & McIsaac, 2000). E-learning challenges the traditional ways of teaching and learning,
enables new alliances between various educational and commercial entities, and presents new
ways of solving old problems. For example, the role of teachers is likely to change from
importers of knowledge to facilitators of knowledge gaining process. Synchronous interaction,
such as chat and conferencing requires the "physical" or "virtual “presence of participants at the
same time. This has the benefit that collaboration is done in real time and delays of
communication are avoided. Asynchronous interaction, such as email, blogs, and threaded
discussions has the advantage of allowing the students to access the learning resources anytime.
Asynchronous mode of communication is useful when parties have to communicate and share
information (i.e. intermediate software progress modules) between the interaction sessions, it is
important to reflect and discover. Asynchronous interaction is also beneficial when students are
geographically dispersed and it is difficult to assemble them at the same time. Reflection can
reinforce and enhance learning. Reflection is a form of mental processing (a form of thinking)
which we use to fulfill a purpose or to achieve some anticipated outcome. It is applied to
relatively complicated or unstructured ideas for which there is no obvious solution; the
equivocality resulting from no "single" obvious solution to a software design project requires
additional processing of knowledge and understanding and possibly display of emotions (Moon,
1999). Group reflection is an extremely important part of helping students retain what they learn,
provide feedback on their performance, and guide them on how to improve their performance on
the next group situation (Educators, 2006).
 Purpose of E-learning
E-learning in education is the wholesome integration of modern telecommunications equipment
and ICT resources, particularly the internet, into the education system. Shavinina (2001)defines
ICT as all the digital technologies, including: computer, scanner, printer, telephone, internet,
digital satellite system (DSS), direct broadcast satellite (DBS), pocket-switching, fiber optic
cables, laser disc, microwaves, and multi-media systems for collection, processing, storage and
dissemination of information all-over the world. Tracy (1995) defines the internet as the
international network of communications in which computers in the Wide Area Network (WAN)
talk to each other. E-learning as an aspect of ICT is relatively new in Nigeria educational system.
It is a departure from the conventional approach in curriculum implementation. The main
purpose of E-learning is to transform the old methods and approaches to curriculum
implementation and not to silence the curriculum or to extinguish or erase the contents of
curriculum. E-learning is driven by the curriculum. It should follow the curriculum and
should not rob the curriculum of its essence.
E-learning should ensure effective pedagogy and curriculum implementation in the computer
age. According to Nicholls and Nicholls (1980), Mkpa (1987), and Offorma (2002), curriculum
implementation is the planning and execution of the contents of curriculum in order to bring
about certain changes in the behavior of the learners and the assessment of the extent to which
the changes take place. The primary purposes of implementation is to achieve the objectives of
instruction, and achieve retention and transfer of knowledge. Richmond (1997) observed that,
there is a great link between the curriculum and ICT and that there are three major areas that
technology can influence learning, they are as follow:
i. Presentation, demonstration and the implementation of data using productivity tools.
ii. Use of curriculum – specific applications such as educational games, drills and practice,
simulations, tutorials, virtual laboratory visualizations and graphics, representations of abstract
concepts, musical composition and expert systems.
iii. Use of information and resources on CD-ROM, online encyclopedia, interactive maps and
atlases, electronic journals and other references.
 E-learning is an instructional medium that permits alternative approaches to curriculum
implementation in an ICT age.

Similarly, the role of ICT in curriculum implementation is recognized by the Nigeria National
Policy on Education (FRN, 2004, p. 53) where it stated that, “the government shall provide
facilities and necessary infrastructures for the promotion of ICT and E-learning.”

