© Kamla-Raj 2014 Anthropologist, 17(3): 895-902 (2014) The Factors that Affect Online Learners’ Satisfaction Ozlem Cakir Ankara University, Faculty of Educational Sciences, Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology E-mail: ocakir@ankara.edu.tr, ozlemcak@yahoo.com KEYWORDS Distance Learners’ Satisfaction. E-learning. Online Instruction. Online Students’ Satisfaction ABSTRACT In distance learning systems, students’ satisfaction is a significant issue in terms of student attendance and not feeling lonely. In this study, the relationship between online students’ satýsfaction and their demographic characteristics were examined. Screening model was used in the study. With this study, whether satisfaction levels of students who are continuing in the program in which various information and midterm examinations were given online significantly differ in terms of age, computer literacy levels, internet accessibility and computer experience intended to be examined. Besides, whether there is a relationship between student achievement levels and satisfaction scores was tested. Within the scope of this study, Online Students’ Satisfaction Scale developed by researcher was used. The scale includes 38 items, it has a three-factor structure (The Structure and the Process of the Program, Interaction with the Instructors, and Interaction with Other Students), and it is a valid and reliable scale that explains 67.95 % of total variance and whose coefficient of internal consistency calculated by Cronbach alpha coefficient was 0.97. As a result of the statistical analysis of student data, which was obtained from an online program, it was found out that while online students’ satisfaction levels did not significantly differ in terms of age, computer literacy levels and internet accessibility, it significantly differs in terms of internet experience. INTRODUCTION Distance education is an educational envi- ronment where the learners who are not physi- cally present and educational materials are put together by means of information technologies. Schlosser and Simonson (2006) defined distance learning as the institutional learning environment where the learning group is separated and inter- active telecommunications systems connect learners, instructors and resources. However, in this study, only online learning aspect of dis- tance education is considered. Universities in Turkey are rapidly opening associate’s degree, complementary undergradu- ate degree, bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and doctoral programs by establishing distance education institutions (Cakir and Oguz 2010). Although these rapidly increasing programs are being opened by the approval of the Council of Higher Education, they differ in terms of their functions. Same program can be opened in more than one university. Since it is not possible for students to be physically present in the same place, each student has the opportunity to en- roll at any university in any part of the country. Therefore, the university that has the more qual- ified education can be distinguished among oth- er universities where the program is opened. The quality level of education is important in order to control the effectiveness of distance education programs and to be able to give better education to the participants. It is possible to collect the quality indications of distance edu- cation under the headings such as efficiency, effectiveness, students’ satisfaction and acces- sibility (Mayadas et al. 2002; Moore and Kears- ley 1996). Students’ satisfaction, which is one of the quality indications, is an important factor in student attendance (Ilgaz 2008; Parlak 2007) and in determining the success of the program (Kaba et al. 2012). While the dictionary definition of satisfac- tion can be stated as “a feeling of happiness or pleasure because you have achieved something or got what you wanted” (Turk 2010a), content- ment means “the state of being happy and satis- fied” (Turk 2010b). Even though it is described as students’ satisfaction in some resources and student contentment in some other resources, the term, students’ satisfaction intended to be used in this study. Contentment can be described as the perception of being happy because the desires and the needs are fulfilled after partici- pating in an activity (Fullerton and Taylor 2002; Swan and Bowers 1998). According to Karatas (2006) and Parlak (2007), when students’ satis- faction is considered, it can be defined as satis- faction and contentment regarding various di- mensions of the service the student gets. Sener and Humbert (2003) define students’ satisfaction as the contentment that learning and teaching activities and facilities cause in students.