Learner innovativeness, course interaction, and the use of a new educational technology system after the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing policies, higher education has adopted a new online learning system (e.g., viewing recorded lectures at one's own pace or participating in online streaming courses) as a necessary education service. Although many universities have switched to face-to-face courses in light of the reduced spread of the coronavirus, the new system could be a meaningful complement to the traditional learning method. This study focuses on identifying factors that influence students' utilization of new lecture systems in universities. This research considered undergraduates majoring in management and other fields in South Korea through structural questionnaires. It analyzes the data using the partial least squares methodology of structural equation analysis. The results show that learners' innovativeness could increase their willingness to use the system, and the learning interaction in a course could improve students' learning satisfaction. Furthermore, the innovativeness could lead to a positive relationship between learning satisfaction, intention to use, and the system's potential impact. These findings suggest that instructors and universities need to offer new opportunities to promote students' willingness and motivation, as well as their preparation for online courses and learning interactions.

Workability and Life Satisfaction: Effects of Workers' Positive Perceptions on Their Return to Jobs.

Background: The death rate of workers due to industrial accidents in South Korea (3.61 persons in 2017) is higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average (2.43) and the fifth highest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries. Although the pandemic of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed, the socioeconomic aspects of Korean society, the number of Koreans suffering accidents and the number of deaths in 2020 have increased. It is necessary to take measures to prevent accidents and make comprehensive efforts to return to work. This study proposes research questions about the effect of workers' positive perception on whether to work after accidents and the impact of the experience of rehabilitation services on the return to work. Methods: This research performed a panel logistic regression analysis using data on workers' compensation insurance in Korea for two years (2018-2019). Results: This research finds that workers' positive perceptions of workability and life satisfaction contributed affirmatively to their re-employment. Several factors related to employment (e.g., work period, the number of job qualifications) also positively affect their return to work. However, the experience of rehabilitation services did not have a significant effect on re-employment. The variables of their health conditions (e.g., disability grade, feelings of health problems, age) negatively influenced their return to jobs. Conclusion: These results suggest the importance of workers' mental recovery and the need to innovate rehabilitation services for their employment. Positive thinking and self-rehabilitation could be critical for workers, parallel with social welfare policies.

Interaction and online courses for satisfactory university learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

The global COVID-19 pandemic that commenced in 2019 and the resulting prolonged social distancing have converted numerous universities' offline courses to online ones. In South Korea, which is facing a low birth rate and a decrease in school-age population, university students of Generation Z have actioned lawsuits to pursue tuition refunds and have raised the issue of the low quality of university courses through social media. This research establishes research problems of the relationship between student satisfaction with online courses and influencing factors and the relationship between their satisfaction and continual use of the course system. This research obtained a sample of 123 undergraduate students majoring in management. This study implemented questionnaire with the sample and utilized the analysis of generalized structural equation modelling (GSEM). The study found that students' feelings about instructors' useful interaction (feedback) with them and their preference for online courses positively affected their satisfaction with those courses. Satisfaction also exerted a positive effect on their course recommendation to others. The implications of this finding are that instructors and universities need to enhance course quality and the students’ satisfaction level with online courses in a highly competitive where private educational services (e.g., massive open online courses [MOOC], Youtube) are offered and the number of new students is decreasing.