Some of the notable necessity that NPE strategize are:

i. Essential E-learning is about improving the quality of learning using interactive computers,
online communications and information systems in ways that other teaching methods cannot
match. It is relevant to all subjects and to learners at every stage of learning or training. E-
learning can even reach out and re-engaged people who are currently not involved in education
because it is interactive, and can adapt to their needs.
ii. The importance of E-learning can raise standards and improving attainment by using self-paced,
individualized and interactive materials to improve individual support to learners as they move
up the system.
iii. Increasing retention and improving outcomes by using personalized online guidance and support
to allow learners to take greater responsibility for their own learning at the pace and level
appropriate to them.
iv. In broadening choice by making available new subject options and new learning methods to meet
individual needs, including where learners are geographically isolated.
v. Providing support for leaner at risk by enabling careers and public services to link together in
online communities of mutual support and expertise.
vi. Increasing access to learning for handicapped and disable learner through the usage of intelligent
tools and aids for personalizing the internet, linking them to other learners and reducing
isolation.
vii. Removing barriers to achievement by providing new and creative ways of motivating and
engaging pupils and learners of all abilities, enabling and inspiring everyone to attain their
educational potential.
viii. Reducing the level of illiteracy by offering private and individualized feedback on their literacy,
numeracy and ICT skills.
 Need for E-learning
As the E-learning keeps growing, an increasing amount of learning activities can be expected
through interactivity within the academia and the E-learning materials (Zheng & Ferris,
2008).Hence the essentials for E-learning cannot be far from the following especially in
consideration of the onset proposal for redesigning the minimum standard for Universities,
Polytechnics, colleges of education and the rest.
The E-learning facilities when judiciously and fully implemented would:
 Reduce and/or eliminate the costs for instructor fees and materials to a certain level.
 Increased retention and enhanced hands-on application unlike traditional methods.
 Reduce time of learning and the time teachers and Employee’s absence from duty.
 Help managed instruction and progress via portal.
 Make easy use of multimedia in practice and assessment according to learners’ abilities.
 Allow for automated monitor of user's progress with supervisor and teachers.
 Be highly interactive as it engages users and pushes them than pulling them to progress.
 Help past learners go with their speed in any course and avoid redundancy.
 Make slow learners go on their own pace by eliminating frustration with themselves, their fellow
learners, and on the subject matter.
 Make knowledge cumulative as lessons are built consecutively and more flexible.
 Make learning takes place anytime, anywhere and greatly increases knowledge retention.
 Assist e-learners to create, have access, view, modify and print or send documents.
 Enhance evaluation as it become self-paced because E-learning is a networked phenomenon.
 Make easy delivery of content using standard Internet technology as it enhances surf ability.
 E-learning supersedes training and instruction as it is a tool that improve behavior performance.
The benefits of E-learning are numerous. It may as well including cost-effectiveness, enhanced
responsiveness to change, consistency, timely content, flexible accessibility, and providing
customer value (Olomo, 2001).
IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS OF E-LEARNING
The role of E-learning in education is growing and will grow substantially in the next decade.
Growth is also driven by the rising demand from learners, who increasingly use technology in
everyday life and who want more flexible forms of study and learning programs better tailored to
their needs. The benefits of E-learning are well documented and accepted, not only within the
 Nigeria but world-wide. These benefits are not only for the Further education sector, but also for
the learner and the employer.
For Learners:
i. E-learning can facilitate wider participation and fair access to further and higher education by
creating the opportunity to start learning and to choose courses and support according to the
learners needs.
ii. E-learning provides virtual learning world where learners can take part in active and creative
learning with others through simulations, role-playing, remote control of real world tools and
devices, online master classes, or collaboration with other education providers.
iii. E-learning can provide an individualized learning experience for all learners, including those
who are disabled, exceptionally gifted, disadvantaged, have special curriculum or learning needs
or who are remote or away from their usual place of learning.
iv. E-learning provides personalized learning support through information, advices, and guidance
services. It can help learners find the course they need, with a seamless transition to the next
stage of their learning, including online enrolment or application and an electronic portfolio of
their learning to take with them.
For the Further Education Sector
i. E-learning offers a wide range of tools to enable teachers and learners to be innovative, creative
and resourceful in all learning activities. Teachers and learners can easily customize digital
learning resources to suit pace and level, appropriate to any learning style and ability.
ii. E-learning creates on-line communities of practice. The Internet can bring learners, teachers,
specialist communities, experts, practitioners and interest group together to share ideas and good
practice.
iii. E-learning can support learning by offering differentiated learning, particularly for those who
need support in literacy, numeracy and ICT.
iv. E-learning can help remove barriers to achievement, by providing new and creative ways of
motivating and engaging pupils and learners of all abilities, enabling and inspiring everyone to
attain their educational potential.
v. E-learning is important for education because it can improve the quality of the learning
experience, and extend the reach of every lecturer and tutor.
 THE ADAPTATION OF E-LEARNING IN NIGERIAN INSTITUTIONS
In Nigeria some of the universities adopting E-learning is National Open University of Nigeria
(NOUN), University of Lagos, University of Ibadan and more. One of the key advantages of
employing E-learning for maintenance management training is related to the flexibility it offers
and the ease of adaptation of how the training is delivered to individual learners (Yusuf, 1999).
Much of the adaptation capacity of learning management solutions, draw inspiration from an
understanding of the way human beings learn. Two key principles involved in such a process are:
1. Active involvement of learners in learning motivates them to learn.
2. As individual differences learners learn at different rates and ways; hence, customized
techniques and materials lead to efficient learning.

