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This study bases on previous research on student perceptions regarding e-learning. Enhancing IT integration in scholar activities compelled the providers of educational services to adapt and redesign their “learning spaces”. The aim of this research is to identify how the students perceived the new architecture and design of the new learning spaces through positive and negative feedback. Validation of the first hypothesis (that students own a laptop/ PC, mobile phone, etc.) enabled us to analyse an array of independent variables. These include the degree of use of electronic resources during teaching (blended teaching), their usage and easiness to be accessed, students’ interest to increase learning efficiency by accessing such resources on learning platforms and through virtual classes (that enable them to synchronise the learning “rhythm” with student possibilities, provision of self-assessment based on learning progress and interaction with colleagues during the learning process) and learning efficiency based on visual and audio memory. Dependent variables considered in the analysis are student grades and duration on navigation in virtual environment (on the Internet). There are two interesting results identified from data analysis. During teaching, the time spent in the virtual space (in order to access various electronic resources) is very important to ensure superior scholar results. Student grades improve with the student’s interest (as declared in the survey) to use platforms and access virtual classes for various stages of the learning process. Such outcome may be explained due to the possibility of students to adapt learning to their own rhythm and circumstances, opportunity to assess their own learning progress and communicate with colleagues. Such instant communication with classmates from other locations and/or geographical localities supports learning through peer discussions about what they are studying. Considering the disadvantages associated with e-learning we extended the research to include student’s perceptions regarding the importance of academic environment on learning. Results reveals that only the students with good and excellent grades (bursary and grades closed to bursary) and those that navigates a very large amount on the Internet considers this variable to be very important. The results of this research are valuable and may be used by scholars and University administrators to redesign the learning spaces and provide solutions that will better serve needs of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study bases on qualitative and quantitative data analysis. It highlights students’ perceptions regarding the use of devices as learning instruments. Based on data collected during two focus groups there were identified the most important aspects related to the use of e-resources during all educational process (teaching, learning, assessment) as well as main advantages and disadvantages associate to their use as perceived by the respondents. The importance of these variables was assessed using a survey of 217 respondents that are University students. All variables measured student’s perception on a 5-point Likert scale. Owning a device, learning efficiency (using video and audio recordings), freedom to choose the moment and place for learning activity, the costs and quality of the internet connection were considered independent variables. The dependent variable was student’s scholar performance assessed through their grades. Preliminary analysis revealed significant differences in behaviour among students with different scholarly performance. Therefore, to ensure significant comparison, the analysis was made based on three categories of students: those with grades lower than 7, those with school results very close (up to one point) below bursary threshold and those with bursary (merit). The analysis revealed some interesting conclusions. Most students own a device, and the habit of exploiting it (the efficiency of its usage) has a significant impact upon its owner’s school results. Away from students with low marks, those with grades above 7 perceive that learning associated with the usage of a device is more efficient because it enables them to choose the moment and place of learning. Regarding the costs associated with device-based learning, bursary students perceived it to be more important compared with non-bursary students. All students revealed common perceptions regarding the quality of Internet connectivity, regardless of their grades. The results of this study are useful on two perspectives: scientific (due to discussion on the efficiency of learning instruments) and practical (through the provision of support for teachers and university managers for identifying of the most adequate methods of teaching-learning-assessment that best respond to the needs and particularities of various groups of students). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new information technologies and devices have a significant impact on student behavior through the use of social media and communication. Whilst they an inclination to use smart phones and computers to both communicate and surf the internet, students may not capitalize their IT skills and abilities for educational purposes. There is little research in Romania on the student's perceptions towards the use of e-learning in a technical university. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an exploratory quantitative study that depict student's perceptions towards the use of elearning and the main advantages and disadvantages for various categories of students from a technical University. Key factors and main advantages and disadvantages used to develop the survey were identified based on a qualitative research. The questionnaire was pretested and administered to 217 students in paper format to multiple Faculties and years of study. Both advantages and disadvantages identified for e-learning were measured on a five-point interval importance scale. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Factor analysis was performed for both advantages and disadvantages in order to identify the key aspects that characterize student's opinion towards the e-learning The survey compared and contrasted the student's viewpoints from several Faculties and years of study as well as for students from five distinct groups: those that have high grades and receive bursary (merit), those with good grades but just below the bursary threshold (up to one point below), students with poor academic performance and no bursary, those that work (part-time or full time) and those that never worked. Statistical analysis investigated for existence of significant differences due to student's faculty, gender, year of study, age, grades, bachelor or master, and whether or not the student works. This paper provides important results for the University management on both Faculty and University level regarding the key factors influencing student's perceptions towards the use of e-learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational systems have to adapt to latest IT development and student's behavior regarding internet usage, as beyond traditional education the "virtual environment" provides excellent opportunities for both teaching and learning. Such opportunities cannot be ignored by universities as learning also enters the globalized market. Therefore, an ever-increasing number of students are ready to acquire competences and abilities for a globalized work market. The aim of this exploratory research is to investigate students' perceptions towards their readiness to access and use e-learning technologies in order to become experts in their profession. Empirical research consists of in depth interviews with students from a Technical University in Romania that engaged in an improvement of the learning process through the use of e-learning platform (such as Moodle). Based on e-learning operational definition an interview guide was developed. Formal in-depth interviews were performed by students that received special training to reduce bias and enable more sincere opinions from respondents as compared with an academic-lead interview. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed in order to identify the key factors that influence student's perception regarding the use of e-learning as well as the main advantages and disadvantages as perceived by the students. Data collections based on a convenient sample. In order to ensure sample representativeness students were recruited to belong to five distinct groups: Those that have high grades and receive bursary (merit), those with good grades but just below the bursary threshold (up to one point below), students with poor academic performance and no bursary, those that work (part-time or full time) and those that never worked. Analysis of interviews transcript revealed the key factors that influence student perceptions regarding the use of elearning as well as the main advantages and disadvantages as perceived by the students. Such results are valuable and may be used by the University and Faculty management as a real support to design an adequate strategy to enhance the benefits of using virtual learning environments and represents the bases for a new quantitative study regarding students' perceptions of e-learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]