Students’ Satisfaction with Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic : Insights for Policymakers

Authors

  •   Sunita Kumar Associate Professor, School of Business and Management, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta Road Campus, Bengaluru - 560 076, Karnataka
  •   Anju Kalluvelil Janardhanan Senior Lecturer and Academic Director (Accounting), Southern Cross Institute, Parramatta, New South Wales - 2150
  •   Shivi Khanna Associate Professor, School of Business and Management, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta Road Campus, Bengaluru - 560 076, Karnataka
  •   Rini Mary William Lecturer, Jyoti Nivas College, Bangalore - 560 095, Karnataka
  •   Sayani Saha Assistant Professor, St Xavier’s University, Kolkata - 700 160

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2023/v16i9/173166

Keywords:

remote learning

, student satisfaction index (SSI), higher education institutions (HEIs), student engagement, COVID-19, importance-performance analysis (IPA), new normal, C-19 research

JEL Classification Code

, A2, I2, I21, I23, I25

Paper Submission Date

, September 30, 2022, Paper sent back for Revision, July 22, 2023, Paper Acceptance Date, August 5, Paper Published Online, September 15, 2023

Abstract

Purpose : This study aimed to learn more about the factors influencing student happiness and involvement in remote learning in Indian higher education institutions (HEIs). The study aims to assist administrators, strategists, and politicians in efficiently dealing with education’s new normal.

Methodology : The study used a quantitative research approach to fulfill the research aims. A sample of 546 students from various Indian HEIs was chosen, and data were gathered using standardized questionnaires. Structural equation modeling, confirmatory factor analysis, and importance-performance analysis (IPA) were used to calculate the student satisfaction index and examine the impact of various factors.

Findings : The findings of this study revealed that institutional and faculty support emerged as the most influential factor impacting students’ satisfaction through remote learning. It also highlighted the need for HEIs to redesign the assessment process and evaluation techniques to adapt to the remote learning environment.

Practical Implications : The findings of this study indicated the practical consequences for administrators, strategists, and policymakers at Indian HEIs. It was advised that improving institutional and teacher support should be a major concern in order to improve student happiness in remote learning situations. Furthermore, redesigning assessment procedures and evaluation processes may improve learning outcomes and student engagement.

Originality : This study contributed to the existing body of knowledge by specifically investigating the factors influencing student satisfaction in remote learning within Indian HEIs. The findings shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities the shift to remote education presented. They offered valuable insights for managing and improving the quality of education during and beyond the pandemic.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2023-09-01

How to Cite

Kumar, S., Kalluvelil Janardhanan, A., Khanna, S., Mary William, R., & Saha, S. (2023). Students’ Satisfaction with Remote Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic : Insights for Policymakers. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 16(9), 43–60. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2023/v16i9/173166

References

Adedoyin, O. B., & Soykan, E. (2023). Covid-19 pandemic and online learning: The challenges and opportunities. Interactive Learning Environments, 31(2), 863–875. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2020.1813180

Aggarwal, R. (2017). Economics of e-learning in higher education: The Indian case. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 10(6), 40–48. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2017/v10i6/115374

Ahmed, V., & Opoku, A. (2022). Technology supported learning and pedagogy in times of crisis: The case of COVID-19 pandemic. Education and Information Technologies, 27(1), 365–405. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10706-w

Alshaikh, K., Maasher, S., Bayazed, A., Saleem, F., Badri, S., & Fakieh, B. (2021). Impact of COVID-19 on the educational process in Saudi Arabia: A technology–organization–environment framework. Sustainability, 13(13), 7103. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137103

Andrews, M. A., Areekal, B., Rajesh, K. R., Krishnan, J., Suryakala, R., Krishnan, B., Muraly, C. P., & Santhosh, P. V. (2020). First confirmed case of COVID-19 infection in India: A case report. Indian Journal of Medical Research, 151(5), 490-492. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijmr.IJMR_2131_20

Arora, A. K., & Srinivasan, R. (2020). Impact of pandemic COVID-19 on the teaching – learning process : A study of higher education teachers. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 13(4), 43–56. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2020/v13i4/151825

Arun Kumar, A. (2021). Research note on online learning in India – Issues and challenges. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 14(8), 40–46. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2021/v14i8/165678

