Quality of learning experience, student satisfaction and perceived overall experience in the COVID-19 context

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Venugopal Prabhakar Gantasala ◽  
Swapna Bhargavi Gantasala ◽  
Tareq Na'el Al Tawil ◽  
Prerana Prasad

PurposeThe intention for this study was to explore any relationship that might exist between quality of learning experience (QLE), the second construct student satisfaction (SS) and the third construct perceived overall experience (POE) among undergraduate students within the higher education context. This study also attempts to explain the path direction between QLE, SS and POE.Design/methodology/approachThe researchers utilized structural equation modeling to analyze the variables considered for this study – QLE, SS and POE and for hypotheses testing. Respondents for this study were medical students' coordinators of the undergraduate level of medical colleges in the 28 states of India. Data collected for the study were possible by utilizing a questionnaire that was emailed to these student coordinators. The emailing effort returned 198 (n) filled questionnaires (complete) representing 198 institutions offering undergraduate-level medical programs out of a total of 542 institutions that offer undergraduate medical programs.FindingsFindings from this study confirm the relationship between QLE with SS, and PLE. Interestingly, the findings established a significant relationship between SS and POE.Practical implicationsDecision-makers and administrators of higher education institutions (HEIs) can utilize the findings from this study to focus on strengthening important elements of QLE in ways that positively impact SS and POE of students taking online courses and program offerings. The study reiterates the importance of course content, course structure, lecture-delivery quality, instructor mentoring and student-instructor interactions on SS and POE. The role of SS in reinforcing confirmation, perceived usefulness, perceived openness of the online courses and the perceived reputation was established. This relationship is key to administrators while they focus on improving SS and building on the institutions' reputation in addition to their efforts to support marketing and enrollments during the pandemic.Originality/valueResearchers in the past have examined the relationships between QLE and another construct of this study – SS. Past research has also examined the relationship between QLE and POE. However, there is not enough research exploring the relationship between SS and POE. This study establishes the relationship between SS and POE that benefits decision-makers in higher education.

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 209-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrian Heng Tsai Tan ◽  
Birgit Muskat ◽  
Anita Zehrer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify and synthesize major streams of research on quality of student experience in higher education, to present an agenda for future research. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a systematic review of research published in high-quality journals during the period 2000 to 2014 in the areas of quality of student experience and higher education. Findings Findings highlight current research trends on the quality of student experience in higher education. Results show five prevailing research streams: exploration of learning experience; exploration of student experience; gender differences in assessment of higher education experience; improvement in quality of student experience; and student satisfaction with higher education experience. Research Limitations/implications The identification of the five research streams provides the basis for a synthesis of key issues identified within each research stream. In addition, the identification of purposes and limitations in existing research supports attempts to address issues of the quality of student experiences in higher education. Practical Implications Literature currently portrays the quality of student experience as a student-centric idea. Together with the purposes and limitations identified in existing research, the paper proposes an agenda for future research that increases the variety of research streams to provide a deeper understanding of the student experience and to enhance the delivery of quality in higher education. Originality/value The findings contribute to the research scene by providing important insights in terms of the current trends and focus of existing research in the area of quality of student experiences in higher education.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1197-1215
Author(s):  
Anwar Khamis Alsheyadi ◽  
Jawaher Albalushi

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to examine the interaction of tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy dimensions of the service quality (SERVQUAL) and student satisfaction (SS), and second, to explore the mediating role of cross-functional collaboration (CFC) on these relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe structural equation modelling was used to examine the direct and mediated effect models using data collected through a survey of 352 students from 18 higher education institutes (HEIs) in Oman.FindingsThe statistical analysis confirms our main hypotheses. First, the centrality of tangibles, reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy dimensions of the service quality was established in the direct effect model, while the importance of tangibles and responsiveness was not confirmed in the mediated effect model. Second, it approved the partial mediation effect of CFC on the five dimensions of SERVQUAL and satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsService quality, level of CFC and relative SS in higher education could be subjected to contextual verification and evaluation of these internal and external contextual factors should be considered.Practical implicationsSeveral implications are highlighted for the effective development of the service quality of student affairs departments (SADs), the development of CFC for effective management, development and deployment of various student affairs initiatives.Originality/valueThis paper satisfies the need to validate the SERVQUAL model in different contexts such as SADs, and the need to investigate the possible mediating effect of other factors on SERVQUAL dimensions and satisfaction to show how the latter can be achieved.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sri Astuti ◽  
Diki Rukmana

