There are many reasons students choose to take courses online. The most frequent reasons are convenience (Shinkareva&Benson, 2006) and flexibility in scheduling (Seaberry, 2008). Carmel and Gold (2006) found that there was no significant difference in level of student satisfaction related to students GPA. Kemp (2002) found that there was no significant relationship with student persistence and prior experience with online courses. Drennan, Kennedy, and Pisarski (2005) found that student satisfaction increased with higher course attendance, positive perceptions of the ease of technology usage, along with autonomous learning styles of students. According to Herbert (2006), the largest factor for students not completing an online course was time commitment. Palmer and Holt (2009) identified several factors that impacted student satisfaction with online learning. They listed the following factors: (1) students’ confidence of their own ability to communicate and learn online; (2) clear understanding for what was required to succeed; (3) students’ perception of their own performance; and (4) students’ ability to locate online information. Further, Palmer and Holt (2009) found that students rated a higher level of satisfaction with an online course when they felt support from other students.
Conclusion
There are many published research studies that identify student satisfaction and the relationship with online courses. However, student satisfaction surveys generally are based on self perception of the online courses and the outcomes may vary upon quality of outcomes and rigor of the online courses compared to traditional courses. Therefore, when considering the recent, widespread offerings of online courses in educational leadership, there needs to be a clarification of what it means for student satisfaction as well as other potential contributing factors to satisfaction. Some other questions that might be explored for student satisfaction are: (1) class size; (2) student services that are helpful and courteous; (3) professors' knowledge about class subjects; (4) university website easily navigated; and (5) overall education and experience at one university.
References
- Areti, V. (2006). Satisfying distance education students of the Hellenic Open University,
E-mentor, 2 (14), 1-12.
- Atan, H., Rahman, Z, A, and Idrus, R. M. (2004). Characteristics of the web-based learning environment in distance education: Students’ perceptions of their learning needs.
International Council
for Educational Media, 41 (2), 103-110.
- Axmann, M. (2002). An online mentorship program for the online educator: Patterning for success. In S. McNamara&E. Stacy (Eds.), Untangling the Web: Establishing learning links. Proceedings ASET Conference 2002. Melbourne, July 7-10. Retrieved from: http://www.aset.org.au/confs/2002/axmann.html
- Baglione, S. L.,&Nastanski, M. (2007). The superiority of online discussion: Faculty perceptions.
The Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 8 (2), 139-150.
- Cameron, B. A., Morgan, K., Williams, K. C.,&Kostelecky, K. L. (2009). Group projects students perceptions of the relationship between social tasks and a sense of community in online group work.
The American Journal of Distance Education, 23 , 20-33.
- Carmel, A.,&Gold, S. S. (2006). The effects of course deliver modality on student satisfaction and retention and GPA in on-site vs. hybrid courses.
International Education Journal, 6 (4), 387-394.
- Chen, D.,&Guo, W. Y. (2005). Distance learning in China.
Journal of Distance Education Technologies, 3 (4), 1-5.
- Drennan, J., Kennedy, J.,&Pisarski, A. (2005). Factors affecting student attitudes toward Flexible online learning in management education.
The Journal of Educational Research, 98 (6), 331-338.
- Fredericksen, E., Pickett, A., Shea, P., Pelz, W.,&Swan, K. (2009). Student satisfaction and perceived learning with on-line courses principles and examples from SUNY learning network.
Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 4 (2), 7-41.
- Guglielmino, L. M. (1997). Reliability and validity of the Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale and the Learning Preference Assessment. In H. B. Long,&Associates,
Expanding horizons in self-directed learning (pp. 209 – 222). Norman, OK. College of Education University of Oklahoma.
- Harman, J. L.,&Truman-Davis, B. (2001). Factors related to the satisfaction of faculty teaching online courses at the University of Central Florida. In Moore,
Online education proceedings of the 2000 Sloan summer workshop on asynchronous learning networks .
Volume 2, Needham, MA: Sloan C Press.
- Herbert, M. (2006). Staying the course: A study in online student satisfaction and retention.
Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 9 (4), 300-317.
- Hsu, Y. C.,&Shiue, Y. M. (2005). The effect of self directed learning readiness on achievement comparing face-to-face and two way distance learning instruction.
International Journal of Instructional Media, 32 (2), 143-155.
