Evaluating the Success of Digital Learning in Sri Lankan Tertiary Education

Abstract

This paper takes a social capital perspective to explain the underlying mechanisms that drive the success of digital learning in tertiary education in an emerging economy. It is crucial to explore ways in which the success of tertiary education can be maximized since these students will immediately contribute to the economy. Although digital-learning initiatives have advanced in developed countries, it is still in its early phases in many developing countries, including Sri Lanka. This study focuses on structural, relational, and cognitive dimensions of social capital and provides a new theoretical framework to examine its relationship to digital educational success. The study uses a quantitative approach where the data is collected from University students in Sri Lanka using a survey deployed online. The model is validated using the structural equation modeling technique. The findings of this study indicated that the three dimensions of social capital positively influence the success of digital education at the tertiary level. Further, this paper contributes to the existing literature on Social Capital Theory and provides valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers in the educational sector on improving digital learning achievements.