Purpose The covid-19 pandemic that hit the world has caused several changes in the higher education service sector, including the implementation of the undergraduate thesis examination, where direct interaction between students and examiners is avoided and replacing it with an online bachelor thesis exam. This study aims to develop a conceptual model regarding the variables that can affect student satisfaction with the quality of the implementation of online undergraduate thesis examinations in higher education. Design/methodology/approach The research instrument consisted of 22 survey questions distributed to 583 students taking the thesis trial examination in the even semester of 2019/2020 who came from 12 different study programs. Factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) were conducted to analyze the validity of the instrument and test the hypothesis. The results of the analysis show that the 22 instrument items used have been determined by sufficient variables to check the structure of each. Findings SEM analysis results show that the three hypothesized variables (study program service, examiner performance and quality of video conference applications) positively and significantly affect the level of student satisfaction with the online undergraduate thesis examination 0.187, 0.177 and 0.177, respectively. The total effect of these three factors is 0.737. Research limitations/implications This finding is a reference for those who want to improve the quality of the online undergraduate thesis examination in higher education. Originality/value As the online thesis examination was implemented in higher education in Indonesia as a result of the implementation of the study and work at home policy by the Indonesian Ministry of Education, it is important to conduct research on the implementation of online thesis exams in Indonesia, especially to study the conceptual model of variables affect student satisfaction with the implementation of the online thesis exam. Because even though the implementation of online thesis exams on a large scale is new to some higher education in Indonesia.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inga Lapina ◽  
Renāte Roga ◽  
Peeter Müürsepp

Purpose Higher education institutions (HEIs) are becoming more aware of the effects of globalization and of the fact that the need for international work experience, as well as partially or fully acquired education abroad, is increasing. The aim of the research is to analyze factors influencing international students’ decision regarding the country and HEIs and to evaluate students’ learning experience and satisfaction with their choice to develop suggestions for the improvement of different dimensions related to the quality and export of higher education. Design/methodology/approach Several research methods, such as literature review, logical and comparative analysis, as well as the empirical method to obtain information by conducting a survey, and the induction method to interpret and generalize the survey results are applied in this research. To discover learning experiences and determinants of students’ choice of the host country and HEI, research was carried out, under which two questionnaires were developed. The survey involved foreign students from seven HEIs in Latvia and one Estonian university. Findings The environment in which HEIs operate is becoming more open to the increasing international influence and competition and leads to increasing opportunities for international studies and choice available to students. The quality of the academic staff and study programmes are the most important factors in creating value for the student. As a result of the research, suggestions for higher education quality improvement and export development have been structured within economics, culture and quality dimensions into three levels – individual, institutional and state. Research limitations/implications The study does not analyze the foreign students’ countries of origin in terms of political, economic situations or other factors. Upon researching the proportion of foreign students in Latvian HEIs, it was found that most students acquire education in Riga; therefore, regional HEIs have not been included in the survey. Originality/value The results obtained can be used to improve the quality of higher education and encourage the export of higher education by introducing the necessary changes in the areas identified during the research at the state as well as HEI level. The authors also provide an insight into the areas where implementation of changes is necessary to improve the international students’ level of satisfaction and their learning experience.


