Technology-Embedded Educational Policy:An Empirical Analysis On The Use Of Virtual Learning As A Mediator To Influence Learner Satisfaction

The tendency to use virtual learning as a tool for learning in higher education is increasing rapidly,both in the developing and the developed countries.In Pakistan,virtual learning has been used in private and public universities.Although virtual learning is booming in both developed and developing countries,the motivation behind its use,relatable challenges still remain a grey area when studies relating to the use of technology in higher education are conducted.This prompted the researcher to examine various aspects of how virtual learning promotes learner satisfaction.Although research on the use of technology to enhance learner satisfaction has received so much attention from scholars,only a few studies have examined the effects and usefulness ofvirtual learning about learner satisfaction.In this study,Technology Adoption Model(TAM)and Task-Technology Fit theory(TTF)have been integrated to explore how virtual learning plays a significant role correctly by testing the mediation effects that virtual learning hason the relationship between peer interaction,perceived usefulness,perceived ease of use,information quality,and learner satisfaction.The research model proposed in this study was validated using data obtained from an online questionnaire of 350 respondents(undergraduate graduate,graduate and Ph.D.learners)from Allama Iqbal Open University and Bahauddin Zakariya University.The Structural Equation Modeling(SEM)technique was used to analyze the datawhereby both Explanatory Factor Analysis(EFA)and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA)were performed on the variables.The findings indicate that all hypotheses have been confirmedby providing significant positive relationships between the variables and more importantly,virtual learning plays a highly significant mediation role in promoting learner satisfaction.It isconcluded that higher learning institutions should incorporate virtual learning methods tomotivate learners in order to encourage satisfaction hence ensuring higher performance.This study contributes to literature and research on the factors that influence student satisfaction with virtual learning.This study,therefore,advocates an incorporation of virtual learning techniques in the higher education curricular,especially in developing countries.This is due to the fact that virtual learning allows access to knowledge and information that would have been inaccessible due to limited resources and budgetary constraints present in developing countries.