The development of e-learning in a Lebanese higher education context.

This thesis examines the experience of faculty members, academic administrators and students at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU), Lebanon in the development process of e-leaming implementation for encouraging intellectual activity in teaching and learning.The research methodology consisted of an in-depth single-case study which was adopted to drill down into the e-leaming implementation process centering on analyzing the attitudes and views of faculty members and academic administrators. In addition, students' learning styles and preferences together with their views on how their teachers use technology in teaching were examined. The total sample of the study was 203 faculty members, 18 academic administrators, and 259 students.Both qualitative and quantitative methods of data gathering were employed including two questionnaires administered to faculty members, interviews with academic administrators, interviews conducted with faculty members, and a questionnaire administered to students. Document analysis of meeting minutes and strategic planning was conducted to complement interviews and questionnaire data obtained from faculty members and academic administrators.Main results showed that institutional processes involved several steps for implementing e-leaming. Change in leadership resulted in change in the direction of e-leaming implementation, indicating the role of the culture of the institution in the context of change. The most important element in the process of implementing e-leaming was the transition from one phase to another through training and faculty members' participation in the e-leaming implementation process suggesting the significance of these factors in the change process. A key theme that arose from the research findings was the need to create a culture of engagement in the process of change. Other key factors which have facilitated the process of implementing e-leaming were analyzed. Initiatives to implement e-leaming were partly offset by the lack of written policies that will determine the use of e-leaming in the educational process. Faculty members revealed the concern that training should take into consideration how to use technology in teaching. Moreover, academic administrators emphasized the need to develop e-leaming policies. The study showed that the methods of teaching and students' learning styles are two distant areas and drawing links between the two needs adaptation and further inquiry.Contributions to knowledge and the limitations of the study are discussed. Recommendations for implementing e-leaming and carrying out future research are provided.