This study aims to identify the factors affecting students’ satisfaction with online learning, examine the relationship between satisfaction and continuance usage intention, and explore the direct and moderating role of self-quarantine during a pandemic situation. The research model has been developed based on three theories, namely, Expectation Confirmation Theory, Diffusion of Innovation Theory, and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. Through an online survey, data were collected from 1193 university students from Oman, Iran, Bangladesh, Romania, and Malaysia and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling technique with SmartPLS V.3 software. Results indicated that factors affecting student’s satisfaction with an online learning vary in each sample. In all samples, satisfaction significantly influences students’ continuance usage intention with the online learning. In some samples, self-quarantine has a direct effect on continuance usage intention and plays a moderating role in Romania sample. The findings contribute to the universities and instructors how online systems factors elevate students’ continuance usage intention. The uniqueness of this study is the integration of three theories to obtain research objectives. The details of the results and both theoretical and practical implications have been described in the paper.

After the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020, almost all European countries entered a lockdown. This context caused sudden changes at multiple levels, affecting the way people were working, buying, studying and even the way they were interacting. Moreover, during lockdown people showed a special attention to local and sustainable brands giving momentum to the interest on sustainability, that has been increasing in the last years. Therefore, this study aims to determine the intention of buying sustainable and local brands due to the COVID-19 lockdown. An online survey was conducted for two groups of young adults from Spain and Romania, between April and June 2020. The questionnaire respects the methodological recommendations of Azjen (1985) and related literature on how to construct a survey based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and it aims to gather information about the three main constructs that determine the individual’s behavioral intention: attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control. The results suggest that both Spanish and Romanian samples intended to buy more local and sustainable brands, despite the slightly different attitudes. Moreover, the data show that both subjective norms and perceived behavioral control influence attitudes toward sustainable and local brands, and hence, indirectly the intention to buy sustainable products. The outcomes are adding to the literature on sustainability, and understanding the effects of COVID-19 on consumer behavior. Additionally, the results can help better understand the importance of sustainability in Spain and Romania, and therefore, offering support to practitioners in building policies and programs that encourage a sustainable lifestyle.

Without a doubt, we are living in interesting times, characterized by both continuous economic development and improved standard of living, but also uncertainty, increased pollution, and environmental degradation, which means that, now, more than ever, global and consistent action is needed in order to create a more sustainable future. In this context, education in general and higher education in particular, face both, a significant challenge and a substantial role due to their formative function both in terms of mindset and practical tools. The main objective of our research was to explore the way technical universities in Romania have integrated into their curricula courses that aim at shaping sustainability competencies in engineering students. The study was carried out based on an exploratory empirical content analysis of the technical universities’ curricula, in order to identify the courses, including sustainable development (SD)-related topics. The analysis covered 255 bachelor programs and 394 master programs with a total of 25,920 courses, both mandatory and optional. The results revealed that there are differences in approaching sustainability education between the universities and also faculties within the universities included in the sample, revealing a rather siloed approach.

Background: Engineering education is constantly evolving and adapting to meet the demand for diverse skills and competencies in graduates, in response to the changing global economy and technological advancements. This requires shifting from a traditional content-oriented and professor-focused approach towards a more interactive, student-centered approach in which students actively engage in all process stages. The study’s main objective was to examine the students’ perceptions of peer teaching and better understand the method’s perceived advantages and disadvantages. The research was conducted over two academic years (2021 and 2022) and involved 96 students. The research incorporated quantitative and qualitative data collected through online questionnaires completed by the students at the end of the semester. The results showed a cumulative positive response rate for all close-ended questions of over 60%. The correlation analysis revealed medium positive relationships among the variables, including self-confidence, academic performance, communication and active listening, teamwork, knowledge consolidation, student-teacher benefits, and teaching activity. The thematic analysis of the open-ended questions showed that 87% of the respondents perceived the peer-teaching experience as positive and valuable. The main advantages listed by students were better communication, practicality, increased attention and interaction, and overcoming student-teacher anxiety. The main disadvantage was the perceived lack of structure and experience in coordinating laboratory work. The study results indicate that peer-based instructional methods can lead to more effective dissemination of knowledge among students, as evidenced by the high percentage of respondents who reported improved comprehension through peer-to-peer explanations. At the same time, the efficacy of this approach is contingent upon the instructor’s preparation and support, which facilitates the learning process and enhances the classroom’s social dynamics.

MATEC Web of Conferences, open access proceedings in Materials science, Engineering and Chemistry

The current business environment is characterized by increased competition and highly innovative approach, in order to create products and services to better respond to the costumers' needs and expectations. In this specific context, the research approaches need to be more flexible and business oriented and so, throughout the paper we have used a research method that combines design research and action research, named Action Design Research which is a research method used for generating prescriptive design knowledge through building and evaluating IT artifacts in an organizational setting [1]. Following the Action Design Research stages and principles: problem identification, building, intervention and evaluation, reflection and learning and formalization of learning, the research team has developed an online instrument used to actively involve the consumer in the product development process, in order to generate a better consumers insight regarding their needs and desires and to design and/or adjust the product accordingly. The customer engagement IT tool created and tested by using Action Design Research, E-PICUS, has been developed within the framework of the research project "E-solutions for innovation through customer pro-active involvement in value creation to increase organisational competitiveness (E-PICUS)", PN- II-PT-PCCA-2013-4-1811, currently undergoing.