E-Learning and Sustainability of Pondok Schools: A Case Study on Post-COVID-19 E-Learning Implementation among Students of Pondok Sungai Durian, Kelantan, Malaysia

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the variables that influence students’ intentions to carry on the use of e-learning in the future (after COVID-19). The variables considered were computer competency, economic deprivation, familiarity with technology, behavioral intention, students’ mindset, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and students’ motivation. With that, a questionnaire was delivered to students and a total of 100 questionnaires were collected. The interrelationship among the variables was analyzed with a Partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach. Results revealed that students’ characteristics were associated with intent to continue the e-learning method.

 The research design is appropriate, and the hypotheses are clearly stated. As regards the topic, this manuscript touches a significant area.

 Despite this, I have some points to mention to make the article more comprehensive and appealing and to increase its impact. For these reasons, the manuscript requires major changes.

 Please find below a list of comments on my review of the manuscript:

 MAJOR POINTS

 The abbreviations must be defined the first time they appear, check them carefully because their non-explanation weighs down the comprehension, forcing the reader to search through the text.

 Lines 62-68

Among challenges of e-learning, an aspect that should be focused is that some schools are in a particularly advantageous position to adopt online teaching because studies do not require practical skills (see Szopiński T, Bachnik K. Student evaluation of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Technol Forecast Soc Change. 2022;174:121203. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121203). However, e-learning is not appropriate for courses with mandatory practical skills (see Bianchi S., Gatto R., Fabiani L. Effects of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on medical education in Italy: Considerations and tips. EuroMediterranean Biomed. J. 2020;15:100–101. doi: 10.3269/1970-5492.2020.15.24).

 The introduction of this concept offers many foods for thought.

For example, in the discussion section, it may somehow influence the perceived usefulness and student’s motivations, (see Barakat M, Farha RA, Muflih S, et al. The era of E-learning from the perspectives of Jordanian medical students: A cross-sectional study. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e0992)

Moreover, it should be listed among the study limitations.

 Paragraph 3.1 Please add a table with a descriptive statistics of the respondents

 Paragraph 3.2 The delivered questionnaire should be included in a table or in an Appendix.

It would be ideal to provide two separate paragraphs (one for questionnaire and one for statistical analysis)

 Paragraph 4.1 Please use the simple past tense and consider the opportunity to put this information into paragraph 3.1

 The discussion should include the limitations of the study and would benefit from an enrichment of pertinent literature

see for example

Ibrahim R., Leng N.S., Yusoff R.C.M., Samy G.N., Masrom S., Rizman Z.I. E-learning acceptance based on technology acceptance model (TAM) Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences. 2017;9(4S):871–889.

Prasetyo, Y.T.; Ong, A.K.S.; Concepcion, G.K.F.; Navata, F.M.B.; Robles, R.A.V.; Tomagos, I.J.T.; Young, M.N.; Diaz, J.F.T.; Nadlifatin, R.; Redi, A.A.N.P. Determining Factors Affecting Acceptance of E-Learning Platforms during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Integrating Extended Technology Acceptance Model and DeLone & McLean IS Success Model. Sustainability 2021, 13, 8365

Conclusion section is missing.

Please explain why Institutional Review Board Statement and Informed Consent Statement are not applicable.

 

Minor points

 Line 96

Change with “Literature Review and Hypotheses”

 Check the reference style

  

Finally, I would like to congratulate the authors because they carried out a valuable investigation with important practical implications. It may represent a considerable contribute to the related research since there is few evidence on this topic. I am sure that, with the appropriate adjustments, the work will have a good scientific impact.

I would accept this manuscript if the comments will be properly addressed.

Author Response

Dear Sir/ Madam

Thank you for your suggestion in improving the research article. By referring to the newly attached file, here are some highlights of the revised paper based on the comments and suggestions:

1. Abbreviations = correction has been made. All abbreviations have been defined

2. Line 62-68 = Points suggested has been added (  see line 70-73 in the file attached)

3. Paragraph 3.1 = Descriptive statistic table has been added as per suggestion ( see Table 1, page 7)

4. Paragraph 4.1 = Tenses have been corrected and have been included in Paragraph 3.1 as suggested ( see lines 320 - 328 on page 7)

5. Discussion = The discussion part has been added with suggestions to the involved parties as well as suggestions for future research (see pages 13-15)

6. Conclusion = The conclusion part has been added as per suggestion (see page 15-16)

7. Line 96 = Literature Review has been change to Literature Review and Hypotheses (see line 151, page 4)

8. References style has been corrected

9. Institutional Review Board Statement: Ethical review and approval were waived for this study since this study did not involve confidential issues 

10. Inform consent statement = This statement has been added to the article (see lines 642-643)

11. A new variable and analysis ( moderating variable and analysis) have been added to the study, as being suggested by other reviewer 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

Congratulations on your work. Although it is a case study, it is very well thought out and elaborated. Dealing with this problem in schools and not in higher education, where there are already many works on the subject, makes it very interesting.

