Designing a Comprehensive Organizational E-Learning Model Using the Meta-Synthesis Method

Authors

1 Human Resources Management, Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Medical Education, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

3 Virtual School, Comprehensive Center of Excellence for Electronic Learning in Medical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Background: Management knowledge in the new centuryis, which is more important than anything when it comes to continuous change and development. Any organization that is not adapted with these waves is unsuccessful. The present study tries using the meta-synthesis method to design a comprehensive organizational e-learning model. Methods: This study is a qualitative study, its method is heuristic, in terms of time it is sectional and in terms of purpose it is developmental and applied. This research method is a kind of meta-synthesis method that in order to implement the method, the 7 stage model of Sandelowski and Barroso (2007) was used. In this study, after designing research questions, a systematic search of databases of Persian and English papers, based on keywords related to organizational e-learning and all related and available papers, were collected and reviewed from 1992 to the end of 2015. In other words, to design the research model, no sampling was done; also in order to assess the content validity of the model, professors and experts’ opinions, in the field of e-learning, were used and to assess its reliability, Kappa indicator was used. Results: After performing 7 stages of the meta-synthesis method and reviewing 324 articles in asystematic way, a model was designed with 12 groups (intellectual capital management, e-learning practices, learning facilitating factors, technical infrastructure, educational infrastructure, the people involved, individual factors, information, technical features, training, strategic management, and communication), 49 concepts, and 531 codes. Conclusions: According to the desired reliability and validity of the model designed based on professors and experts’ opinions, this model is recommended to recognize and plan e-learning system in organizations.

Keywords