Factors Affecting Perceived Learning, Satisfaction, and Quality in the Online MBA: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Abstract

The authors examined how six factors related to content and interaction affect students' perceptions of learning, satisfaction, and quality in online master of business administration (MBA) courses. They developed three scale items to measure each factor. Using survey data from MBA students at a private university, the authors estimated structural equation models to explore these relationships empirically. The findings suggest that course content is the strongest predictor of all three outcomes (perceived learning, satisfaction, and quality); it is the only significant factor affecting perceived learning. They also found that professorstudent interaction had a significant positive impact on satisfaction, but not on perceptions of quality. Perceptions of quality were influenced significantly by student-student interaction and mentoring-support.

Effectiveness of learning in online academic courses compared with face‐to‐face courses in higher education

“…Specifically, although some focus on pedagogical and instructional aspects such as course design, students' interactions, instructor presence, satisfaction, and motivation, others compare the courses in regard to educational outcomes such as tasks and final grades (Baker, 2010;Balkin, Buckner, Swartz, & Rao, 2005;Crawford-Ferre & Wiest, 2012;Dixson, 2012;Lack, 2013;Maki & Maki, 2007;Osman, 2005;Sebastianelli, Swift, & Tamimi, 2015). Specifically, although some focus on pedagogical and instructional aspects such as course design, students' interactions, instructor presence, satisfaction, and motivation, others compare the courses in regard to educational outcomes such as tasks and final grades (Baker, 2010;Balkin, Buckner, Swartz, & Rao, 2005;Crawford-Ferre & Wiest, 2012;Dixson, 2012;Lack, 2013;Maki & Maki, 2007;Osman, 2005;Sebastianelli, Swift, & Tamimi, 2015).…”

“…The questionnaire was composed based on the literature and recent studies in the field (Soffer, Kahan, & Livne, 2017;Sebastianelli et al, 2015;Young & Norgard, 2006). All students, who participated in the F2F or in the online courses, received an email containing a link to the questionnaire, with an invitation to fill it out.…”

Do Technological and Course‐Related Variables Impact Undergraduates’ Perceived Favorability and Willingness to Recommend Online/Hybrid Business Courses?

“…Prior research typically used only online university students for investigating different outcomes such as intent to use technology (Teo & Zhou, ); motivation, instructional design, flow and academic achievement (Joo, Oh, & Kim, ); satisfaction with online courses (Lee, Srinivasan, Trail, Lewis, & Lopez, ; Sun, Tsai, Finger, Chen, & Yeh, ); and course effectiveness (Mashaw, ). Research designs investigating the above outcomes using mixed course format samples, for example, students taking both F2F and online/hybrid courses, were not as common; and if such a sample was used, it typically involved MBA students (Arbaugh, ; Sebastianelli, Swift, & Tamini, ) and not undergraduates (exceptions being Daymont, Blau, & Campbell, ; Nemanich, Banks, & Vera, ). Recently, Callister and Love () compared four courses in negotiation, two F2F and two online, taught by the same professor.…”

Flow in Business Simulation Games: Comparison between Online and Face-to-Face MBA

“…Among various factors influencing the effectiveness of online business education, contentand interaction-related factors are the most significant [52]. Online course content must be up-to-date, and must motivate the leaner [16] [29].…”