Interpretive structural modeling of factors affecting students' engagement in university virtual education
Subject Areas : Educational management
Soheil Dadfar
1
(PHD student of information and communication technology management, Islamic Azad University, Kish branch)
Alireza Pourebrahimi
2
(Islamic Azad University)
Keywords: Student Engagement, Virtual Education, Higher Education,
Abstract :
The Covid-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions to implement virtual learning activities based on virtual platforms. Accordingly, universities had little time to prepare and train faculty members and familiarize students with digital technologies, and students' engagement in this type of education affected by many variables. The aim of the research is the interpretative structural modeling of the factors affecting the students' engagement in the virtual education of the university. The research method is mixed (qualitative-quantitative). In the qualitative section, using a qualitative approach, the factors affecting students' participation in virtual education were identified. Data collection done through interviews with virtual education specialists and experts in universities. In the quantitative part, the identified factors leveling using interpretative structural modeling. Based on the findings of the qualitative section, the influencing factors included 10 university infrastructure factors, learning approaches, behavioral factors, individual characteristics, students' attitude towards virtual education, educational resources, professors' support, university virtual education support, students' skills, students' financial status. According to the results of interpretative structural modeling, the most dependent factors were students' skills, students' attitudes, individual characteristics, and behavioral factors. The least dependence was on the factor of learning approaches, which had the highest role in students' engagement in university virtual education.
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