Factors impacting university students' online learning experiences during the COVID‐19 epidemic

Due to the COVID‐19 epidemic crisis, students from higher education institutions around the world are forced to participate in comprehensive online curriculums. In such a scenario, it is worth investigating how students perceived their learning outcomes and satisfaction based on this method of teaching and learning online. This study aims to explore the role of six factors, namely, system quality, course design, learner‐learner interaction, learner‐instructor interaction, learner‐content interaction, and self‐discipline, on university students' perceived learning outcomes and their effect on student satisfaction with online curricula during the COVID‐19 epidemic. A structural equation modelling technique was used to assess survey questionnaires obtained from 457 validated students at a Public University in China. The results demonstrated that these determinants had a positive effect on satisfaction and learning outcomes, whereas learner‐instructor interaction had no significant effect. Furthermore, the strongest determinant that affected not only students' satisfaction but also their learning outcomes was the learner‐content interaction. Lay Description What is already known about this topic? Online teaching can support students' learning in COVID‐19 epidemic. Various determining factors affect students' learning outcomes and satisfaction towards online learning. What this paper adds? This study investigates six determinants on students' learning outcomes and satisfaction towards online learning. Learner‐content interaction yielded a stronger effect on university students' learning outcomes and satisfaction. Learner‐instructor interaction has no significant effect. Implications for practice and/or policy System quality, course design, learner‐learner interaction, learner‐content interaction, and self‐discipline, had a positive impact on university students' perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction in COVID‐19.