Investigating the Impact of Digital Governance on the Development of Virtual Education among Faculty Members of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences
Keywords:
Digital governance, information technology, virtual educationAbstract
This study aimed to examine the impact of digital governance on the development of virtual education among faculty members of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. This applied research employed a mixed-methods exploratory design. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 university experts specializing in digital governance with an artificial intelligence approach. In the quantitative phase, the statistical population comprised 564 faculty members, from which 225 were selected through stratified random sampling. Data collection tools included a researcher-made digital governance questionnaire and the Karimi & Farkhi (2018) virtual education development questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed using MAXQDA2020, and quantitative data using SPSS21 and PLS3.2 software. The qualitative analysis identified 93 indicators across 8 dimensions and 21 components of digital governance. Quantitative results revealed a significant positive effect of digital governance on virtual education development (β=0.867, t=56.635, R²=0.751). The most influential dimensions were stakeholder participation (0.656), continuous innovation (0.655), and security (0.629), while data management (0.103) had the least effect. Other dimensions such as transparency, efficiency, reliability, ethics, and legal compliance were also significant. These findings highlight that strong digital governance—through security, innovation, transparency, and participation—enhances the quality and adoption of virtual education. The study concludes that strengthening digital governance mechanisms substantially improves virtual education development. Secure infrastructures, the integration of artificial intelligence technologies, transparent policymaking, and faculty engagement are crucial factors for sustainable digital transformation in education. Educational policymakers should therefore prioritize digital governance frameworks to advance virtual learning systems effectively.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Nafiseh Aliakbari Gavzan (Author); Seyyedeh Zahra Hoseini Daronkolae; Behnam Barzegar (Author)
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