Virtual Classroom Characteristics and Student Satisfaction with Internet-Based MBA Courses

TLDR

The shift toward Internet‑based management education has accelerated, yet research on what makes such courses effective remains limited. This study investigated how technological and pedagogical features of virtual classrooms influence student satisfaction in Internet‑based MBA programs. Student satisfaction was most strongly linked to perceived software usefulness, online flexibility, and instructor efforts to foster interaction, highlighting challenges and opportunities for management education.

Abstract

The trend toward delivering management education via the Internet has accelerated in recent years. However, research on what constitutes effective Internet-based courses is somewhat limited. This study examined the impact of technological and pedagogical characteristics of the virtual classroom on student satisfaction with Internet-based MBA courses. The perceived usefulness of the course software, perceived flexibility provided by taking the course via the Internet, and instructor efforts to create an interactive environment were the characteristics most strongly associated with student satisfaction. Finally, the article identifies several challenges and opportunities from these findings for management education researchers, educators, and business schools.