Factors affecting nursing and health technician students' satisfaction with distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco: a descriptive study

Purpose: Distance learning describes any learning based on the use of new multimedia technologies and the internet to allow students to acquire new knowledge and skills at a distance. This study aimed to determine satisfaction levels with distance learning and associated factors among nursing and health technician students during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Morocco.

Methods: An descriptive study was conducted between April and June 2022 among nursing and health technician students using a self-administered instrument. The student satisfaction questionnaire consists of 24 questions categorized into 6 subscales: instructor, technology, course setup, interaction, outcomes, and overall satisfaction. It was based on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with student satisfaction during distance learning.

Results: A total of 330 students participated in this study, and 176 students (53.3%) were satisfied with the distance learning activities. A mean score higher than 2.8 out of 5 was obtained for all subscales. Multiple regression analysis showed that students’ year of study (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28–4.27) and internet quality (aOR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.29–0.77) were the significant factors associated with students’ satisfaction during distance learning.

Conclusion: This study highlights the satisfaction level of students and factors that influenced it during distance learning. A thorough understanding of student satisfaction with digital environments will contribute to the successful implementation of distance learning devices in nursing.