Quality Requirements for Continuous Use of E-learning Systems at Public vs. Private Universities in Spain

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1344/der.2021.40.33-50

Keywords:

Education, e-learning, ICT, public and private higher education, quality, institutional support, continuous use

Abstract

During the later years of technological innovation, e-learning systems have demonstrated to be an effective way to improve educational quality and overcome time and place constraints. Virtual communication, instruction and evaluation have become an important part of the higher education. However, although e-learning has been implemented extensively, its operation and success might differ between organisations, due to institutional capacity and resources. With this in mind, the objective of this research is to distinguish between public and private universities, in the sense of the e-learning system quality and the perceived institutional support, as means to achieve users’ intention to continue using e-learning. Analysing the information from 270 Spanish teachers and students in e-learning systems at public and private universities, we concluded that information, service and educational quality determine e-learning continuous use at public universities, while perceived institutional support acts as a mediator between the information and educational quality and the continued use, in the case of the private universities. Valuable recommendations for higher-education institutions’ management suggest that innovative tools for interaction and organisation, cooperation of public and private universities, and investment in technology and human resources, are vital for continuity of e-learning systems.

Author Biographies

Jana Prodanova, Universidad de Burgos

Jana Prodanova is a PhD Assistant Professor at the University of Burgos. Her main research is related to electronic and mobile environment of services provision, making difference between online and mobile channels, and the advantages and disadvantages that each of them holds. She studies the challenges and possibilities of the use of ICT in the sale of services and the behaviour and personality of technology users in educational, tourism and banking contexts. She has published her work in national and international journals of repute and won several awards for her research. She is likewise a reviewer for international journals and conferences and participated in marketing research projects.

Sonia San-Martín

Sonia San-Martín, PhD. is Professor at the University of Burgos (Spain). She is lecturer and researcher in Marketing and has been the Marketing Manager of the University for three years and MBA coordinator for one year. Her current research areas included relationship marketing, internal marketing, international marketing, tourism, consumer behaviour, electronic commerce and mobile commerce. She has presented papers in national and international conferences organized by AEMARK, ACEDE, IADIS and EMAC, among others. She has written a book, some book chapters and has published in national and international journals such as the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of Service Research, Cyberpsychology and Behaviour, Personnel Review, International Business Review, Online Information Review, Electronic Commerce Research and Applications, Industrial Management & Data Systems and Psychology&Marketing, among others. She has received several awards for her research from AEDIPE, ESIC, CES and FEC.

Estefanía Jerónimo Sánchez-Beato

Estefanía Jerónimo Sánchez-Beato holds a Law Degree from the University of Granada (with Extraordinary Bachelor’s Degree Award), and a Doctor of Law from the University of Almería. Since 1995 she has worked academically in various universities, national and foreign. She has also been a guest lecturer for Masters or PhD. Her main areas of specialization are Constitutional Law, the Methodology of Legal Research and Teaching Innovation. In all of them, she has published numerous works, bibliographic and hemerographic. Among the management tasks carried out, the Vice-Chancellor for Research and International Relations of UEMC, where she currently works, stands out.

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2021-12-27

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