A Framework on the Critical Success Factors of Virtual School System Implementation: A Systematic Literature Review

摘要

The incorporation of Information and Communication Technology has changed the landscape of K-12 education, contributing to immense improvement and increased expectations within the sector. Following the introduction of virtual learning environments for use by higher education institutions and the resulting refinement in their design and application, virtual schools are now being applied to K-12 education and have become one of the most transformational trends in such education. This paper reviews the literature to provide insight into the critical distinctions between the terms and definitions used for various aspects of virtual school. In conducting this review, a distinct lack of framework on the critical factors necessary for success as regards the implementation of virtual schools was found in the current literature. To overcome this lack, this paper presents a conceptual framework derived from an in-depth review of related literature. The result of the systematic review revealed 15 factors which have been categorized under five dimensions; namely, technology (system quality, system interactivity, ease of use and usefulness), student's characteristics (self-efficacy and attitude), instructor's characteristics (control of technology, attitude and teaching style), course and content (content quality, diversity of assessment methods and course flexibility) and institutional support (technical support, user training and top management support). This conceptual framework offers the main frame of reference and potential lines of investigation that could be used by educational institutions that seek to implement and develop projects which incorporate eLearning as a main component.