Student satisfaction is of great significance in online learning, but few studies have explored its determinants in emerging countries. This study investigated the determinants of university students’ satisfaction with online learning platforms in China through applying the Technology Satisfaction Model during the COVID-19 pandemic, when an unprecedented amount of learning began to take place online due to the closure of educational institutions. A total of 928 students from five universities in four Chinese provinces or municipalities were surveyed through a purposive sampling technique and analyzed through structural equation modeling and the Rasch model. Findings show that Chinese university students’ satisfaction with online learning platforms is directly and indirectly impacted by their computer self-efficacy and the perceived ease of use and usefulness of the platforms. Findings also show that regional differences moderate the associations among these components. The current study adds to theoretical, methodical and practical understanding of university students’ satisfaction with using online learning platforms, which have been recognized as irreplaceable emergency educational tools.

The prime objective of this study was to develop and validate the Technology Adoption and Gratification (TAG) Model to evaluate the adoption and gratification of lecturers in using ICT facilities for their teaching and research purposes in higher education. The second objective of this study was to evaluate the cross-cultural validation of the causal structure of the TAG model. A total of 396 lecturers were collected from two public universities, namely, University of Malaya in Malaysia and Jiaxing University in China using stratified random sampling procedure. The questionnaire's validity was established through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) using SPSS version 21.0. The data was analyzed applying Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS version 18. The findings of the research using the TAG model discovered that the computer self-efficacy of the lecturers had a positive direct impact on their perceived usefulness and ease of use, while the latter two factors also had a significant direct impact on gratification and intention to use, separately. Meanwhile, gratification and actual use of ICT facilities were directly affected by intention to use. Moreover, computer self-efficacy had a positive and significant indirect impact on gratification and intention to use mediated by perceived usefulness and ease of use, respectively. In addition to lecturers' perceived ease of use and usefulness had a significant indirect effect on their gratification mediated by intention to use. The results of the invariance analysis of the TAG model also demonstrated that the model was valid for measuring lecturers' adoption and gratification in using ICT facilities. However, the TAG model works differently in cross-cultural settings. The findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field of ICT by developing and validating the applicability of the TAG Model within institutions of higher education. Once validated the model could then be applied by future researchers, academicians and practitioners in the diverse context of education.

This project validates the Technology Satisfaction Model (TSM) developed. While Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) developed by Davis (1989) ignored the issue of computer self-efficacy and satisfaction. TSM incorporates both. While TAM is used for measuring the acceptance of technology in general; TSM examines the satisfaction on wireless internet usage with a particular focus to the students studying in Higher Education. To develop and validate the TSM, data gained through a survey conducted with 285 students studying in five faculties of a comprehensive public university in Malaysia. Quota sampling technique was used. Instrument reliability and validity were performed by Rasch analysis using Winsteps version 3.49. The results of the study were analyzed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS version 18.0. The findings showed that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness had a statistically significant positive direct influence on satisfaction. Subsequently, computer self-efficacy discovered a significant positive direct influence on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. Moreover, the results also demonstrated that computer self-efficacy had a significant indirect influence on satisfaction mediated by perceived usefulness. Eventually, computer self-efficacy also revealed a statistically significant indirect influence on satisfaction mediated by perceived ease of use of wireless internet.

Purpose In this age of exponential knowledge growth, where wireless internet is playing a dominant role, the concerned authorities of higher education have to ensure that this tool remains within the reach of the students. However, there has been as yet little research indicating its success in China. This paper aims to examine factors that influence students’ satisfaction (SAT) in using wireless internet in higher education for the purpose of learning. The second aim of this study is to identify if gender has a moderating effect on students’ SAT in using wireless internet in higher education. Design/methodology/approach Data from a total of 283 students from five colleges of a comprehensive public university in China (Foreign Language Studies, Business, Education, Biology and Chemistry, and Mathematics and Engineering) were collected for this study. The reliability and validity of the measurement scale were established through a Rasch model using Winsteps version 3.94. The technology satisfaction model (TSM) was validated applying structural equation modelling (SEM) using AMOS to test the causal relationships among the constructs. Findings The results of this study revealed that students’ SAT was directly influenced by perceived usefulness (PU) and ease of use of wireless internet. Besides, students’ perceived ease of use (PEU) and usefulness were directly affected by their computer self-efficacy. On the other hand, students’ computer self-efficacy had an indirect effect on their SAT mediated by ease of use and perceived usefulness, respectively. The findings also discovered that gender did exert effect as a moderating variable towards students’ SAT in using wireless internet in higher education. Practical implications The TSM was shown to be a useful model to measure students’ SAT in using wireless internet in a different culture. Originality/value To achieve this aim, a TSM on the potential factors contributing to student SAT was developed from the literature and validated in this study. Whereas, the TSM has been developed and validated in Malaysia.

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