Students Perceived Quality of Distance Education Courses as a Correlate of Learner Satisfaction: A Case Study of the Bachelor of Education Arts Program, University of Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Distance education (DE) has in the past few decades evolved into a complex and dynamic instructional approach that is feeding discussions that range from the quality of learning supported by this mode of delivery to the efficacy of the approach. One of the key discussions that has attracted interest and research in this approach of instructional delivery is the construct of quality and quality assurance in Distance education courses. Quality in distance education has largely and often been studied from national and institutional administrative and faculty stand points. Very few studies have analyzed quality in DE from the learners" perspectives. This study analyzed the construct of quality as perceived by the distance learner and the influence of this perception on the students" satisfaction with the DE course. In Particular, the analysis focused on identifying students perceptions of key variables that define the construct of quality from their perspective. A questionnaire, Students Perceived quality in DE questionnaire (SPQQ) constructed by the researcher was used as the key tool of data collection. Descriptive and correlational statistics were the main tools of analysis used. Results of the study clearly indicated that the theory predictor variables (SPQP, SPQI, SPQC, and SPQE ) were all positively correlated with perceived students satisfaction with the DE course. Learners particularly seemed to value fair and clear learning assessment guidelines and periodic students" evaluation of teaching and learning. The study points to the conclusion that institutions must pay attention to factors such as quality of pedagogy, learner support, technological and even physical infrastructure structure as a measure of meeting students" quality expectations. Keyword:Students" perceived quality, perceived students" satisfaction, quality of pedagogy, learner support, technological infrastructure IntroductionDistance education (DE) has in the past few decades evolved into a complex and dynamic instructional approach that is feeding discussions that range from the quality of learning supported by this mode of delivery to the efficacy of the approach to what influences how learning happens in this entity. One of the key discussions that have attracted interest and research in this approach of instructional delivery is the construct of quality and quality assurance in Distance education courses. As a concept, the construct of Quality is relative and evolving. In higher education, quality is a construct relative to the unique perspectives and interpretations of different stakeholder groups -students, alumni, faculty, administrators, parents, oversight boards, employers, state legislatures, local governing bodies, accrediting associations, transfer institutions, and the general public.Quality assurance has been defined as "systematic management and assessment procedures adopted by higher education institutions and systems in order to monitor performance against objectives, and to ensure achievement of quality outputs and qu...

Impact of Service Package Offered on Student Involvement: Case of Distance Education in Sri Lanka

“…Implicit services include how students are treated and the feeling that their best interest is being served. Physical and technological infrastructure such as lecture halls, computer laboratories, Learning Management Systems (LMS) and their usefulness as well as course materials, other recommended and supportive study materials can be considered as supporting facilities and goods (Douglas, Douglas, & Barnes, 2006;Jung, 2012;Mbwesa, 2014). These explicit services, implicit services, and supporting facilities and goods together form core services of the service package offered by DE institutes.…”

“…They encourage students to attend lectures and visit the university frequently (Astin, 1984;Sam et al, 2013). The student interface of the LMS, its user friendliness, and continuous functioning of it without failure is of paramount importance (Jung, 2012;Mbwesa, 2014). Accordingly, previous findings indicate that if the components of the core services are better they make the service more appealing for students and encourage them to put more time and effort into academic activities.…”

Student Experience, Satisfaction and Commitment in Blended Learning: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

“…The questionnaire was designed to measure the four dimensions of experience (social-behavioural, cognitive-affective, sensory and formative), satisfaction and commitment to learning in a BL environment. To measure social-behavioural, cognitive-affective and sensory experience dimensions, the items proposed by Brakus et al [24] were adapted, while for the formative experience, items from Mbwesa [37] and Parasuraman et al [38] were adapted. Satisfaction was measured using the items developed by Chen and Chau [7], and normative and affective commitment by adapting items from Meyer, Allen and Smith [39] and Fernandez-Lores et al [40], respectively.…”

Analysis on the Actions of a Continuous Distance Training Session for Teachers and its Impact on Their Actual Practices

“…─ The low supervision rate had influenced communication and interaction between teachers and teacher-trainers; Teacher-student or student-teacher interactions are essential for motivating learners and strengthening students' understanding of the material presented to them [58]. ─ The training schedule was not suitable for the availability of the teachers-trainers.…”