SATISFACTION AND USE CONTINUITY IN A VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

This study seeks to investigate the influence of the constructs of Davis’s Technology Acceptance Model and the DeLone and McLean Information Systems Success Model in users’ satisfaction and in the consequent intention of continuing to use a virtual learning environment (VLE) in the context of e-learning services. The research was developed from a quantitative analytical approach, through an online survey on a sample of 192 students of an Administration course of a federal university in Brazilian Northeast – distance learning mode – which uses the Moodle VLE. The data analysis technique used the Structural Equation Analysis (ESA), operationalized by the maximum likelihood method in AMOS© Graphics software. The results showed that the perceived ease of use, the perceived usefulness and the information quality are satisfaction antecedents of the user with the e-learning service. Similarly, the satisfaction proved to be decisive in the intention of continuing to use the evaluated system. It was shown that the utility is stronger in determining satisfaction. All the hypotheses of the study were confirmed. Based on the results, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the structural model found by the search.