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1. Thematic Area: Technology and Youth Development
Pressure to implement: the role of internal and external
support in e-learning scaling up at the University of Dar es
Salaam during the Covid-19 pandemic
Twali Abeid& Respicius Shumbusho Damian
Correspondence: twalimshare@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
With the outbreak of Covid-19,higher learning institutions worldwide
embarked the implementation of e-learning as a panacea to curb the spread of
the pandemic.
Apart of the broad study conducted at the University of Dar es Salaam to
explore the drivers of e-learning implementation scaling up.
This paper is the part of the broad study which assesses the support rendered
by different actors to ensure the scaling up of e-learning during stressful period
of Covid-19.

2. INTRODUCTION…..
University of Dar es Salaam like other higher learning institutions in
the world was caught unprepared because of the sudden outbreak of
the pandemic.
The pressure to scaler up implementation e-learning in facilitating
teaching and learning was high due to its pressing need.

3. THEORY
 The paper employed two theories in explaining the support rendered by different
actor in scaling up e-learning at the University.
 Institutional theory by Mayer and Rown (1970) and The Unified Theory of
Acceptance and Use of Technology by Venkatesh at al., 2003; Venkatesh at
al.,2012
 The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology have explanatory
power to explain support rendered by internal and external actors supported the
scaling up of e-learning implementation in UDSM
 UTAUT (2003) provided four variables like Performance Expectance (P.E),Effort
Expectancy (E.E),Organizational Support(O.S) and Social Influence(S.I)
 UTAUT 2 (2012) added new variables which is necessary in scaling up the
implementation e-learning including motivation, age, gender, experience, and
voluntariness as significant moderators for the acceptance and use of e-learning.
 UTAUT is relevant to this paper because the University of Dar es Salaam had
shown aspiration of scaling up e-learning implementation but most of users were
reluctant to use e-learning platforms.

4. METHODOLOGY
 The study employed qualitative research approach with case
study design.
 The data was collected through semi-structured interview, in-
depth interview, Focus Group Discussion, open-ended
questionnaires and documentary review with 100 respondents
 Purposive sampling was used to select colleges and
convenience sampling was used to select respondents in those
colleges.
 Thematic analysis was use to analyse data where transcription
was done and identifying themes and sub-themes.
 Dependability, Transferability, credibility and conformability
were used to ensure trustworthiness.
 Protocol sensitivity, informed consent and confidentiality were
used to ensure that ethical issues are adhered.

5. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY
During the pandemic outbreak (Covid-19), the University supported
scaling up by developing policy directives and strategies because of the
compelling need
 The main findings of this study revealed that great financial support
from outside donors since the inception of e-learning at the University.
 During the outbreak of Covid-19 there is limited support from outside
donors because even those donors were highly smashed by the
pandemic.
 Only Vodacom Supported the scaling up e-learning during Covid-19 by
zero-rating all website and link dealing with teaching and learning
facilitation.

6. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY ….
 The great support obtained from within the university such as:-
 Financial support
 Top management support
 Staff support
 Example
• April 24th 2020 trained 340 instructors on e-learning technology across
different colleges and departments
• Improved internet speed by 155Mbps (Mtebe at al.,2021)
• 369 courses were created and uploaded on the University LMS for eight
weeks
• 845 postgraduate students and 551 were uploaded in the system (Mtebe
at al., 2021).
 However, there was limited direct support from the top management to
both instructors and students regarding leadership (being an example)
and resources, leaving e-learning optional.

7. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY….
 The scaling up also faced resistance from the anti-technology staff and students,
whose majority were the youth, with an excuse of lack of support
• Example
• Instructors registered to UDSM LMS 505
• Instructors Never accessed 250
 Active teachers accessed within the semester 1st October 2021 -31st Jan 2022
–Total of 130 instructors
 College/School Distribution
 UDSoL-0
 CoSS- 9
 CoICT-42
 CoET-17
 CoNAS-6
 CoHU-11
 CoAF-2
 SoED-2

8. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY….
 UDBS-1
 SJMC-20
 IDS-7
 IKS-13
 SOURCE (UDSM-CVL,2022)
 Also out of 4628 postgraduate only 845 students uploaded on online
platform
 Out of 1377 instructors only 551 instructors uploaded into the system.
• NB
• Those who are uploaded in to the system not necessarily using the
system in teaching and learning facilitation i.e. only about 130
instructors accessed LMS within the semester 1st October 2021 -31st Jan
2022

9. CONCLUSION
The study concluded that a crucially important and valuable management
technology may not be successful even if there is pressure to scale it up
unless there is commitment and support from within, especially from the
organization’s top management.
 There is no e-learning policy with different laws that govern the scaling
up of e-learning. This caused e-learning to optional among the
instructors and students across academic units
 Limited infrastructures within the colleges and department which
hamper the scaling up of e-learning implementation.
 Inadequate investment in ICT technology at the University and their
academic units.
 Youth should be empowered on the basis of sophiscated ICT facilities,
Comprehensive training and constant supply of internet connections.

10. RECOMMENDATION
 Top Management members should be an exemplar to use ICT facilities
i.e. e-learning in facilitating teaching and learning.
 E-learning policy and laws that govern the implementation scaling up
should be formulated to make e-learning compulsory
 Enough internal resources should be highly invested in the
implementation of pressing need programs and projects
 For the successful technology and youth development there should be
youth empowerment in terms of training, facilities and resources.