Determinants of students’ satisfaction with distance education programs at Ho Chi Minh City Open University

This study was implemented to identify factors affecting students’ satisfaction with the distance learning programs offered by Ho Chi Minh City Open University. A system of econometric equations was simultaneously regressed by SUR procedure in SAS program with dependent variables representing three components of students’ satisfaction with instructors, their satisfaction with curriculums and their satisfaction with program administration. Data for the regression were collected from a survey in two years 2009 and 2010 with structured questionnaires responded by 361 students following distance learning programs in five majors: Business Administration, Economics, Finance, Sociology and Construction. The regression results confirmed that there existed positive interrelationship among students’ satisfaction with the three components. A diagram was constructed to exhibit magnitude of the interrelationship as well as determinants of students’ satisfaction with each component. Besides the interrelationship, the satisfaction for instructors was significantly determined by other factors such as age, marital status, communication (directly or indirectly) with instructors. Whilst, other factors affecting students’ satisfaction with distance learning curriculums include the frequency of students’ Internet use and their income.