Also, there are three main learning theories which have been influencing E-learning (Keegan,
1993). They are:

i. Behaviourism
ii. Cognitive Science
iii. Constructivism
1. BEHAVIOURISM
The behaviourers treats learning as a set of changes to the learner as he/she reacts to
environmental events. Memorization and imitation are critical in this learning process. The focus
here is always on the teacher, or the computer providing the carefully arranged material but not
the learner.
2. COGNITIVE SCIENCE
Learning is based on attention, motivation, perception and other internal processes. It focuses on
screen design and on human / computer interaction, where the teacher usually has the role of the
facilitator or partner.
3. CONSTRUCTIVISM
This is a paradigm that postulates learners can construct their knowledge i.e. build up a
knowledge model as they react with and interpret their environment. The most important thing
here is that it is learner centered i.e. Student centered. Therefore, the aim is to provide stimuli
and support for the users to construct their knowledge.
 CHALLENGES OF E-LEARNING IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
Nigeria higher education system currently has 95 universities at which about 27 Federal
universities, 34 state universities and 34 private own universities. Also, Nigeria has about 160
other tertiary institutions, Colleges of education and Polytechnics. Every year, about a million
students apply to enroll into these universities but barely 10% of them are enrolled, JAMB
(2009).
Resnick M. (2002) and Folorunso et al (2002) found that mass unawareness, low computer
literacy level and cost were identified as critical factors affecting the acceptability of E-learning
by students and lecturers of Nigerian universities. Sharma R. and Ekundayo M.S. (2009) points
out that E-learning place high demand on learners who have to be more proactive and disciplined
than in traditional face-to-face education. Resnick M. (2002) criticizes that even though ICT is
applied in education, the approaches to teaching and learning remain largely unchanged. In order
to entirely profit from new technologies, educational approaches and concepts on how
technology can support them should be fundamentally rethought. Schulmeister R. (2006) states
that experience proved that the benefits of E-learning could not be fully taken advantage of,
expectations could not be met and that technology often was used to simply reinforce outmoded
approaches to learning. Investigations indicate that the formidable challenge facing Nigerian
higher institutions, is lack of financial support to build the required infrastructure and to produce
learning materials for it’s over 9,000 students registered in the first year, Omofaye J.O. (2007).
There is therefore non-availability of internet access in some tertiary institutions because of the
recurrent cost of bandwidth. Inequality of access to technology is the challenge of digital divide
existing among the student of these university; thus, some of them are unable to afford
computers due to the relative cost to the average income of workers in the country, Ajayi et al
and Arikpo et al. Further reviews on these challenges are:
(i) Internet connectivity: the cost of accessing the internet in Nigeria is still on the high side. Hence,
some students find it a challenge to afford. Aduke A.F. (2008) suggested that the government
should make Internet connectivity a priority for higher education to be able to leverage on the
promises and opportunities ICTs present.
(ii) Energy related problems: Irregular and frequent interrupted power supply in Nigeria is a
perennial problem affecting almost every aspect of the economy, including education. Ajadi et al
argued that it is been a major setback for technological advancement in the country. Most rural
 areas in Nigeria are not even connected to the national grid. The consequence of this is that
students residing in such areas may find it difficult to use ICT effectively.
(iii) Limited expertise: There are few technical staff at these universities to maintain the current
system. Lack of, or inadequate trained personnel are a challenge to the use of ICT in most
Nigerian higher institutions.

