The Determinants of Students' Perceived Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction in University Online Education: An Empirical Investigation*

TLDR

The study investigates which factors influence students’ satisfaction and perceived learning outcomes in university online courses. Using structural equation modeling on 397 student responses, the authors examined how course structure, instructor feedback, self‑motivation, learning style, interaction, and instructor facilitation affect online learning. Results show that all antecedent variables boost satisfaction, but only instructor feedback and learning style significantly predict perceived learning outcomes, with user satisfaction also driving outcomes, suggesting online education excels for visual/read‑write learners receiving timely, meaningful feedback.

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, structural equation modeling is applied to examine the determinants of students' satisfaction and their perceived learning outcomes in the context of university online courses. Independent variables included in the study are course structure, instructor feedback, self‐motivation, learning style, interaction, and instructor facilitation as potential determinants of online learning. A total of 397 valid unduplicated responses from students who have completed at least one online course at a university in the Midwest were used to examine the structural model. The results indicated that all of the antecedent variables significantly affect students' satisfaction. Of the six antecedent variables hypothesized to affect the perceived learning outcomes, only instructor feedback and learning style are significant. The structural model results also reveal that user satisfaction is a significant predictor of learning outcomes. The findings suggest online education can be a superior mode of instruction if it is targeted to learners with specific learning styles (visual and read/write learning styles) and with timely, meaningful instructor feedback of various types.