Student’s Priorities When Selecting Web Conferencing Tools in Sri Lankan Tertiary Education

Abstract

A properly selected web conferencing tool can significantly enhance student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes in online education. Hence, this study aims to produce a framework ordering the key features and associated sub-factors of web conferencing tools that Sri Lankan tertiary sector students prioritize for their online learning experience. A quantitative research method is deployed to get the student’s opinions on the factors discovered in a previous study on “Expert opinion on selecting a web conferencing tool for synchronous online tertiary education in Sri Lanka”. The research hypothesis was tested using the Pearson Chi-square test, followed by exploratory and second-order factor analysis to rank the importance of sub-factors and main characteristics. The findings revealed that students prioritize collaboration features the most, followed by online event features, pricing, user-friendliness, customer support, security, online evaluation, performance, and screen-sharing. This framework offers valuable insights for Sri Lankan tertiary institutions to select web conferencing tools that truly align with student preferences. By incorporating these student-centric considerations, institutions can optimize the online learning experience, leading to improved engagement, learning outcomes, and ultimately, greater student satisfaction.