ArticlePloS one2026
Exploring synchronous, asynchronous, and conventional online courses in higher education.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Online learning has expanded substantially in recent years, yet comparatively little is known about how different online modalities influence learners' perceptions and their intention to continue learning. This study compared three predominant online learning modalities-synchronous (Syn), asynchronous (Asyn), and conventional online courses (COC)-using an extended Information Systems Success Model (ISSM) integrating system quality (SQ), information quality (IQ), teaching presence (TP), self-efficacy (SE), perceived usefulness (PU), learning satisfaction (LS), and continuance intention (CI). The study addressed two questions: (1) how the latent means of ISSM constructs differ across Syn, Asyn, and COC, and (2) whether the structural paths among these variables differ across modalities. Survey data from 795 undergraduate students in South Korea were analyzed using latent mean analysis and multi-group structural equation modelling. Results showed that COC consistently demonstrated higher latent mean values than Syn and Asyn, underscoring the benefit of systematically designed courses. Multi-group analysis further revealed significant modality-specific variations, with relationships such as IQ → LS and PU → CI being strongest in the COC model. Overall, the findings indicate that Syn, Asyn, and COC engage ISSM mechanisms in distinct ways, highlighting the importance of modality-sensitive instructional and system design. These insights provide evidence-based guidance for enhancing the quality, satisfaction, and sustainability of online learning environments.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.