Students' Factors Affecting Undergraduates' Perceptions of their Teaching and Learning Process within ECTS Experience

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Educational Psychology
• European Higher Education Area Studies

Background:

• Student satisfaction is crucial for effective teaching-learning processes (TLP).
• The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) aims to standardize higher education experiences across Europe.
• Understanding factors influencing student perception of TLP within ECTS is essential for quality improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate factors influencing student satisfaction with the TLP.
• To analyze these factors from the perspective of students engaged in the ECTS.
• To identify key drivers of a positive TLP perception.

Main Methods:

• Survey administered to 1490 students at the Universities of Almería and Granada.
• Utilized a revised protocol for evaluating the ECTS experience.
• Performed analyses of variance with grade average, year, discipline, ECTS load, and e-learning as independent variables.

Main Results:

• Student grade average positively correlated with satisfaction (favoring high performers).
• Earlier years of schooling showed higher satisfaction.
• Subjects with medium ECTS credit load and the use of e-learning were associated with greater satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• Findings highlight the influence of student-specific and course-related factors on TLP perception.
• Results have implications for understanding student commitment and shaping the ECTS implementation.
• Identified factors can inform strategies to enhance the student experience in European higher education.