Unveiling the nexus between quality and student engagement in web-based collaborative learning systems

This study aims to address this research gap by thoroughly examining the intricate associations between the quality dimensions of web-based collaborative learning systems and student satisfaction toward continued usage of the system. We propose a theoretical model that integrates instructor quality, collaboration quality, and task technology fit into an information system model. Using a cross-sectional research design, data were collected from 575 Chinese university students and evaluated using partial least squares-structural equation modeling. The results showed that the system and service quality of web-based collaborative learning systems significantly influenced student satisfaction, whereas information, collaboration, and instructor quality had no significant impact. The task-technology fit of the web-based collaborative learning systems also influenced student satisfaction with continued usage of the system. Additionally, students’ satisfaction with the web-based collaborative learning systems stimulated their continued use of the system. The study also validated the mediating effect of student satisfaction on the relationship between the quality dimensions of the web-based collaborative learning systems and continued usage of the system. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of three distinct variables—collaboration quality, instructor quality, and task-technology fit—into an established information system model. The findings of this study can aid policymakers and practitioners in higher education in planning, assessing, and implementing web-based collaborative learning systems to acquire more comprehensive insight into student satisfaction with the sustained use of web-based collaborative learning systems.