REVIEW OF THE ARTICLE UNPACKING ONLINE LEARNING EXPERIENCES:

ONLINE LEARNING SELF-EFFICACY AND LEARNING SATISFACTION.

The importance of this article is appropriate for a time like this and the importance cannot be
overemphasized since learning experience has to be effective in every ramification and saddened
with
self-efficacy and learning satisfaction. It analyzes how self-efficacy in student is directly related
to
students learning satisfaction based on some basic outlined factors if some other factors are held
constant.
Self-efficacy as described by the author is the efficiency of an individual to perform in the
expected
manner. The author postulates that self-efficacy in online learning is dependent on the exposure
of
students to technology and social interaction with either instructor or classmates; these factors,
vary
between the genders from one geographical location to another, the condition under which
learning
is taking place and the academic attainment of the individual in the online learning environment.
The focus of the author was based and motivated by these differing factors with diversifying
conditions relating to performance and how proportional to the student’s performance to learning
satisfaction.
One of the purpose of the study was to investigate the different dimensions or type of self-
efficacy
in online learning in contrast to other variables (Pages 15, section 7.1).
Academic status of the students in the research are from those enrolled in both the undergraduate
and graduate programs, with varying prior online study experience while others do not. The
classifications of the student was then carried out based on gender, ethnicity, and degree of
academic pursuit.
Following careful analysis and factoring methods (Pages 12), it was discovered that students
selfefficacy is a vital factor for a student to complete an online course coupled with personal
efficiency
in using the medium of social communication, the tools in Content management Systems (CMS),
and Interaction with instructors cum the classmates.
Based on these, it was observed that the academic status of students has nothing to do with
selfefficacy to complete an online course (Pages 14). Academic status impacts the use of online
tools in
Content management Systems but does not influence interaction with instructors, however,
gender
was found to be a significant factor to interact with either classmates or instructors, though
selfefficacy to interact socially with classmates may not be gender based.
However, the author pointed out that, the only factor which does not affect online learning
satisfaction is the efficacy to handle tools in a Content management Systems while Learning
satisfaction is best gotten from completing the online course.
Pages 3
It can be inferred from the article, that efforts on the part of instructors should be geared towards
getting the student’s participation and interaction optimal in order to improve learning
satisfaction.
The research paper however gave little or no information on the frequency of student’s
interaction
with classmate vis-à-vis with the instructors and to what extent has it imparted the students
learning
satisfaction. What factor could be responsible for students inactivity interacting with the
classmates
or instructors and what effort could be put in place to alleviate such attitudes or to change a
notion
towards non-interaction of students? Empirical study is also needed to be carried out to ascertain
if
there is any a marked difference in learning satisfaction when a non-interactive student become
more interactive.
While considering prior online experience (Pages 11, section 3.1), the research did not put into
cognizance the area of discipline in which the student had its former learning experience
compared
to the current students’ area of study and interest. On gender and self-efficacy, references were
made to sources of contrasting opinions (Pages 12, section 3.2).
There is a need to find if there is any other motivation for this difference between the genders.
The author while postulating the relationship between student’s self-efficacy and online learning
satisfaction, inherently concluded that the completion of an online course brings learning
satisfaction. However, the assertion that completing an online course is synonymous to online
learning satisfaction may not be objective; learning satisfaction should be considered as a
rewarding
feel gotten from online learning which can only be complemented by completing the course.
Also, the exact academic performance of the students were not reported, if the factors
enumerated actually reflects in the statistics of the students who completed the academic pursuit
and are
satisfied with learning or be willing to take another online study.
The author tested his observations using survey forms posted on the students’ message board.
Information analyzed was based on demographic variables (Pages 12, Table 1), and factors
responsible for learning satisfaction (Pages 13, Table 2 and 3; Pages 15, Table 4 and 5).
Promaxc extraction method with oblique rotation (Pages 12, section 6.1) was implemented as
factor analysis for checking self-efficacy using different sampling method to verify its
appropriateness
including Meyer-Olkin measure, Chi-Square, Multiple regression methods and other descriptive
statistics. The results obtained shows that, a significant factor towards self-efficacy to handle
tools
is gender and academic status (Pages 14, section 6.2.5).
The author identified gender as a factor to completing an online course; interact with classmates
and instructors (section 6.2.3, 6.2.6, and 6.2.7). However the author did not put into
considerations other
factors or variables which might be responsible for the lopsidedness of these results, as every
student involved in the questionnaire was taken to be subject to other pressures which might
have
an impact on the academic performance at the time of carrying out the research work. This is
found
to be prevalent in the values generated and assumption made: “Holding other variable constant”.
Based on assessment, the result and inferences obtained can be accepted for academic
considerations; however, other factor should be considered for analysis as a factor for efficiency
in
meeting up with academic pursuit, which ultimately culminates in learning satisfaction.
According to the author, “self-efficacy to complete an online course do not significantly explains
the variances in the students satisfaction, however, instructors proactive approach towards social
interaction are suggested to help student develop the self-efficacy needed to complete an online
course” (Pages 17).
In my opinion, online learning self-efficacy and learning satisfaction need to be further
investigated,
however, the authors’ study can be taken as a reference towards investigating a more diversified
factor as contributing to online learning satisfaction and self-efficacy.

References
Shen, D., Cho, M. H., Tsai, C. L. & Marra, R. (2013). Unpacking online learning experiences:
Online learning self-efficacy and learning satisfaction. The Internet and Higher Education, 19,
10-
17. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2013.04.001