From Student’s Experience: Does E-learning Course Structure Influenced by learner’s Prior Experience, Background Knowledge, Autonomy, and Dialogue

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by nayy☆

E-learning increasingly serves higher education worldwide, aiming to expand learners’ educational opportunities while addressing common concerns about success in online environments. This study examines how e-learning course structure relates to learner autonomy, prior experience, background knowledge, and both student–student and student–instructor dialogue, and proposes solutions using transactional distance theory. Data from 680 Malaysian university learners were analyzed with exploratory/confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling via Smart PLS 3.0.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Objectives

Methods

Results and conclusion

Implications

Introduction

E-learning access and benefits

Collaboration tools and implementation challenges

From Student’s Experience: Does E-learning Course Structure Influenced by learner’s Prior Experience, Background Knowledge, Autonomy, and Dialogue Hassan Abuhassna Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, School of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia ORCID: 0000-0002-5774-3652 Abdelsalam H. Busalim Irish Institute of Digital Business, DCU Business School, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland ORCID: 0000-0001-5826-8593 Babakura Mamman Faculty of Education, University of Maiduguri, P. M. B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State Nigeria ORCID: 0000-0001-9055-1006 Noraffandy Yahaya Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, School of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia ORCID: 0000-0002-7952-5461 Megat Aman Zahiri Megat Zakaria Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, School of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia ORCID: 0000-0001-8223-8124 Qusay Al-Maatouk School of Digital, Technologies and Arts, Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom ORCID: 0000-0003-4654-9464 Fareed Awae Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, School of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Skudai, Johor, Malaysia ORCID: 0000-0001-9121-5020 Received: 28 May 2021 Accepted: 11 Oct 2021 Abstract Background: E-learning is increasingly becoming a preference in higher education institutions worldwide; this is intended to assist educational institutions in achieving objectives to meet the proportion of individuals with their educational opportunities. Nevertheless, instructors and students frequently have concerns with their capacity to succeed in E-learning environments. Objectives: This study aimed to presents common eLearning challenges in regard to e-learning courses structure and its relations to various factors, for instance; students’ autonomy, prior knowledge and experience, students- students dialogue, and students- instructor dialogue, and proposes solutions to these challenges based on the transactional distance theory. Moreover, this study presents evidence from Malaysian higher institutions based on theoretical models for e-learning course structure and its relations to the factors mentioned above. Methods: Data have been collected from 680 university learners all over Malaysia. Data were then examined using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling employing Smart PLS 3.0 software. Results and conclusion: Research findings indicated that e-learning course structure was affected by all dimensions of overall path analysis findings: student autonomy, students background, student-instructor dialogue, and student-student dialogue. However, the e-learning course structure showed insignificant with students’ prior experience. Implications: Implications for universities are discussed accordingly. Such findings provide vital support to the integrative association among collaborative control (CC) and transactional distance theory (TDT) regarding e-learning environments experience, which might support universities administrators in the higher education industry to implement, plan and evaluate online learning platforms applications in their institutions. Keywords: e-learning courses structure, e-learning student background, e-learning student autonomy, elearning dialogue INTRODUCTION E-learning offers access to higher education institutions to a wide variety of students. Including face-to-face learners on campus, students who are working; thus, looking for opportunities to pursue their degree or post-degree through their working experience to be able to switch their career path, individuals who are looking for a flexible time scheduling possibility, those who choose not to take part in face-to-face environments, and finally those who have abnormal circumstances, for instance, nowadays COVID-19 ou

FAQs

What factors does the study investigate regarding e-learning course structure?

It examines relationships with students’ autonomy, prior knowledge/experience, student background, and dialogue both between students and between students and instructors.

How were the study data collected and analyzed?

Data were collected from 680 university learners across Malaysia, then analyzed using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling with Smart PLS 3.0.

What was the key finding about prior experience?

E-learning course structure was influenced by autonomy, student background, and student–instructor and student–student dialogue, while the link with students’ prior experience was insignificant.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by nayy☆