Analysing users’ satisfaction with e‐learning using a negative critical incidents approach

One critical success factor for e‐learning is learners’ satisfaction with it. This is affected by both positive and negative experiences in a learning process. This paper examines the impact of such critical incidents on learners’ satisfaction in e‐learning. In particular, frequent occurrence of negative critical incidents has significant potential of negatively affecting satisfaction. The focus of this paper is on assessing satisfaction with e‐learning from a ‘negative critical incidents’ perspective. The paper describes a satisfaction assessment model, called SAFE. The results of an empirical study at the National Sun Yat‐sen Cyber‐University are used to evaluate and validate the SAFE model. Based on the results, the critical incidents that affect e‐learning satisfaction are classified into four categories: administration, functionality, instruction and interaction. Of these, interaction and instruction are found to be the most important factors.