Author(s):  
Cengiz Hakan Aydin ◽  
Buket Kip Kayabaş

Since cultural characteristics of the learners is among the factors that affect the quality of learning experiences, designing the online learning environment sensitive to the cultural characteristics of learners is a must for ensuring an effective and engaging learning experience. The MOOCs movement has helped administrators, designers, educators, learners and all the other stakeholders re-consider our current instructional, assessment and administrative processes, especially in higher education. The goal of this manuscript has three folds: first, it briefs development of the philosophy of openness in higher education globally; then, based-on available literature it draws a picture about the effects of culture on open and distance learning; later, the manuscript provides an insight about the general cultural characteristics of Turkish society and the learning culture shaped by the past and present implementations; finally, it lists a number of recommendations for those who are designing MOOCs for Turkish audience.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 221-226
Author(s):  
Lorraine A. Jacques

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to share a discussion with Dr Barry Fishman, University of Michigan, concerning how to use technology to improve the learning experience of students in higher education. Design/methodology/approach This article summarizes an interview with Dr Fishman conducted in December 2015. Findings Massive open online courses, personalized learning and changes in how we assess student learning are all opportunities that Fishman believes can improve both student outcomes and intrinsic motivation. Originality/value Changes in technology can enable researchers and educators easier access to implementing various learning environments.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Farrukh ◽  
Muhammad Sajid ◽  
Aneeqa Zreen ◽  
Rimsha Khalid

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between individual characteristics and knowledge sharing (KS) in higher education institutes (HEIs) of Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach The study used a quantitative research methodology. The empirical data consisted of 370 responses from the academic staff of six HEIs of Pakistan. Findings The findings revealed a significant impact of dispositional factors on KS. More precisely, extroversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, emotional intelligence and religiosity were positively associated with KS, while neuroticism was found to be negatively associated with KS. Practical implications This micro-level model of KS has some potential implications for the decision makers in the context of HEIs. To enhance the KS in HEIs, the decision makers should take the findings of this study into consideration while hiring the academicians in the universities. The decision makers should give priority to the potential candidates who have a higher level of extroversion, openness and agreeableness. Further, while making hiring and other job-related strategies, religiosity and emotional intelligence of the potential candidates should not be ignored. Originality/value The paper tested a micro-level model of KS in HEIs and contributed to the body of knowledge by jointly investigating the relationship between religiosity, emotional intelligence, personality traits and KS. To the best of researchers’ knowledge, no study has been conducted, so far, which tested these variables jointly. Thus, the present research filled this knowledge gap.


2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Malik ◽  
Akash ◽  
Vyom Raisurana

The purpose of this study is to examine satisfaction of students from academics while pursuing higher education in the field of business in India, focusing on a variety of service quality factors such as, teaching methodology, delivery and assessment, quality of study material, understandability etc. Study relies on finding the relationship between service quality variables and student satisfaction at an academic institution. The motive behind conducting this research is to analyze, how academics play a crucial role in affecting satisfaction level of students, catering students in Noida region.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 394-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Domingos Fernandes Campos ◽  
Guido Salvi dos Santos ◽  
Felipe Nalon Castro

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine, through a longitudinal study, undergraduate student perceptions of service expectations, priorities and quality of the higher education institution that they attend, using an importance–performance rating matrix. Design/methodology/approach This research was carried out with students exposed to a new type of educational program that combines face-to-face encounters with distance learning experiences. Respondents belong to five graduate courses in management. Data collection was performed at five different time points, targeting all attending students as they continued their studies. Findings The findings showed that the students’ expectations of the set of factor-defined dimensions and attributes studied increased notably over time. Senior students tended to be more demanding than beginning students. Aside from the comfort levels of the classroom, the attributes rated as most important by the majority of students were directly linked to the professors, whether with respect to their practical experience, teaching methods, motivation or training received. This was the case at each stage of data collection. Practical implications The importance × performance gaps matrix offers managers at higher education institutions with information to support decisions, especially with regard to setting priorities. The information obtained enables managers to align actions with emerging areas of need, and effectively direct resources to ensure student satisfaction, retention and loyalty. Using importance ratings taken at different stages of student interaction with the institution was found to be useful at the institution investigated. Institutions could attract new student customers by meeting expectations with such trend data. Originality/value The current research captured students’ changes in expectations of their undergraduate coursework that combined classroom and distance learning approaches. In addition, the study documented variations over time in students’ perceptions on key service areas. The paper provides data on student-perceived priorities, quality gaps and criticality levels, seen both at a level of aggregate dimensions and at the level of individual service attributes.


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