Research paper

1. A Survey of Student Satisfaction With Distance
Learning at Faculty of Organizational Sciences,
University of Belgrade
Maja Krsmanovic1 , Mladen Djuric1
, and Veljko Dmitrovic1
1
Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Jove Ilica 154,
11000 Belgrade, Serbia
{Maja.Krsmanovic, Mladen.Djuric, Veljko.Dmitrovic}@Fon.rs
Abstract. With development of internet and following technologies, there is an
increasing space for making education service more flexible. Also, Faculty of
organizational sciences (FOS), University of Belgrade has recorded a growing
number of students in last years. Among potential students, there is a significant
group of those ones that are not able to attend classes regularly. These are some
of the reasons why FOS decided to step into the accreditation process for
distance learning curriculum. With the first generation of students attended
distance learning program this year, it is important to get the information about
their experiences. The paper aims to determine student satisfaction with web
portal for distance learning, quality of deployed material, communication with
teachers and peers and rules that shape distance learning system. The paper also
analyses potential link of students’ responses with their previous success
expressed through the number of points for enrollment to FOS.
Keywords: student satisfaction, distance learning, survey
1 Introduction
Distance learning is a form of education that includes intensive application of
electronic media and where the learning process is commonly separated in time and
space.
One of the major advantages of distance learning compared to conventional forms
of education is great flexibility. In traditional education student can’t take courses at
any time, but at the time determined by educational organization. Very important
characteristic is physical presence and this can be a problem if student doesn’t live
near faculty. Students must also obey the schedule of classes which often can’t be
changed. In addition to correcting these deficiencies, distance learning is very
flexible, stimulates creativity of students and affects on satisfaction, thus making the
whole process more effective. Students can improve their knowledge at their own
pace, at a place and time of their choice. It is believed that this way of study can make
students more versatile, capable of living, allowing them to determine their pace of
work and schedule of responsibilities.

2. Implementation of distance learning system improves capacities of educational
organizations, while reducing costs of educational process. It also enables a more
even distribution of education by making the new educational programs available to
areas outside the educational and economic centers. In addition, it allows the different
institutions to have an access to foreign educational resources, which implies a higher
quality of the acquired knowledge.
What has been recognized as a lack of distance learning process is that students
have slower contact with professors than in traditional learning, where answers to the
questions can be obtained immediately.
2 Bases for Research
Although many authors emphasize the multiple benefits of distance learning
systems, very few have dealt with the survey of attitudes of end users of such
systems. The survey conducted for this study aims to determine the level of student
satisfaction with the system of distance learning. Through 16 closed questions
students expressed their satisfaction with the individual elements that make distance
learning system. The Likert scale containing five levels was used. The elements that
make this distance learning system are:
• Site functionality/clarity
• Site updating
• Clarity of the material
• Quantity of the material
• Tempo of lecturing
• Understanding of the given tasks
• Variety in ways of comunication with lecturers
• Availability of the lecturer
• Success in comunication with students
• Relation between effort put in and number of points
• Possability of expressing an oppinion in the right way
• Timing the final exams in the classic way
• Discipline and motivation for work.
Questionnaire with which this research was conducted, in addition to 16 closed
questions, contains another open question that gave students to express additional
thoughts about this system. The questionnaire was sent by e-mail to all students of the
first year of distance studies at the Faculty of Organizational Sciences (FOS),
University of Belgrade. These are students of accredited study program of
undergraduate study - Information systems and technologies. From 52 questionnaires
sent, we received and processed 42 questionnaires that were correctly filled out,
which is 80% of the population.
The structure of the sample by the two following criteria was unknown prior to
research and is shown in Figure 1. First criterion includes points for enrollment to
FOS and the structure of sample by this criterion is shown at the left side of Figure 1.
Second criterion is based on time that students have spent on the web site for distance

3. learning and the structure of sample by this criterion is shown at the right side of
Figure 1.
Fig. 1. The structure of the sample
3 Analysis of Results
Satisfaction of students with the individual elements that make distance learning
system was determined by using One-Sample T test. The Mean Value of the degree of
satisfaction of all students was taken as a value that indicates the total satisfaction of
students with the individual elements of distance learning system. The results of this
test are shown graphically in descending order in Figure 2.
Fig. 2. Satisfaction of students with the individual elements of distance learning
system
74%
24%
2%
Time spent on the site
several hours every
or every 2 days
several hours every 3
or 4 days
several hours per
week or less often
22%
41%
37%
Pointsfor enrollmentto FOS
36.00 - 50.99
51.00 - 65.99
66.00 - 80.00
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
Level of student satisfaction

