THE INFLUENCE OF E-LEARNING ON THE TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION OF COOPERATIVE MEMBERS IN THE SOUTH EAST OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The thrust of this study is to examine the effects of e-learning on the transformative education of Cooperative Members. The descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Multistage random sampling technique was used to select 300 respondents consisting of 75 Cooperative Leaders and 225 members. A well-structured questionnaire was validated and used to collect relevant data which was analysed using descriptive statistics (the mean and standard deviation). Findings indicate that very few e-learning facilities are available in cooperatives even at secondary and apex levels in the area studied; hence the adoption of e-learning is poor. However, the study revealed that the few e-learning facilities adopted have good effect on the transformative education of the cooperative members. The study also found out that the adoption of e-learning has lots of challenges, including high cost of imported equipment and e-learning facilities; insufficient E-learning infrastructure, inadequate time to develop and implement ICT-using activities, lack of digital learning resources, among others. The study, therefore recommends that specialty training should be given to cooperative leaders to make them keep abreast of the trends in e-learning and they should source for more funds for the improvement of e-learning infrastructure.