Моделирање на образованието преку далечина со цел за подобрување на квалитетот на искуство кај студентите при образовниот процес

Abstract

The incredible growth of internet and widespread use of computers in the last decades have opened tremendous possibilities for distance learning. Even though the literature on distance education has boomed over the last few years, with a large proportion of comparisons between distance and face-to-face education, only a limited number of studies have compared different distance education methods and solutions, especially from students’ point of view. This is an important gap, since early identification of determinants that influence students’ experiences is vital to the educational process, considering their importance in the learning outcomes. This doctoral thesis aims to identify relevant factors that influence students’ quality expectations and experience during different distance education activities, in a form of Quality of Experience (QoE). Based on theory of distance education, technical acceptance models and motivational theories, structural equation modeling was used for development of a QoE model, which can determine the objective and subjective factors influencing students’ QoE. The thesis elaborates the methodology for the verification of input information, model's complex constructs and their measured variables, as well validity of the model's complete structure during asynchronous and synchronous distance education activities, with students of varying ages. The conducted experiments have emphasized the efficiency of the proposed QoE model in different distance education scenarios, while explaining high percentage of primary and high school students’ QoE, as well perceived experience of university students and adults involved in lifelong learning programs. The results have revealed that students’ QoE in any situation was mainly determined by motivational factors (intrinsic and extrinsic) and moderately influenced by the ease of use during synchronous or quality of content during asynchronous activities. They have also demonstrated moderate support between technical performance and younger students’ QoE in both learning environments, while systems’ performance didn’t influence university and adults students’ QoE during synchronous learning methods. Opposed to existing technology acceptance models that stress the importance of attitude towards use of different technological solutions, students’ attitude towards distance learning failed to predict their QoE. Even though distance education and technology are closely connected, this study has succeeded to abstract the design of educational tools and the technological layer, while focusing on the social behavior and cognitive level of such a learning process. Therefore the advances in this doctoral thesis present valuable information to stakeholders of educational institutions that try to incorporate or enhance distance learning activities, while striving to facilitate student-centered, experiential, effective and enjoyable learning environments.