The internet is a major driver of ICT in education. Bandwidth is a major issue in the deployment
of E-learning. Bandwidth refers to the amount of information that can be sent or received at a
point on a computer network, the greater the bandwidth, the greater the carrying capacity and
speed of transmission. The higher the quality and quantity of audio, video, interaction and
processing tasks, the more sophisticated the communications technology required. Bandwidth
costs money, so there is a financial imperative to manage the amount of bandwidth used for E-
learning, particularly where it is used to support remote and distance users who may not have
access to fast data connections. Furthermore, the content and services that can be accessed
through internet are dictated by the bandwidth available. Nigerian contributed only
approximately 2% among the Internet users worldwide, Zook M. (2004).

PROBLEMS OF E-LEARNING IN NIGERIA UNIVERSITIES

In spite of the bright prospect of E-learning in the country, it is so worrisome that there are some
hurdles and impediment against the effective use of the educational technology in Nigeria. Some
of these obstacles are:

a. High cost of hardware such as bigger bandwidth and other internal gadgets like smart boards
b. Less price competition and high import tariffs
c. Transmission cost is also high
d. Internet access is mainly through foreign ISPs due to unreliable local ISPs
e. Dearth in skilled manpower for implementation and management
f. Inadequate training of staff in institutions especially related to educational technology
g. Poor condition of telecommunication infrastructure
h. Low literacy level in computer technology among personnel
i. Cost of acquiring and installation of the gadgets required for E-learning
j. Ceaseless interruption of power supply all over
k. Deficit in having well furnish/equipped E-learning centers
l. Cybercrime, Faithlessness/ trustworthiness.

Also, the technical constrain at first on the part of the learners and instructional aspects of the
course are in parallel so that the instructional technology would fit within the curriculum.
Learners cannot be thought of in a vacuum from the other. It is a very iterative process, based on
trial and error with lots of sampling and sketches. Perhaps, the most frequently cited problem of
E-learning was the amount of time required to develop and maintain an E-learning course,
additional time is needed by the teacher to communicate with the students via the internet,
mailing system or via education course forum that relate to the course. Students on the other
hand need adequate time to search relevant information, gather data in a well orderly manner;
balancing the time is a real problem for students.

Furthermore, the problem relating to online group work, assignments, and effective evaluation
are also bottlenecks towards E-learning. For example, when a student faced the challenge of
writing equation that can be easily writing using book and biro; he / she face the of how to do so
using the keyboard since almost the student make use of PC (Personal Computer) with limited
hardware support device. Other cited problem are lack of technology proficiency (majorly with
operating software), lack of awareness when the server crashes and unreliable technology to
maintain student activities. (Ukoha, 2007).

PROSPECTS OF E-LEARNING

There is emerging evidence that E-learning can help to improve attainment and raise standards of
education. The evaluation of the National Learning Network (NLN) in further education uses
qualitative data to show that learners are becoming more sophisticated in their E-learning
expectations and that ICT is increasing permeating college life.

