headm@mcmaster.ca
ABSTRACT
Successful implementation of e-learning is dependent on the extent to which the needs and concerns of the
stakeholder groups involved are addressed. This paper discusses e-learning, describes the needs and concerns of
the various stakeholder groups, and derives a Stakeholders' Responsiblity Matrix to summarize the
responsibilities of each stakeholder group. Fulfilling the responsibilities described in the Stakeholders’
Responsibility Matrix will address the needs and concerns of each stakeholder groups, thereby encouraging the
success of e-learning in higher education.
Keywords
E-learning, Higher education, Stakeholder analysis
Introduction
The environment of higher education is evolving. Rising costs, shrinking budgets, and an increasing need for
distance education (New Media Consortium, 2007) are causing educational institutions to reexamine the way that
education is delivered. In response to this changing environment, e-learning is being implemented more and more
frequently in higher education, creating new and exciting opportunities for both educational institutions and students.
E-learning, or electronic learning, has been defined a number of different ways in the literature. In general, e-learning
is the expression broadly used to describe “instructional content or learning experience delivered or enabled by
electronic technologies” (Ong, Lai and Wang, 2004, page 1). Some definitions of e-learning are more restrictive than
this one, for example limiting e-learning to content delivery via the Internet (Jones, 2003). The broader definition,
which will be used for the purposes of this article, can include the use of the Internet, intranets/extranets, audio- and
videotape, satellite broadcast, interactive TV, and CD-ROM, not only for content delivery, but also for interaction
among participants (Industry Canada, 2001). More recently, this definition can be further expanded to include mobile
and wireless learning applications (Kinshuk, Suhonen, Sutinen, and Goh, 2003; Lehner, Nösekabel and Lehmann,
2003).
The e-learning models of higher education today find their roots in conventional distance education. Initially
introduced to allow individuals in remote and rural areas to gain access to higher education, distance learning has
evolved significantly over time. Technological advancement has been the major inspiration for change, beginning
with the integration of radio broadcasting in the 1920’s (Huynh, Umesh and Valachich, 2003). More recently, the
advent of the Internet has enabled tremendous innovation in the delivery of post secondary education (Gunasekaran,
McNeil and Shaul, 2002; Teo and Gay, 2006). As time goes by, more and more people gain access to the Internet,
the cost of computer ownership decreases, and overall computer literacy increases (Huynh et al., 2003). These trends
provide educational institutions an ideal channel for the delivery of educational content.
Dimensions of E-Learning
The extent of e-learning technology use in course delivery varies widely. The variations in the configuration of elearning
offerings can be described through a number of attributes, as listed in Table 1 below. These attributes can be
classified into the dimensions of synchronicity, location, independence, and mode. An e-learning course component
can be described by indicating which one of the two attribute values from each dimension is applicable.
E-learning can be synchronous (real-time) or asynchronous (flex-time). Synchronous e-learning includes technology
such as video conferencing and electronic white boards (Romiszowski, 2004), requiring students to be present at the