E-learning in public and private universities: the perspective of business students

Abstract

Regulations for carrying out the activities of e-learning in higher education introduced by the legislation indicate the growing role of this type courses in the teaching process. It seems, however, that private universities express a much more positive approach to the implementation of solutions for e-learning. The aim of this study is to compare the opinion of students of public and private universities on the advantages and disadvantages of e-learning and to determine the prevalence of the use of such solutions. This intention was carried out by a questionnaire survey conducted among students of economics at selected universities from the area of Upper Silesia. The achieved results of the study point to the fact that in the non-public universities surveyed students have much more frequent contact with the e-learning solutions in teaching than in public universities. The main advantages and disadvantages of e-learning are determined by the students of both groups in the same way, however, in the case of disadvantages further indications reveal differences between the two groups. On the basis of these responses it can be said that the students of private universities were guided by their practical experiences with participation in such activities. These indications reveal at the same time also the problem of the implementation of the legal provisions governing the institution to carry out e-learning courses. The study was exploratory, and indicated results can only be referred to the group of surveyed respondents. These results may, however, be a source of inspiration to undertake comparative studies on the determinants of the development, implementation and execution of e-learning at public and private universities