Exploring student satisfaction and acceptance of e-learning technologies in Saudi higher education

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Higher Education Studies
• Information Systems

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of online learning globally and in Saudi Arabia.
• Saudi Vision 2030 emphasizes digital transformation in education.
• There is a growing need to understand factors influencing e-learning adoption in Saudi higher education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of educational quality, social influence, and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) factors on students' attitudes toward e-learning.
• To analyze how these factors influence student satisfaction and academic performance.
• To examine the mediating roles of perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative research design utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) and path analysis.
• Data collected via questionnaires from e-learning users at two Saudi universities.
• Validated instrument developed to measure students' online learning acceptance.

Main Results:

• Perceived ease of use (PEU) and perceived usefulness (PU) significantly mediate the relationship between educational quality (EDQ), social influence (SOI), perceived enjoyment (PE), and attitude toward use (ATU).
• Mediating factors showed high R-squared values (PEU=0.562, PU=0.712, ATU=0.608, SSE=0.636), indicating strong predictive power for e-learning adoption.
• Student attitude toward using e-learning systems (ATU) and satisfaction with e-learning systems (SSE) were positively influenced.

Conclusions:

• Educational quality and social influence are key drivers for e-learning adoption in Saudi higher education.
• The TAM model, particularly PEU and PU, effectively explains student acceptance and satisfaction with e-learning.
• Findings support the development of strategies to enhance e-learning quality and integration in Saudi universities.