- Kaplowitz, M. D., Hadlock, T. D.,&Levine, R. (2004). A comparison of web and mail survey response rates.
Public Opinion Quarterly, 68 (1), 94-101.
- Kemp. W. C. (2002). Persistence of adult learners in distance education.
The American Journal of Distance Education, 16 (2), 65-81.
- Levy, Y. (2007). Comparing dropouts and persistence in e-learning courses.
Computers&Education, 48 , 185-204.
- McLaren, C. H. (2004a). A comparison of student persistence and performance in online and classroom business statistics experiences, decision sciences
. Journal of Innovative Education, 2( 1), 1-10.
- McLaren, C. H. (2004b). A comparison of student persistence and performance in online and classroom business statistics experiences, Decision
Science Journal of Innovative Education, 2 (1), 110-119.
- Morton, S. (1993).
Socialization-related learning, job satisfaction, and commitment for new employees in a federal agency . Doctoral dissertation. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
- Palmer, S. R.,&Holt, D. M. (2009). Examining student satisfaction with wholly online learning.
Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 25 , 101-113.
- Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A.,&Berry, L. L. (1994). Alternative scales for measuring service quality: A comparative assessment based on psychometric and diagnostic criteria.
Journal of Retailing, 70 (3), 201-230.
- Parker, A. (2003). Identifying predictors of academic persistence in distance education.
USDLA Journal, 17( 1), 55–62.
- Picciano, A. (2002). Beyond student perceptions: Issues of interaction, presence, and performance in an online course,
JALN, 6 (1), 21-40.
- Preparing for your online education (2011). www.nyeducationonline.com.
- Richardson, J. C.,&Swan, K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceived learning and satisfaction.
Journal of Asynchronous Learning Network, 7(1), 68-88.
- Robinson, D. L. (2008).
Relationship of student self-directedness, computer self-efficacy, and student satisfaction to persistence in online higher education programs . Doctoral dissertation. University of Louisville. #3328226.
- Sahin, I. (2007). Predicting student satisfaction in distance education and learning environments.
Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 8 (2), 113-121.
- Sahin, I. (2006). Predicting student satisfaction in distance education and learning environments.
Journal of Distance Education, 19 (3), 14-26.
- Sampson, P. M., Leonard, J., Ballenger, J. W.,&Coleman, J. C. (2010). Student perceptions and satisfaction of quality in the delivery of web-based educational leadership instruction,
Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 13 (3), 12pp.
- Seaberry, B. J. (2008).
A case study of student and faculty satisfaction with online courses at a community college . An unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of California, Davis. AAT 3329585.
- Shea, P. J., Pickett, A. M.,&Pelz, W. F. (2003). A follow-up investigation of teaching presence in the SUNY learning network.
Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7 (2), 61, 80.
- Shinkareva, O.,&Benson, A. (2006)
. Learning instructional technology for an online course: An analysis of the relationship between adult students’ self directed ability and instructional technology competency . Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Academy of Human Resources Development International Conference, Columbia, OH.
- Swan, K. (2003). Learning effectiveness online: What the research tells us.
Quality Online Education , 13-45.
- Tallent-Runnels, M. K., Thomas, J. A., Lan, W. Y., Cooper, S., Ahern, T., Shaw, S. M., Liu, X. (2006). Teaching courses online: A review of the research.
Review of Educational Research 76 (1), 93-135.
- The American Heritage Dictionary (1982). (2
nd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Wang, W. (2004). How university students view online study: A PCP perspective.
Campus-Wide Information Systems, 21( 3), 108-117.
- Waters, V. A. (2007).
Satisfaction of student services at Tomball College . Doctoral dissertation. The University of Texas at Austin, #3284736.
- Woods, M. L. (2008).
A case study of student satisfaction: Comparing the traditional delivery and online delivery of student services in an urban community college . Doctoral dissertation. Sam Houston State Univeristy, #3329518.
- Xenos, M., Pierrakeas, C.,&Pintelas, P. (2002). A survey dropout rates and dropout causes concerning the students in the course of informatics of the Hellenic open university.
Computers&Education, 39 (4), 361-377.
- Yatrakis, P. G.,&Simon, H. K. (2002).
The effect of self selection on student satisfaction and performance in online classes .
http://www.huizenga.nova.edu/about/ResearchReports/H505-22-2effectofSelfSelectioninOnlinestud.pdf
