Online learning satisfaction in higher education: what are the determining factors?

The covid-19 pandemic crisis has triggered the implementation of comprehensive online learning in Indonesia, including in the higher education institutions. Changes in the conventional way of face-to-face learning to online one provides both positive and negative responses, which will affect student learning satisfaction. This research aims to determine student satisfaction with online learning, which is associated with perceived technological complexity, student learning experience, online learning readiness, and the presence of lecturers in online learning activities. This is research with a quantitative approach. Data was collected through a google online questionnaire distributed through a network of lecturers. The sample used is 439 students from state and private higher education institutions spread across eight islands in Indonesia. Statistical analysis uses the Structural Equation Model (SEM) in Stata 15. The results showed that online learning satisfaction was positively influenced by student experience, online learning readiness, and the presence of lecturers in online learning. Moreover, online learning readiness was found to be able to mediate student experience and online learning satisfaction but unable to mediate technology complexity and online learning satisfaction. These findings add to the literature on online learning satisfaction and provide direction for the solution of problems related to online learning satisfaction. The proposed suggestion to higher education institutions is to encourage the development of online-based collaborative models, to provide a continuous experience for students. The proposed suggestion to higher education institutions is to encourage the development of online-based collaborative models, to provide a continuous experience for students.