Investigation of E-learning Development in Agricultural Higher Education: Student's Perspective

Development of information technologies has altered learning and teaching process in higher education and e-learning has emerged as a new education method. The purpose of this study was to investigate of e-learning development in agricultural higher education. The research was based on survey and descriptive method. The statistical population consisted of postgraduate students (M.Sc. & Ph.D.) of agricultural faculties (N=923) at Tabriza, Shiraz, Mazandaran, Mashhad and Tarbiat Modares Universities who were selected by applying proportional stratified sampling technique. Sample size for students was 135. Data was gathered through application of questionnaire. The instrument validity was confirmed and corrected based on comments of an expert panel. Reliability analysis of questionnaire was conducted and alpha Cronbach’s coefficient was reported 0.91. Factor analysis results showed that three major factors explained 60.10% of variances of e-learning development solutions. These factors were organizational, infrastructural and political solutions.