Author Response

Dear Sir/ Madam

Thank you for your constructive comments. I am very glad that you are interested in this study.  Please refer to the attached file. I have made some improvements based on comments and suggestions given by all reviewers. Also, a new variable and analysis have been added to make this study more interesting. 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Thank you for inviting me to be a reviewer of the manuscript entitled E-Learning and Sustainability of Pondok Schools: A Case  Study on Post Covid-19 E-Learning Implementation Among  Students of Pondok Sungai Durian, Kelantan, Malaysia.  This work is good in terms of your efforts to demonstrate the power of your study. This study represents a contribution to this area of research.

The basic ideas of the submitted manuscript are fascinating and interesting.

The introduction of this study represents a theoretical basis based on scientific research and studies, describing developments, procedures and solutions.

1)    It would be good to include in the introduction an improved description of the general objective of the study.

2)     It would be good to include a discussion of the results obtained in the research and to compare those results with other similar research.

3)      The references used are current and of sufficient quality, and provide an adequate theoretical basis for this study especially because they have included excellent and very current examples published on the subject in the Sustainability of MDPI.

Author Response

Dear Sir/ Madam

Thank you for your constructive comments and suggestion. Please refer to the attached file for answering the comments and suggestions.

1. General objective = General objective has been added in the article as per suggestion ( see lines 95-96)

2. Discussion = Results obtained have been compared to the past research as suggested ( see lines 494, 495, 502, 514). Other than that, the discussion part has been improved by adding some other points and suggestions to the parties involved as well as suggestions for future research.

3. Conclusion part has been added as suggested by another reviewer

4. A new variable and analysis have been added to make the study more interesting as suggested by another reviewer.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 4 Report

Thank you for the opportunity to read this article.

In my opinion the abstract emphasizes the aim of the study and the results, but there are some assumptions too general, already very well known.

The references are relevant for this study. Some other recent papers might be cited (2019-2022).

Are they students when having 13-15 years old?

The introduction is too long and do mot present the research questions and aim.

The process of subject selection is clear, but the authors should determine the sample representativeness.

The methodology is well implemented, the variables are clear, but additional tests are necessary. 

For me is very unclear what means "students’ characteristics" in H1a, b, c 

H2a,b, c do not need to be demonstrated. They are general truth.

Table 1 should contain Cronbach Alpha and rho_A values.

Having in mind the high values of CR, it is possible to have multicollinearity between variables. 

The authors present enough details to replicate the study.

The Tables and figures are relevant and clearly presented with correct labelling and appropriate units.

The discussion section looks more like conclusions. In this case discussion section is missing.

The article is consistent with itself.

Author Response

Dear Sir/ Madam

Thank you for your constructive comments and suggestions. Please refer to the attached file to answer your comments and suggestions:

1. Some recent references (2019 - 2022) have been added as per suggestion (see references list)

2. Pondok school is a private school. Their operation and management as well as student enrollment are slightly different from national type schools in Malaysia. The students of this school are aged between 13 - 21 years old. To answer your question, yes there are students (aged 13-15 years old)

3. Research question and aim = General research objective, question, and aim have been added (see lines 95-97)

4. Sample representativeness has been added as per suggestion ( see lines 315-316)

5. Additional test and a moderating variable have been added (Cronbach alpha, rho_A, moderating analysis) - see Table 2 and Table 7

6. Students characteristics - This study follows a study by Baber (2021); Modelling the acceptance of e-learning during the pandemic of Covid-19 - a study of South Korea. Based on past studies, students's characteristics plays an important role in determining successful e-learning implementation among students.  

7. Cronbach alpha and rho_A have been added in Table 2: Measurement model (previously  Table 1)

8. Multicollinearity - The collinearity among latent variables was assessed through variance inflation factor (VIF) - see lines 413-416 and Table 4.

9. The discussion section and conclusion section has been separated. Some points have been added in the discussion part and suggestions for parties involved as well as suggestions for future research have also been added. - (see page 13-15)

10. Conclusion part has conclude the findings as well as present the limitation of the study - (see page 15 - 16)

Thank you.

 

11. 

 

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

The authors addressed all the issues, and the manuscript was greatly improved.

Reviewer 4 Report

Thank you for improvements!