An Analyzing the Challenges of the E-Learning System in Higher Education: The Experiences of Students and Faculty Members in the Covid Crisis 19

The present study aimed to analyze the challenges of the virtual education system in Al-Zahra University during the COVID 19 pandemic crisis. So, the researchers a qualitative approach by descriptive phenomenology were used. The target population was students and faculty members of Al-Zahra University. The researchers 20 faculty members and 30 students by purposive sampling the type of criterion method and based on the saturation of the findings selected. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed by inductive content analysis. For the data validity, member checking and peer checking method were used. Findings showed that out of 380 codes were extracted; 210 codes were related to the challenges of the virtual education system from the students' point of view and 170 codes were extracted related to challenges from the faculty members' point of view. Therefore, the challenges of the virtual education system in Al-Zahra University from the perspective of students and faculty members in six categories were classified including; time challenge, infrastructure, and support services challenge, motivation challenges, and prerequisite skills challenge, technical and social challenges. Considering the policies of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology regarding the use of the integrated method in postCorona, it is necessary to remove these challenges. Therefore, it is suggested that Alzahra University use alternative systems, such as BigBlueButton software, which is a software completely Persian and easier for users to work with that. Also, the cost prioritization of university budgets should be planned based on the unexpected crisis of Covid 19 and the essential needs of e-learning. To reduce infrastructure challenges the university should be considering the strategies such as buying or renting auxiliary servers and support policies for example allocate low-interest loans to students and faculty to provide facilities. Preparing elearning regulations and understanding educational expectations and monitoring their implementation can reduce the challenges of time and social interactions. To reduce and eliminate the challenges of prerequisite skills, the preparation of a training package and a guide to working with the e-learning system and the need to pay attention to the important discussion of mentoring is necessary.