Below are the major vision, view, possibility and prospect of E-learning in Nigerian Universities:
1. Empower Learners: - As stated by National Policy on Education (NPE, 2004) one of the primary
aim of the philosophy of Nigeria Education is to produce a self-reliant citizen that can be useful
to themselves, their society and to the development of the country at large. E-learning engage
learners with more active learning process, people in group or individual irrespective of their age
could take responsibility for what and how they learn, achieving their personal goals as self-
directed lifelong learners.
2. Creative and Innovative teaching and learning: - With E-learning, teaching and learning of
curriculum content could be more creative and innovative in preparation for the 21 st century
global knowledge society.
3. E-learning offer flexibility: - A more responsive education system would adapt to the needs of all
learners, wherever and however they need to learn. Wide range of curriculum content
deployment to learner that will make the philosophical framework of Nigeria education to be
ascertain on the level of equity. NPE recognize equal education for all citizen and with E-
learning, the goal can be achieve.
4. E-learning achieve better value: - Education leaders, evaluators and including classroom
lecturers and teachers could develop innovative ways of deploying their resources, exploiting E-
learning alongside with other teaching methods to improve quality and economies of scale.
5. Generate a professional workforce and fulfilled citizens: - E-learning would enable a community,
group and a workforce for the knowledge society would have a high proportion of people
capable of continually updating their knowledge and skills, E-learning will help in managing
knowledge transfer and contribute to practitioner knowledge in all its forms. This will improve
unity as stated by NPE.
With the advent of E-learning to implement curriculum content in the Nigeria University will not
only help to make the teaching and learning of the content brought by the teacher active but also
to revolutionize education system (Ndam and Oti, 2010). E-learning will also tap the benefits of
a more effective method of teaching and learning offers (Yaakub and Finch, 2010).
Kajetanowtezand Wierzejewski (2010) pinpointed that E-learning has no rival when it comes to
generation of intrinsic motivation and initiation of organized active learning in education. They
equally see E-learning as an efficient means of promoting self–study from frequent testing in the
form of formative evaluation which endangers proper monitoring of educational progress and
periodical achievement. Overall research report shows that E-learning provide positive effect on
learner’s achievement.
Garrison and Anderson (2003) affirmed that the use of E-learning helps learners to become
motivated, eager to learn and creative. It helps learners to create a situation or atmosphere in
which curiosity is aroused, imaginations stimulated, interests generated, viewpoints enlarged and
attitudes changed thereby attaining the basis for education. According to World Bank (2002: 4)
benefits of E-learning to institutions and lecturers include the fact that it saves time and money,
enhances image of the institution, promotes continuous professional development of staff,
improve quality of teaching and makes learning more effective.
Ololube (2006: 7) expressed the view that availability of virtual learning can accomplish seven
objectives when proper utilized. These include the fact that it promotes interest and vocabulary
development in students and also provide experiences not easily obtained through other learning
strategies and contribute to the efficiency, depth and variety of learning.

SUMMARY OF REVIEWED OF RELATED LITERATURE

E-learning which refers to the use of internet / ICTs i.e. Information and Communication
Technology to enhance and support teaching and learning process. It is a way of using wireless
and internet technologies to deliver a broad array of training solutions. E-learning is applied via
the Internet technologies and involves the educational activities, which do not require the
presence of the teacher and learner at the same time and place Yucel (2006), and these are: e-
examination e-drills, e-books, e-counseling etc.

The importance of E-learning can raise standards and improving attainment by using self-paced,
individualized and interactive materials to improve individual support to learners, Increasing
retention and improving outcomes by using personalized online guidance and support to allow
learners to take greater responsibility for their own learning at the pace and level appropriate to
them, despite all the importance of E-learning, there are a lot of challenges impeding it such as
electricity, Technophobia, School Curriculum, Inadequate and Inequality of access to the
technology, Software and License cost, Maintenance and Technical Support, Cybercrime,
Faithlessness/ trustworthiness etc. If the challenges can be reduce to the minimal will bring about
the following outcome such as the use of E-learning will helps learners to become motivated,
eager to learn and creative. It helps learners to create a situation or atmosphere in which curiosity
is aroused, imaginations stimulated, interests generated, viewpoints enlarged and attitudes
changed thereby attaining the basis for education.