Arun Kumar, A. (2023). Knowledge management in Indian higher education – Issues and challenges. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 16(6), 60–67. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2023/v16i6/172864

Baker, C. (2010). The impact of instructor immediacy and presence for online student affective learning, cognition, and motivation. The Journal of Educators Online, 7(1), 1–30. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ904072.pdf

Bao, W. (2020). COVID-19 and online teaching in higher education: A case study of Peking University. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(2), 113–115. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.191

Bayham, J., & Fenichel, E. P. (2020). Impact of school closures for COVID-19 on the US health-care workforce and net mortality: A modelling study. The Lancet Public Health, 5(5), E271–E278. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(20)30082-7

Butnaru, G. I., Niță, V., Anichiti, A., & Brînză, G. (2021). The effectiveness of online education during covid 19 pandemic—A comparative analysis between the perceptions of academic students and high school students from Romania. Sustainability, 13(9), 5311. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095311

Chandel, A., & Kaur, J. (2023). Role of organizational culture in fostering innovation in higher education institutions. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 16(3), 42–61. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2023/v16i3/170471

Chen, K.-S., & Chen, H.-T. (2014). Applying importance–performance analysis with simple regression model and priority indices to assess hotels' service performance. Journal of Testing and Evaluation, 42(2), 454–466. https://doi.org/10.1520/JTE20130124

Chen, T., Peng, L., Yin, X., Rong, J., Yang, J., & Cong, G. (2020). Analysis of user satisfaction with online education platforms in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Healthcare, 8(3), 200. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare8030200

Cochran, W. G. (1977). Sampling techniques. John Wiley & Sons.

Dodd, R. H., Dadaczynski, K., Okan, O., McCaffery, K. J., & Pickles, K. (2021). Psychological wellbeing and academic experience of university students in Australia during COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(3), 866. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18030866

El Said, G. R. (2021). How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect higher education learning experience? An empirical investigation of learners' academic performance at a university in a developing country. Advances in Human-Computer Interaction, 2021, 6649524. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/6649524

Fatoni, Arifiati, N., Nurkhayati, E., Nurdiawati, E., Fidziah, Pamungkas, G., Adha, S., Irawan, Purwanto, A., Julyanto, O., & Azizi, E. (2020). University students online learning system during COVID-19 pandemic: Advantages, constraints and solutions. Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy, 11(7), 570–576. https://doi.org/10.31838/srp.2020.7.81

Gautam, S., & Hens, L. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in India: What might we expect? Environment, Development and Sustainability, 22(5), 3867–3869. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00739-5

Gopal, R., Singh, V., & Aggarwal, A. (2021). Impact of online classes on the satisfaction and performance of students during the pandemic period of COVID 19. Education and Information Technologies, 26(6), 6923–6947. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10523-1

Hadjeris, F. (2021). Revisiting sustainable development Goal 4 in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic: A case study of online teaching in Algerian higher education institutions. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 3(1), 160–168. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.245

Hazilah Abd Manaf, N., Mohd, D., & Abdullah, K. (2012). Development and validation of patient satisfaction instrument. Leadership in Health Services, 25(1), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1108/17511871211198052

Ho, I. M., Cheong, K. Y., & Weldon, A. (2021). Predicting student satisfaction of emergency remote learning in higher education during COVID-19 using machine learning techniques. PLoS ONE, 16(4), e0249423. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249423

Indu, Thadikaran, G. B., & Chellaswamy, K. P. (2022). Bridging digital divide in India : Positive outlook amid COVID-19. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 15(6), 46–56. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2022/v15i6/170026

Kanojia, M., Shukla, B., & Wali, A. (2022). Critical factors to technology development in Indian academia : An ISM-MICMAC approach. Prabandhan: Indian Journal of Management, 15(5), 8–26. https://doi.org/10.17010/pijom/2022/v15i5/169578

