Satisfaction In Online Courses Research Articles

Factors Influencing the Satisfaction of Second Language Learners of Chinese in Online Courses.

The study aims to investigate the relationship among the key factors affecting second language learners' satisfaction with online Chinese courses and their willingness to continue utilizing them by constructing a Model of Chinese Learners' Satisfaction in Online Courses. Additionally, the influence of participants' individual differences was also explored. A total of 203 second language learners of Chinese participated in the questionnaire survey, with 5 learners further participating in interviews. Learner expectations, learner perceived quality, and learner perceived value were identified as important factors influencing learner satisfaction and willingness to continue using the online course. The results of the questionnaire survey showed that (1) learner individual differences, such as age, Chinese proficiency, weekly study duration, and offline Chinese course experience, significantly influence learner satisfaction. (2) Learner expectations have a significant positive impact on perceived quality, while perceived quality positively affects perceived value. (3) Learner satisfaction significantly influences the willingness to continue using online courses. (4) The results of the interview revealed that most learners still prefer traditional offline courses, indicating that online teaching has several shortcomings and deficiencies. Overall, this study provides some scientific and reasonable decision-making references for improving online teaching methods, aiming to enhance learner satisfaction and promote the development of online education.

How students' autonomous and controlled motivation affects satisfaction in online courses

How students' autonomous and controlled motivation affects satisfaction in online courses

Measurement of students’ satisfaction in online courses at Dong Thap University

In current higher education, online teaching implementation to diversify teaching activities can be considered as an essential and urgent need. Accordingly, this study is conducted to measure students’ satisfaction in online courses organized at Dong Thap University. The data used in this study is feedback from 917 full-time students who experienced online learning in the first semester, academic year 2021-2022 in the University. By using descriptive statistics and analysis of variances, this study presents students’ online-teaching satisfaction through four main categories: (1) Course design, (2) Technology, (3) Interaction, and (4) Instructors. Specifically, most indicators used to measure students’ satisfaction reached an average value of above 4.0 (on a 5-level scale), indicating that students basically accepted and satisfied with online teaching. In addition, some indications show that first-year students tended to have more satisfaction than all other ones in terms of four key factors being investigated. The research findings serve as an important information channel for Dong Thap University to take its reference for online teaching improvement and training quality enhancement.

Rapport, Course Technology, and Self-Regulated Learning as Predictors of Student Satisfaction in an Online Horticulture Program

Online courses have proliferated in higher education, which has provided greater opportunities for institutions and students. However, student attrition from online programs has been a perennial problem. One potential solution to help increase retention is to improve student satisfaction. Instructor characteristics, technology, and self-regulated learning are all variables, which could contribute to greater student satisfaction in online courses. However, little research exists regarding these variables within the context of online agriculture programs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine predictors of student satisfaction in an online, multi-institutional, horticulture program. Students enrolled in the ACCEPtS horticulture program in spring and fall of 2020 were surveyed to determine their perceptions regarding professor-student rapport, technology, self-regulated learning, and course satisfaction. Results showed that students had favorable perceptions regarding professor-student rapport and technology, they mostly agreed they used self-regulated learning behaviors, and they were generally satisfied with the ACCEPtS program. Technology and professor-student rapport were significant predictors of student satisfaction; however, rapport was more robust and explained about a quarter of the variance in satisfaction. Rapport is an important contributor to student satisfaction in online courses, and instructors should utilize behaviors that contribute to the building of relationships.

Examining Social Presence, Team Cohesion, and Collaborative Writing in Online Teams

In a case study involving three asynchronous online professional writing courses, this research investigates students’ abilities to establish a social presence and build team cohesion via collaborative, team-based writing projects. Using the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework, this study is situated in the understanding that teaching and learning in higher education are not about the mere transmission of knowledge but that “teaching and learning are inherently interactive” as the terms of “community” and “inquiry” used in the framework suggest. Prior researchers have also established a clear connection between one element of the COI framework— social presence and student satisfaction in online courses. Findings from this study indicate participation in collaborative team assignments contributes to team cohesion and positively affects students’ ability to establish their social presence within online environments as well as transfer their knowledge to other contexts.