4. Students cited as the greatest benefits of distance learning the possibility to listen
the lessons several times, at the time and place on their own choice according to their
obligations and opportunities. On the other hand, students cited as the shortcomings a
lack of interactivity and explanations by the teacher when a student doesn’t
understand what the teacher said.
In addition to determination of student satisfaction, the research includes analysis
of the impact of the above mentioned first criterion (points for enrollment to FOS) to
the degree of satisfaction. For this analysis, we used one-way analysis of variance
(one-way ANOVA). The results of this analysis are shown in Table 1 and Table 2.
Value of the indicator Sig. that is less than 0.05 is considered statistically
significant.
Table 1. ONE-Way ANOVA - ANOVA
Sum of
Squares df
Mean
Square F Sig.
Site
functionality/
clarity
Between Groups 2.582 2 1.291 1.299 .284
Within Groups 38.751 39 .994
Total 41.333 41
Site updating Between Groups .242 2 .121 .218 .805
Within Groups 21.663 39 .555
Total 21.905 41
Clarity of the
material
Between Groups 2.336 2 1.168 1.443 .249
Within Groups 31.569 39 .809
Total 33.905 41
Quantity of
the material
Between Groups 2.408 2 1.204 1.561 .223
Within Groups 30.069 39 .771
Total 32.476 41
Tempo of
lecturing
Between Groups 2.438 2 1.219 2.622 .085
Within Groups 18.133 39 .465
Total 20.571 41
Understa-
nding of the
given tasks
Between Groups 7.207 2 3.603 5.577 .007
Within Groups 25.198 39 .646
Total 32.405 41

5. Sum of
Squares df
Mean
Square F Sig.
Variety in
ways of
comunication
with lecturers
Between Groups .348 2 .174 .249 .781
Within Groups 27.271 39 .699
Total 27.619 41
Availability
of the lecturer
Between Groups 3.529 2 1.765 1.680 .200
Within Groups 40.971 39 1.051
Total 44.500 41
Success in
comunication
with students
Between Groups 1.754 2 .877 .733 .487
Within Groups 46.651 39 1.196
Total 48.405 41
Relation
between
effort put in
and number
of points
Between Groups .713 2 .357 .328 .722
Within Groups 42.429 39 1.088
Total 43.143 41
Possability of
expressing an
oppinion in
the right way
Between Groups .784 2 .392 .335 .718
Within Groups 45.716 39 1.172
Total 46.500 41
Timing the
final exams in
the classic
way
Between Groups 1.589 2 .795 1.358 .269
Within Groups 22.816 39 .585
Total 24.405 41
Discipline
and
motivation for
work
Between Groups 4.382 2 2.191 1.599 .215
Within Groups 53.451 39 1.371
Total 57.833 41

6. Table 2. ONE-Way ANOVA - Multiple Comparisons - Tukey’s HSD Test
Dependent
Variable
(I)
Points for
enrollment
to FOS
(J)
Points for
enrollment
to FOS
Mean
Difference
(I-J)
Std.
Error Sig.
95%
Confidence
Interval
Lower
Bound
Upper
Bound
Understa-
nding of
The given
tasks
1 2 -.182 .320 .837 -.96 .60
3 -.967*
.328 .015 -1.77 -.17
2 1 .182 .320 .837 -.60 .96
3 -.784*
.285 .024 -1.48 -.09
3 1 .967*
.328 .015 .17 1.77
2 .784*
.285 .024 .09 1.48
* Indicates the existence of differences between groups
4 Interpretation of Results and Conclusions
Based on the results of the research conducted, we can conclude that the level of
student satisfaction with the 12 elements (of 13) of the distance learning systems is
above the average value (as an average value was taken the arithmetic mean of the
possible values of the degree of student satisfaction and it is 3). For the majority of
elements (9 of 13), according to the level of student satisfaction, values were within
the interval [3.38 - 3.76], whereas the mean value (of all 13 elements) by the same
criterion is 3.52.
Students are mostly satisfied (Mean = 4.54) by the fact that they may take the final
examinations in the conventional way (in contact with teachers, along with the
students that study in traditional system). On the other hand, the students are the least
satisfied (Mean = 2.83) with the discipline and motivation to work in the distance
learning system.
Life Orijentation Test (LOT), as a part of the ANOVA, shows a statistically
significant difference at the level of Sig<0,05 among three categories of students by
the previous success expressed by the number of points gained for enrollment to FOS.
However, this difference can be observed only in one element - Understanding of the
given tasks: F (2, 39) = 5577, Sig = 0.007.
Eta squared value as a quotient of Sum of Squares (Between Groups) and Sum of
Squares (Total) for the reference element is 0.22 which indicates that the real
difference between the means of the groups is large (each Eta squared value higher
than 0.14 indicates the large real importance).
Subsequent comparisons using Tukey’s HSD test indicate that (looking at the
Understanding of the tasks given) the levels of student satisfaction in group 1 and
group 2 differ on the level of student satisfaction in group 3 and that these differences
are statistically significant as indicated by the corresponding values of Sig. that are

7. less than 0.05. However, the levels of student satisfaction in group 1 and group 2
show no difference.
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