Exploring e-learning system loyalty: The role of system quality and satisfaction

Abstract

The study examined how e-learning service quality affected students’ satisfaction and loyalty while noting the mediating role of e-learning students’ satisfaction in Ghana. Previous findings on e-learning service, information, and system quality were mostly undertaken in industrialized nations, with little effort made in sub-Saharan Africa.
The conceptual framework is informed by the theories reviewed in this study. The positivist research philosophy’s explanatory research design was used. Data for the survey were obtained from 526 undergraduate students of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, who accessed the University’s e-learning website. Partial least squares structural equation modeling techniques were deployed employing the SmartPLS 3.3.3 application to find the relationships between the constructs based on an established conceptual model. The findings of the study suggest that e-learning service quality and e-learning student satisfaction significantly and directly affect e-learning student loyalty. Besides, the results also showed that e-learning service quality, e-learning information quality, and e-learning system quality have an indirect significant positive effect on e-learning student loyalty via partial mediation of e-learning student satisfaction. Our findings also suggest that for practitioners to accomplish successful e-learning deployment, (1) their e-learning sites must provide the best connectivity, availability, integration, navigation, and convenience for learners; (2) they must not only understand the importance of the overall e-learning service quality but also ensure that their e-learning support service workers and instructors have the empathy, civility, responsiveness, and kindness required while servicing online learners.