Factors Influencing the Creation and Development of E-Learning from the Viewpoint of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences Students

Background and Aim: Increasing the use of smartphones, improving the state of World Wide Web, and also the need for flexibility in the education process have made the implementation of e-learning in human society inevitable, eliminated time and space limitations, and provided equal education. However, the pace of its creation and development, especially in universities and higher education centers in developing countries such as Iran, is very slow. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the factors affecting the creation and development of e-learning from the viewpoint of students of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences. Materials and Methods: This is an applied and descriptive-survey study. The sample includes 313 students studying at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences during 2016-2017, who were selected by simple random sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using statistical tests and SPSS software. Results: The findings show that the six selected factors of this study affect the creation and development of e-learning from the viewpoint of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences students. From the highest to the lowest effect, these factors include the quality of information and content (4.25), learners’ willingness (4.11), system quality (4.10), facilitators (4.05), student-professor interaction (3.98) and professor quality (3.84). Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that policy makers and university administrators, considering the importance of each factor, invest and develop e-learning to provide better services to students and faculty.