The mysterious adventures of Detective Duke: How storified programming MOOCs support learners in achieving their learning goals

About 15 years ago, the first Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) appeared and revolutionized online education with more interactive and engaging course designs. Yet, keeping learners motivated and ensuring high satisfaction is one of the challenges today's course designers face. Therefore, many MOOC providers employed gamification elements that only boost extrinsic motivation briefly and are limited to platform support. In this article, we introduce and evaluate a gameful learning design we used in several iterations on computer science education courses. For each of the courses on the fundamentals of the Java programming language, we developed a self-contained, continuous story that accompanies learners through their learning journey and helps visualize key concepts. Furthermore, we share our approach to creating the surrounding story in our MOOCs and provide a guideline for educators to develop their own stories. Our data and the long-term evaluation spanning over four Java courses between 2017 and 2021 indicates the openness of learners toward storified programming courses in general and highlights those elements that had the highest impact. While only a few learners did not like the story at all, most learners consumed the additional story elements we provided. However, learners' interest in influencing the story through majority voting was negligible and did not show a considerable positive impact, so we continued with a fixed story instead. We did not find evidence that learners just participated in the narrative because they worked on all materials. Instead, for 10–16% of learners, the story was their main course motivation. We also investigated differences in the presentation format and concluded that several longer audio-book style videos were most preferred by learners in comparison to animated videos or different textual formats. Surprisingly, the availability of a coherent story embedding examples and providing a context for the practical programming exercises also led to a slightly higher ranking in the perceived quality of the learning material (by 4%). With our research in the context of storified MOOCs, we advance gameful learning designs, foster learner engagement and satisfaction in online courses, and help educators ease knowledge transfer for their learners.

How students autonomous and controlled motivation affects satisfaction in online courses

How students autonomous and controlled motivation affects satisfaction in online courses

WORKSHOP: Strategies and Tips for Incorporating Peer Interactions into Online Courses (90 mins)

The number of students who take online courses continues to grow at Mason and nationally. Research indicates that student-to-student interaction has a positive impact on performance, engagement and learning satisfaction in online courses. Peer interactions allow students to feel like they are part of a learning community and give them the opportunity to develop important career-readiness skills such as collaboration and communication. However, it can be a challenge to create and assess meaningful peer interactions in fully online, asynchronous courses. In this workshop, instructors who have developed courses for the Online BS in Psychology will share their experiences in designing and implementing assignments that involve extensive peer interaction and/or feedback. The session attendees will first engage in a discussion of possible avenues for peer interaction, using different types of courses (lectures, labs, and seminars) as “case studies”. Presenters will then share their experiences incorporating peer interactions into their own courses. Assignment design, tools/technology, frequency of interaction, and assessment are among the topics that will be discussed. Finally, attendees will work in small groups to come up with plans for introducing or refining peer interaction and/or review in their own online, hybrid or even face-to-face courses. The presenters and session attendees will work together to create “one-pagers” for the various peer interaction strategies that can be shared and used for reference after the session.

Characteristics of RN to BSN students in online programs

BackgroundRegistered nurse to baccalaureate in nursing (RN-BSN) programs has rapidly moved to online formats to increase the ability of working nurses to earn their BSN degree. Nursing faculty are tasked with designing programs to meet the needs of the nursing workforce using best practices for online learning. ObjectivesDescribe RN-BSN student perceptions of their online programs, including clinical experiences. Specific aims were: 1) evaluate student satisfaction in online courses, 2) describe experiences students were required to have to meet clinical objectives, 3) determine generational differences in satisfaction with online learning 4) determine the students' perception of the value of course content in online program 5) examine life responsibilities impacting student program participation. DesignA descriptive cross-sectional design with convenience sampling was used. SettingParticipants included 43 RN-BSN students currently enrolled in at least one online course at one of six accredited nursing programs across the United States. MethodsSurvey data were collected over 4 months in the summer of 2019. The research team created a 9-item online survey, including investigator-initiated questions and demographic information. ResultsOverall satisfaction in online programs was high. Technology, nursing informatics, computer classes, research and evidence-based practice, public health, pathophysiology, pharmacology, leadership, reading text books, assessment, brushing up on skills, and emotional intelligence were most valued content. Least valued content included discussion boards and group projects. Clinical requirements and setting varied across programs. Life responsibilities impacted students' participation in online programs. ConclusionsOverall, students were satisfied and found value in their online RN-BSN coursework. Clinical experiences varied between RN-BSN programs and participation in online courses was impacted by extracurricular obligations. Based on this study, more data regarding what could be counted as clinical hours is needed. Faculty need to consider alternative ways to achieve learning outcomes. This study's outcomes may help guide faculty in developing RN-BSN programs and student-centered courses.

