Insights from online education in the Egyptian higher education

Abstract

PurposeThe introduction of technology in education has been a strategic objective at both the governmental and educational institutional levels long before Covid-19. However, the acceleration to e-learning caused by the pandemic disrupted the traditional classroom environment overnight forcing the entire sector at all levels, school, undergraduate and postgraduate, to shift to online learning. Regardless of readiness, the action was taken, and online instruction was implemented, improved, adjusted and enhanced during the experience. After 18 months comprising three semesters of online education amongst MBA and DBA students, the researchers decided to survey to investigate and assess the quality of the experience. The study aims to investigate the students’ perception of this unique opportunity to provide an assessment of online education in higher education, achievement or failure, and based on the results, provide a roadmap for improvement. The study also addresses the uniqueness of the Egyptian higher education environment and the particularity of its student’s context.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a quantitative descriptive survey method to find out how students felt about their online education by giving them a questionnaire and using automated numerical computation to generate data. The total number of the completed survey was 853. However, to include only those responses that were completed attentively, a speed factor was calculated for each respondent. Cases with speed factors higher than three were excluded from the sample, leading to 666 accepted responses. Data collected were analysed using correlation, regression and path analysis.FindingsFavourable satisfaction levels towards online education, and favourable perceptions towards university support, instructor–student communication and course design were found. Less favourable perceptions were found towards peer collaborations and student initiative.Research limitations/implicationsWhile the study proves reliability through the number of candidates participating in the survey, the rigorous measures of eliminations in the sample, the validity value of the questionnaire and the literature recommendation of the model are used here; yet it is important to point out that: further elements in the e-learning can and need to be studied, such as cultural implications, generational differences, government support reality from policies to infrastructure and management philosophy readiness in developing countries amongst other factors.Practical implicationsResources and skills are amongst the factors that were found to affect students’ satisfaction with online education, directly and positively. Student initiative was found to have a moderating role in how student, instructor and institution determinants affect students’ satisfaction with online education.Originality/valueThe uniqueness of this paper is that it seeks to assess the agility of the Egyptian education system during COVID-19 in higher education. It provides evidence to the current status as no study assesses the student perception.

A student’s satisfaction model for an executive education blended learning approach, considering aspects for marketing applications

“…Continual education among individuals in the workforce has become an inevitable factor in the modern economic climate (Park and Kim, 2023). Research shows that due to the dynamic business environment and advanced technology that led to credentials of workers being out-of-date, growing appreciation of the importance of lifelong learning exists (Kumar, 2022), increasing demand for higher education programs, such as executive education, among people outside the typical 18–24 age group (Salman and Soliman, 2023). Like so, Freyn et al .…”

“…Understanding student’s satisfaction has initiated a line of research both in developing and developed nations (as shown in Table 1), exploring various factors influencing its development in both online and offline learning approaches. Student’s satisfaction has been examined in various social context, such as Turkey (Turan and Gurol, 2020; Ma et al ., 2021), United States (Shin and Hickey, 2020), Egypt (Mohamed et al ., 2020; El-Sayad et al ., 2021; Salman and Soliman, 2023), Korea (Park and Kim, 2023), Spain (Atilgan et al ., 2021), Malaysia (Mohammed et al ., 2022), Poland (Cicha et al ., 2021), Singapore (Wan and Chapman, 2022) and India (Kumar, 2022). However, few studies reviewed the factors that lead to satisfaction in blended learning, linking face-to-face and distance learning frameworks jointly to upturn learning advantages (Graham et al ., 2019), especially when it comes to developing nations (Salman and Soliman, 2023).…”

“…From early studies of Okun et al . (1982) to recent studies of Salman and Soliman (2023), it is claimed that student’s satisfaction depends on quality of academic aspects, amenities and services; therefore, quality of instructor, course design and the tangible facilities is deemed significant in fostering student’s satisfaction. Thus, this study chose to further investigate their impact.…”

“…The respondents enrolled in different executive education programs, such as executive MBA (51%), executive Doctoral of Business Administration (DBA) (17%), short courses (13%), training certificates (10%) and modular program (9%). The majority of the respondents were enrolled in executive master and doctorate as it is common in the Middle East (Salah, 2021), especially in Egyptian context (Salman and Soliman, 2023). According to Martin and Hassan (2023), Arab community seek continual education that offer formal degree programs (over non-degree programs), such as masters and doctorates; they believe that it adds value and prestige to their resume, allowing people to perceive them more as “specialists” in the field as they now hold the market experience as well as an advanced certified education that supports and progressed their knowledge of the fields (related to their current or prospect professional specialization).…”

“…The respondents in this study were composed of 60 percent males and 40 percent females; the age groups that participated were those in their 20s (14 percent), those in their 30s (54 percent), those in their 40s (19 percent) and those who were above 40 years of age (13 percent). Salman and Soliman (2023) explain that those who seek executive education are usually in their 30s as they embrace work experience that they want to develop, increase and/or improve for their coming years in the labor market. Thus, the majority of the respondents were in this age group.…”