Determinants of Students' Satisfaction in an Online Environment in Portuguese Higher Education Institutions

Abstract

Online education assumed an increasing relevance in the last two years in face of the successive pandemic-motivated lockdowns by SARS-Cov-2. Considering the potential strengthening of this type of education in Portugal, particularly in the context of higher education, this study aims to analyze the perspective of students on three vectors of the online education quality, namely the overall quality of classes, the assessment process, and the online teaching tools available. Students' perceptions regarding these vectors will be assessed from the demographic variables, and factors that underlie online education according to the literature. The research is based on a quantitative methodology. Data was carried out through a structured questionnaire applied online, which had the answers of 2,107 students from different courses and higher education institutions in Portugal in July 2020. Factor analysis and logistic regression were used. The findings identified a significant association between the three vectors of the quality of online education proposed, and the factors usually proposed in the literature that are part of the student, instructor, and technology dimensions. It is expected that this research provides the inputs to the different players involved either in the implementation or development of courses offered through online learning in Portugal.