Using the Community of Inquiry Framework to Understand Students’ Learning Experience in Online Undergraduate Business Courses

This paper presents the results of a study that explored undergraduate students’ perceptions of cognitive, social, and teaching presences in online business courses and their relationship to students’ course satisfaction in addition to demographic variables. Student engagement has proven to be one of the main reasons for student retention and satisfaction in online courses and the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework by Garrison, Anderson, and Archer promised to provide clear structure to identify student engagement. A total of 223 business undergraduate students participated in the online survey adapted from the CoI survey (Garrison et al., The Internet and Higher Education, 2(2–3), 87–105, 2000) with additional demographic variables. Results indicated that teaching presence and cognitive presence of the CoI framework has a significant impact on the course rate of online undergraduate business courses confirmed by the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). A moderation effect of gender on the relationship between age and course rate was also found.

Determinants of Perceived Learning and Satisfaction in Online Business Courses: An Extension to Evaluate Differences Between Qualitative and Quantitative Courses

This study examined the determinants of perceived learning and satisfaction in online courses and the moderating effect of course type. For perceived learning outcomes, those students who perceive a higher level of interaction and those students who are satisfied will report higher levels of learning outcomes. There were significant differences though by course type, with perceived learning outcomes being affected significantly more in qualitative consumer behavior courses by instructor factors and student self-motivation. Student learning style affected student satisfaction significantly more for quantitative business courses, while instructor factors and interaction influenced satisfaction significantly more for qualitative marketing courses.

Influence of Nursing Faculty Discussion Presence on Student Learning and Satisfaction in Online Courses.

This study determined the relationships between faculty participation in online discussions with student satisfaction and perceived learning in online RN-BSN and MSN courses. Analysis of faculty participation in online courses (n = 280) demonstrated a relationship between faculty participation and student satisfaction and perceived learning. The results of this study offer guidance on the minimal faculty participation necessary in online discussions in nursing courses.

Strengthening student engagement: what do students want in online courses?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to identify pertinent studies on the important issue of student engagement strategies in online courses and to establish from empirical studies student engagement strategies that work. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopted the literature review approach. The authors conducted a thorough and systematic search of the literature to find empirical studies focusing on online engagement strategies within the field of education and distance learning. To generate as many relevant publications as possible, both manual and electronic searches were conducted. The databases used included; Academic Search Complete (Ebsco), Social Sciences Full Text (Wilson), ProQuest Education Journals, ProQuest Dissertation and Thesis, ProQuest Central, Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCIISI), ERIC, (Ebsco), SAGE Full-Text Collection (CSA), Google Scholar and Emerald. Findings – The results of this paper revealed the several factors that can create engaging learning experiences for the online learners. The primary factors are as follows: creating and maintaining positive learning environment; building learning community; giving consistent feedback in timely manner; and using the right technology to deliver the right content. Research limitations/implications – The paper is limited, as it is based on a review of literature. Empirical studies need to be conducted to support the ideas generated in this paper. For example, it is proposed that individual and institutional characteristics play an important role in promoting learner satisfaction in online courses. Additional studies that can explore this aspect in detail are needed. Originality/value – The paper has both professional and educational implications. The findings of this paper can help identify areas where the instructors and designers of online classes need to focus. The student engagement strategies for online courses identified should assist both experienced and beginning online instructors in the design and successful delivery of online courses. Students taking online courses should find the results of this study invaluable.

Investigating Students’ Satisfaction with eLearning Courses: The Effect of Learning Environment and Social Presence

Student demand and budget shortages have influenced the need for land–grant institutions to offer online courses. Research has identified that online courses broaden the reach of land–grant institutions to students who may not have access to campus. Literature indicated student satisfaction in online courses should be routinely assessed in order to potentially improve online course delivery. This study was framed with the motivational needs theory and social presence theory. The purpose of this study was to measure students’ perceptions of the learning environment, social presence, and satisfaction in online courses. An electronic survey was implemented using the Tailored Design Method to collect the data. Learning environment was correlated with social presence, and learning environment and social presence were significant effects on students’ satisfaction p < .05. Learning environment and social presence accounted for 26% of the variance in students’ satisfaction with eLearning courses. Including social media tools in eLearning courses, may assist students enhance their social presence in the respective course. Designing types of assignments that involve collaboration among students, and instituting authentic learning experiences that align with student interests, will improve students’ social presence, the learning environment and student satisfaction in eLearning courses.