KeržiÄ, D., Alex, J. K., Alvarado, R. P., Bezerra, da Silva Bezerra, D., Cheraghi, M., Dobrowolska, B., Fagbamigbe, A. F., Faris, M. E., França, T., González-Fernández, B., Gonzalez-Robledo, L. M., Inasius, F., Kar, S. K., Lazányi, K., Lazăr, F., Machin-Mastromatteo, J. D., Marôco, J., Marques, B. P., Mejía-Rodríguez, O., … Aristovnik, A. (2021). Academic student satisfaction and perceived performance in the e-learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence across ten countries. PLoS ONE, 16(10), e0258807. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258807

Klašnja-Milićević, A., Vesin, B., Ivanović, M., & Budimac, Z. (2011). E-Learning personalization based on hybrid recommendation strategy and learning style identification. Computers & Education, 56(3), 885–899. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.11.001

Moore, M. G. (1989). Editorial: Three types of interaction. American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923648909526659

Muljana, P. S., & Luo, T. (2019). Factors contributing to student retention in online learning and recommended strategies for improvement: A systematic literature review. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 18, 19–57. https://doi.org/10.28945/4182

Muthuprasad, T., Aiswarya, S., Aditya, K. S., & Jha, G. K. (2021). Students' perception and preference for online education in India during COVID - 19 pandemic. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 3(1), 100101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2020.100101

Nunnally, J. C. (1978). An overview of psychological measurement. In B. B. Wolman (ed.), Clinical diagnosis of mental disorders (pp. 97–146). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-2490-4_4

Park, Y.-J., Heo, P.-S., & Rim, M.-H. (2008). Measurement of a customer satisfaction index for improvement of mobile RFID services in Korea. ETRI Journal, 30(5), 634–643. https://doi.org/10.4218/etrij.08.1308.0059

Potra, S., Pugna, A., Pop, M.-D., Negrea, R., & Dungan, L. (2021). Facing COVID-19 challenges: 1st-year students' experience with the Romanian hybrid higher educational system. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 3058. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063058

Rizun, M., & Strzelecki, A. (2020). Students' acceptance of the COVID-19 impact on shifting higher education to distance learning in Poland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18), 6468. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186468

Rodríguez-Hidalgo, A. J., Pantaleón, Y., Dios, I., & Falla, D. (2020). Fear of COVID-19, stress, and anxiety in university undergraduate students: A predictive model for depression. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.591797

Schmits, E., Dekeyser, S., Klein, O., Luminet, O., Yzerbyt, V., & Glowacz, F. (2021). Psychological distress among students in higher education: One year after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14), 7445. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18147445

Selvanathan, M., Hussin, N. A., & Azazi, N. A. (2023). Students learning experiences during COVID-19: Work from home period in Malaysian higher learning institutions. Teaching Public Administration, 41(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0144739420977900

Slavich, G. M., & Irwin, M. R. (2014). From stress to inflammation and major depressive disorder: A social signal transduction theory of depression. Psychological Bulletin, 140(3), 774–815. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035302

Sobaih, A. E., Hasanein, A. M., & Abu Elnasr, A. E. (2020). Responses to COVID-19 in higher education: Social media usage for sustaining formal academic communication in developing countries. Sustainability, 12(16), 6520. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166520

Soni, P. (2021). Effects of COVID-19 lockdown phases in India: An atmospheric perspective. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 23(8), 12044–12055. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-01156-4

Sujarwo, S., Sukmawati, S., Akhiruddin, A., Ridwan, R., & Suharti Siradjuddin, S. S. (2020). An analysis of university students' perspective on online learning in the midst of Covid-19 pandemic. Jurnal Pendidikan Dan Pengajaran, 53(2), 125-137. https://doi.org/10.23887/jpp.v53i2.24964

Tartavulea, C. V., Albu, C. N., Albu, N., Dieaconescu, R, I., & Petre, S. (2020). Online teaching practices and the effectiveness of the educational process in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Amfiteatru Economic, 22(55), 920–936. https://doi.org/10.24818/EA/2020/55/920

World Health Organization. (2020, March 10). COVID-19: IFRC, UNICEF and WHO issue guidance to protect children and support safe school operations. https://www.who.int/news/item/10-03-2020-covid-19-ifrc-unicef-and-who-issue-guidanceto-protect-children-and-support-safe-school-operations

Zawacki-Richter, O. (2021). The current state and impact of Covid-19 on digital higher education in Germany. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 3(1), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbe2.238