Abstract:

Introduction:
During the COVID pandemic, education has been challenged to come up with multiple virtual tools in a short period of time without knowing or understanding how the wide range of virtual options available for students is perceived by them. The objective of this study was to describe student perception of current university platforms and apps and their satisfaction with communication at the Erasmus School of Law at Erasmus University Rotterdam, in The Netherlands.

Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 110 students from 2nd and 3rd year who answered an online survey via Qualtrics. Student satisfaction with faculty communication was measured using a 7-item Likert scale with a maximum of 5 points per question (from 1: very dissatisfied to 5: very satisfied). The internal consistency of the scale was measured using Cronbach’s alpha. The average Likert scale score difference by education year was analyzed using a t-test for two independent samples. The use of virtual tools and device preference were reported using graphs. The main student perceptions about university online tools were summarized using word clouds.

Results:
The average and standard deviation of student satisfaction with faculty communication was 22,2 ± 4,5 points (on a scale of a maximum 35 points). The two items with the lowest score were the centralization and the speed and ease to find faculty related information (both 2,6 ± 1,0 points on a scale of a maximum 5 points). There was no significant difference in the total average Likert score between 2nd and 3rd year students (p=0,474) nor in any of the items of the scale. The reliability of the scale used was high (Cronbach’s Alpha= 0,826). Among the unsatisfied students with communication (39%) the most important cause was that the current virtual information was scattered (20%) and overwhelming (11%). The most preferred device to read faculty related information was the smartphone (51%) followed by the laptop (42%). The most used platforms at university were not the most liked ones. The main reasons to like a platform/app were that they were uncluttered (38%), comprehensive (25%) and clear (23%). Many students asked, unprompted, for centralization of information (30%).

Conclusion:
Student opinion of their satisfaction with faculty communication was divided. The two main problems identified were the lack of centralization and the speed and ease to find faculty related information. Currently, online information is scattered and overwhelming. The students requested more centralization of the information that is available in multiple online platforms. The results of this study support the initiative to implement a mobile app that centralizes student information.

Keywords:

Communication, university students, virtual tools, online platforms, remote learning.