Examining interactivity in synchronous virtual classrooms

<p>Interaction is crucial to student satisfaction in online courses. Adding synchronous components (virtual classroom technologies) to online courses can facilitate interaction. In this study, interaction within a synchronous virtual classroom was investigated by surveying 21 graduate students in an instructional technology program in the southeastern United States. The students were asked about learner-learner, learner-instructor, learner-content, and learner-interface interactions. During an interview, the instructor was asked about strategies to promote these different forms of interaction. In addition, the academic, social, and technical aspects of interactions were examined in three course archives using Schullo’s (2005) schema. Participants reported that the Wimba interface was easy to use and that various features, such as text chat and the webcam, facilitated interaction among the students and with the instructor in the virtual classroom. The importance of students’ ability to receive immediate feedback and their experience as presenters was highlighted across the various kinds of interaction. The instructor’s teaching style and visual presence were instrumental in engaging students with the content. The results suggest that student interaction, and hence learning, was aided by the live communication that occurred through the virtual classroom. This study has implications for those who are considering adopting virtual classroom technologies for their online or blended teaching.</p>

Faculty Actions that Result in Student Satisfaction in Online Courses

This study identified faculty actions which positively influenced student satisfaction in the online classroom at the community college level. The escalating demand for Internet-based, distance education courses has been met by an increased inventory of them. However, while online education has been in existence for over a decade, standardized practices in the online classroom have not been fully identified, developed, and implemented. Data was collected from student evaluations of web-based courses at two Texas community colleges. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations and multiple regressions were used to identify faculty behaviors which affected the satisfaction of students enrolled in these courses. The results of the study indicated that faculty actions within online courses appeared to impact student satisfaction. The identification of faculty actions which impact student satisfaction in online courses will greatly assist colleges and universities in strengthening their abilities to provide quality online experiences for their students.

Factors Affecting Student Performance and Satisfaction: Online versus Traditional Course Delivery

Interest in online course delivery has increased in recent years, and a body of research has emerged regarding this trend. Many of the studies compare student performance online versus in a traditional class (and find none), or differences in student satisfaction (and find online students to be generally less satisfied than their traditional counterparts). The purpose of this study is threefold: (1) to see if careful control between online and traditional sections can alleviate the generally lower satisfaction of online students, (2) to preliminarily propose a set of factors that could lead to increased performance and satisfaction for online students, and (3) to confirm previous work, which indicates that student performance online is no different than performance in a traditional classroom. The study involved senior-level undergraduate MIS students who were enrolled in an E-Business course; results suggest several possible ways to increase student performance and satisfaction in online courses.

Evaluation of interactive online courses for advanced practice nurses.

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the effectiveness of two interactive online learning modules for advanced practice nurses (APNs) and (b) to examine the participants' demographic characteristics and their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of online learning. A purposive sample of 73 registered nurses and APNs enrolled in graduate study or continuing education completed an online learning course. These participants were pretested and post-tested using a knowledge test developed by the authors. Participants were also surveyed for demographic characteristics and perceptions toward online learning. The findings of this study support case-based online learning as a successful method in the education of APNs. The evaluation of the online modules and the enthusiasm from students indicated success of this teaching/learning method. The majority of learners responded positively toward the online method of learning and included comments that indicated they enjoyed learning using this method, would like to have the site available at their practice locations for reference, and would like to have other courses designed and delivered in this manner. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND EDUCATION: The effectiveness and quality of the online instruction ultimately matter most to student satisfaction in online courses. The future of online education is dependent on well-structured, interactive, and substantive programs. Educators are challenged to continually assess and evaluate the changing learning needs of APNs.

Evaluation of interactive online courses for advanced practice nurses

PurposeThe purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to examine the effectiveness of two interactive online learning modules for advanced practice nurses (APNs) and (b) to examine the participants’ demographic characteristics and their perceptions of the strengths and weaknesses of online learning.Data sourcesA purposive sample of 73 registered nurses and APNs enrolled in graduate study or continuing education completed an online learning course. These participants were pretested and post‐tested using a knowledge test developed by the authors. Participants were also surveyed for demographic characteristics and perceptions toward online learning.ConclusionsThe findings of this study support case‐based online learning as a successful method in the education of APNs. The evaluation of the online modules and the enthusiasm from students indicated success of this teaching/learning method. The majority of learners responded positively toward the online method of learning and included comments that indicated they enjoyed learning using this method, would like to have the site available at their practice locations for reference, and would like to have other courses designed and delivered in this manner.Implications for practice and educationThe effectiveness and quality of the online instruction ultimately matter most to student satisfaction in online courses. The future of online education is dependent on well‐structured, interactive, and substantive programs. Educators are challenged to continually assess and evaluate the changing learning needs of APNs.