Students’ Satisfaction with Fully Online Learning during Emergency Remote Teaching

Abstract

This study examines students' satisfaction with fully online learning during the emergency remote teaching period necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic in Mexican higher education institutions. The sudden transition from face-to-face to online instruction presented unprecedented challenges for educational systems worldwide, with particular complexities in developing country contexts characterized by infrastructure limitations and digital divides. Through a comprehensive mixed-methods investigation involving 1,847 undergraduate students across 15 Mexican universities representing diverse institutional types and geographic regions, this research explores multiple dimensions of student satisfaction including instructional quality, technological infrastructure, interaction and engagement, assessment practices, and overall learning experience. Findings reveal that Mexican students expressed moderate overall satisfaction with emergency remote teaching, with significant variation across different aspects of the online learning experience and substantial differences based on socioeconomic status, prior technology access, academic discipline, and institutional resources. Students identified instructor pedagogical adaptation, reliable internet connectivity, opportunities for interaction, and institutional support services as critical factors influencing satisfaction. However, substantial proportions of students reported challenges including inadequate technology access, limited interaction with peers and instructors, assessment concerns, and difficulties maintaining motivation and engagement. The research contributes to understanding how emergency transitions to online learning affect student experiences in Latin American contexts while offering insights for improving online and hybrid education quality in post-pandemic educational environments.