Influencing Factors For Online Business Students
In an effort to improve online learning environments, one study examined the factors influencing students’ satisfaction with their classes. The study analyzed primary data collected from 716 business school students. The study found that attitude, curriculum, and technology were all factors that affected students’ satisfaction with their online classes. In particular, students who viewed their instructors’ ability to communicate in real-time as a positive factor were more satisfied than those whose teachers were inaccessible or unable to provide support.
Among these factors, the lack of self-confidence of the student was found to be the largest barrier to success. The lack of confidence negatively affected STOE, according to Qazi et al. However, the use of social media and educational software helped reduce the perceived stress of the students. The overall study found that the lack of self-confidence of online students is an important factor in affecting their satisfaction. Further, the lack of interactions with teachers and peers was also a significant factor.
The perceived usefulness of an online course does not directly influence stickiness. Students who find the online course useful do not always continue to use it, despite the presence of a negative impact on their satisfaction. Rather, student satisfaction has a stronger influence on students’ intention and willingness to use the online learning platform. Consequently, perceived usefulness of an online course may also influence students’ satisfaction and improve their long-term adoption rate.
The positive associations between teacher characteristics and student satisfaction have been noted in previous research. Instructor characteristics and course instructional planning and methodology are also positive influences. In addition to teaching behavior, course instructional design and online connectivity are also positive factors. Knowing these factors is crucial for improving online learning environments, and identifying these factors can help provide improved services. In addition, this study highlights the way forward for online learning environments. It is worth mentioning that online courses are more effective when instructors engage with their students in real-time.
Besides being a strong motivating factor for online learning, other factors include the perceived enjoyment of online study and the availability of ICT infrastructure. The availability of high-speed internet access and the speed of the connection also play a role. Finally, the use of mobile technologies is another significant factor in online learning environments. QR codes, for example, can be used to integrate mobile technology into the course. Similarly, lecturers can use audios and videos to communicate with their students. Similarly, instant messaging and video communication are also effective means of integrating technology into online learning environments.
As a result of this study, we can say that the strongest influences on STOE are learner characteristics, perceived usefulness, and faculty capacity. However, there are several other factors that have strong positive influences on student satisfaction, which include course content and design and the student’s self-confidence. Despite the positive impacts of these factors, it is still important to note that the study has several limitations. A better understanding of these factors can make online learning more effective for everyone.
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