Satisfaction in e‐learning: the context of supplementary instruction

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how to measure student satisfaction and how its elements influence on its overall perspective earned in e‐learning (EL). This study focuses on the context where EL is used as a supplementary tool to enhance instruction.

Design/methodology/approach

This study focuses on undergraduate courses that offer EL as a voluntary and supplementary form of instruction in Thailand. The measurement's instrument was adapted from scales widely accepted in management, information systems, and education research to fit the unique characteristics of the online education context. A few course characteristics are outlined to ensure the originality of the context. Survey is the main methodology of this study; reliability and validity of the measure are also tested and discussed in the paper.

Findings

The study highlights four dimensions of satisfaction in EL: delivery method, communication facilitation, system operation, and content. It is found from the study that elements of satisfaction measure are altered regarding to different contexts of EL. Each of these dimensions has been found to influence the overall satisfaction in EL.

Practical implications

Implications for instruction via EL are suggested in the paper according to the satisfaction elements. The course which the context is similar to this study should be designed differently from the traditional classroom or sole EL instruction methods.

Originality/value

This study is conducted in the context where EL is implemented for augmenting the main classroom instruction. Students are satisfied with learning through EL channel differently from learning in either pure traditional in‐class or sole EL instructions. This is what educators should concern in improving their instruction.

Citation

Siritongthaworn, S. and Krairit, D. (2006), "Satisfaction in e‐learning: the context of supplementary instruction", Campus-Wide Information Systems, Vol. 23 No. 2, pp. 76-91. https://doi.org/10.1108/10650740610654465