Improving the quality of e-learning courses in Higher Education
1. IMPROVING THE QUALITY
OF E-LEARNING COURSES
IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Susana Lemos
Neuza Pedro
Institute of Education - University of Lisbon
ICHE 2012 : International Conference on Higher Education
Paris, France, June 2012
2. 1. JUSTIFICATION FOR THE RESEARCH
It is crucial to know which factors influence student
satisfaction in distance learning
They can be used as regulatory indicators of the adequacy
of the course design of the virtual learning environment
They can also help identify strategies and services for
students’ online support
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
3. 2. RESEARCH GOALS
• To analyze student satisfaction at a general and
specific level according to the 9 dimensions.
To understand how each dimension of the course
relates to one another.
To identify the main strengths and weaknesses on
the course, indicated by the students.
To establish guidelines for its general improvement.
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
4. 3. METHOD
Descriptive-correlational study.
PARTICIPANTS
Group of students who attended the first e-learning
post-graduate program in the University of Lisbon – a
Master degree in ICT and Education (N=33)
Their ages varied between 28 and 55 years, and all of
them had Portuguese nationality
39% had no prior experience in e-learning courses
33.3% prior experience as students
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
5. 3. 1 METHOD
INSTRUMENTS
Online questionnaires was the technical procedures
used for data collection
The questionnaire was constituted by 93 items organized
in 9 dimensions
This questionnaire allows to collect data about:
• A global satisfaction score
• A general satisfaction score (of each dimensions)
• A specific satisfaction score (of each indicator)
All of the items revealed high levels of consistency
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
6. 3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
This presentation focuses on the second moment of the
research
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
7. Students level of Coordination
satisfaction were Course Faculty
analysed in the Design and tutors
following
dimensions:
Technological Curricular
infra program
structures
DIMENSIONS
Support Resources
services
Learning
Evaluation Methodologie
system s
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
8. 4. RESULTS
GLOBAL score (m= 3.71) GENERAL score (m= 3.77)
Favorable levels of satisfaction
Highest (D4) - Curricular program (D3) - Faculty and tutors
satisfaction
• D4Item6 – Easiness of
level
access to curricular content
D5Item6 – Etical and legal
issues
Lowest (D8) - Support services (D8) - Support services
satisfaction
• D8Item6 – Centralization of
level
services that maintain the
technological infrastructures
D6Item6 – Adjusted distribution
of time for completing tasks
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
9. 4. RESULTS
Correlation analysis
Dimensions most strongly correlatd:
D2 – D6; D3 – D6; D4 – D5; D6 – D7; D6 – D9 e D7 – D9
The different dimensions have a strong positive correlation with
each other
A strong and significant correlation were found between the
‘curricular program’ dimension and the ‘resources’ dimension
The ‘learning methodologies’ dimension also presents a strong
correlation with ‘coordination’, ‘faculty and tutors’, ‘evaluation
systems’ and ‘infra-structure’ dimensions
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
10. 5. CONCLUSIONS
High level of student satisfaction regarding the
course, not only in a global perspective but also
when 9 dimensions were distinguished.
The students were mostly satisfied with the
‘curricular program’ and ‘faculty and tutors’
dimensions
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
11. 5. CONCLUSIONS
The ‘Support services’ dimension revealed the
lowest level of student satisfaction
The lowest satisfaction indicators was
‘Centralization of services that maintain the
technological infrastructures’ (‘Support services’
dimension) and ‘Adjusted distribution of time for
completing tasks ’ (‘learning methodologies’
dimension)
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
12. 6. CONTRIBUTIONS
To a more clear understanding of the impact of the distinct
dimensions of e-learning courses, in students’ satisfaction.
Shows that each particular dimension needs to be seen through
its direct and indirect effect on student satisfaction,
E-learning courses should be seen through a multidimensional
perspective.
It is essential taking into account the dimensions and indicators
with the highest levels of expectation and satisfaction.
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
13. 6. CONTRIBUTIONS
Need for investment in the improvement of the dimensions
and indicators with the lowest levels of student satisfaction:
support services.
To pay attention to the aspects whose quality should be
improved:
- Student feedback and appropriate workload.
- A more articulated work between curricular units
- investment on technical and academic support services
This study also supported the construction of a guiding
framework for e-learning courses.
IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF E-LEARNING COURSES IN HIGUER EDUCATION THROUGH STUDENT SATISFACTIOIN
14. THANK YOU
Susana Lemos (silemos@ie.ul.pt)
Neuza Pedro (nspedro@ie.ul.pt)
Institute of Education - University of Lisbon
ICHE 2012 : International Conference on Higher Education
Paris, France, July 2012