B-learning solutions in higher education: Students' perceptions about an online environment

This study aimed at assessing the students' perceptions about the online learning environment in two b-learning courses in a Portuguese private University. An learning environment, supported on two communication platforms - Moodle for asynchronous interaction and Cisco WebEx for synchronous interaction - was developed for two Information Systems first cycle classes; the institution had no previous experience of eLearning solutions and the course was based on student centred methodologies. A research on the critical factors of a b-learning solution was carried out through a survey. The results indicate that the students have positive perceptions about the online learning environment. There was a strong correlation between the variables related to the learning environment and feedback, interaction, time management and readiness for online learning. A preponderant majority of students (83.3%) indicated that, in the future, they would be willing to opt for a b-learning instructional solution. The research will develop by using a larger students' sample and by surveying the faculty perceptions on the development of eLearning methodologies, in order to provide the most suitable learning methodologies to the institution's development.