Learning environments at higher education institutions: Relationships with academic aspirations and satisfaction

This study investigated university students?? perceptions of their institutions?? learning environments, and related those perceptions to students?? academic aspirations and satisfaction with their universities. A sample of 12,423 juniors at 42 universities in Taiwan was used to confirm the validity and reliability of the instrument: CUEI-S. The study revealed diversity of students?? perceptions among specific aspects of the learning environment. Students responded more positively for student cohesion, library resources and administrative support, but less positively for student-faculty relations, student services, enhancement of their language abilities and emotional development. The majority of students had low academic aspirations but felt satisfied with their universities. The learning environment on campus was shown to play an important role both in students?? academic aspirations and in their general satisfaction, whether the individual student or the university was used as the unit of analysis. The relationship between faculty and students is the aspect that was most strongly associated with students?? academic aspirations. On the other hand, both adequate library resources and university support for student services were the key correlates of students?? general satisfaction at the individual student level. By identifying important relationships among variables, this study suggests initiatives for improving the learning environment at higher education institutions.     

Can we meet their expectations? Experiences and perceptions of feedback in first year undergraduate students

Student ratings of satisfaction with feedback are consistently lower than other teaching and learning elements within the UK higher education sector. However, reasons for this dissatisfaction are often unclear to teaching staff, who believe their students are receiving timely, extensive and informative feedback. This study explores possible explanations for this mismatch between staff and students’ perceptions of feedback quality. One hundred and sixty-six first year undergraduate students completed a questionnaire detailing their experiences of feedback on coursework before and throughout their first year at university. Results indicate that whilst procedural elements of feedback (timeliness and legibility) are considered satisfactory, past experiences (pre-university) may influence student expectations of feedback. Some students had a severe, negative emotional response to the feedback provided and few students engaged in self-help (independent learning) behaviours to improve their performance following feedback. We consider how changes in feedback practices could improve students’ use of, and satisfaction with, their feedback.     

Student satisfaction,teacher internships,and the case for a critical approach to international education

In recent times distinctions between the economic and political imperatives of international education and its cultural and educational aspects have become conveniently aligned. This alignment is troubling because it allows the pursuit of profit to fit neatly and without apparent controversy into the pursuit of more lofty political cultural and educational goals. Measures of student satisfaction with international education do little to challenge this comfortable affiliation. Indeed, they appear to reinforce the view that international education as currently pursued is travelling well and yielding maximum profits and benefits for all. The discussion in this article is based on the results of a pilot study that examined international student satisfaction with a teacher education internship program in Australia. Our findings showed that students were satisfied with their international education experience and that the internship/work integrated learning experience enhanced their satisfaction. Importantly however, our pre-departure study showed that students expected study abroad to make a difference to their lives even before they left home. The study led us to consider the meaning of student satisfaction and whether assessments of satisfaction might simply confirm what students already expect. If this is the case, it is not altogether clear what student satisfaction with international education means or measures.     

Universal and Specific Services for University Students with Specific Learning Disabilities: The Relation to Study Approach,Academic Achievement,and Satisfaction

In recent years, an increasing number of students with specific learning disabilities (SLDs) have enrolled in universities. The present exploratory study examined the frequency of use and appreciation of universal (open to every student) and specific services (offered to students with SLDs) and their relation to age, academic achievement, satisfaction, self-efficacy, and use of self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies. Participants were 147 Italian university students with SLD diagnoses (42 males; mean age: 22.49, SD = 3.29). Results showed that, overall, the frequency of use and appreciation of specific services were positively related to academic satisfaction, self-efficacy, and SRL strategies. Furthermore, frequency of use of compensatory tools and dispensatory measures was positively associated with academic achievement. These findings suggest that universities play an important role in supporting students with SLDs during their academic years by providing them with useful services and accommodations.     

大学生满意度调查:现状、国际经验及发展策略

大学生满意度是大学生对大学学习、生活等经历的一种总体心理感受与看法。现阶段开展大学生满意度调查是高校改善学校和学生关系、促进学校自身发展的重要举措之一。文章系统梳理我国大学生满意度调查的开展现状,并借鉴一些发达国家开展大学生满意度调查的成功经验,提出了今后进一步推进我国大学生满意度调查的发展策略。     

Competency Assessment Tool (CAT). The evaluation of an innovative competency-based assessment experience in higher education

This article examines an innovation in teaching-learning and assessment processes through the use of a platform called the Competency Assessment Tool (CAT). It allows for the tracking of student blogs with the objective of improving self-reflective processes and providing feedback. The experiment was carried out in six universities in Catalonia, Spain, and involved seven different subjects. The CAT platform and its features related to the acquisition of competencies are presented, as are users’ opinions on the metacognitive and feedback processes provided by the tool. The methods used were questionnaires received by students and teachers. Results show a high level of satisfaction for all those involved and emphasise that student participation in the assessment process increases their awareness of the teaching-learning process through self-regulation procedures. The most significant result is related to the use of electronic tools as an appraisal instrument and their enhancement of competency-based assessment.     

Segmenting student markets with a student satisfaction and priorities survey

A market segmentation analysis was conducted on students at a large midwestern urban university using two forms of hierarchical cluster analysis on student characteristics: an agglomerative procedure using a matching-type association measure and a divisive chi-square-based automatic interaction detection (CHAID). The resulting segments were compared for their ability to distinguish among students according to six satisfaction scales and measures of students' priorities for college study derived from a general satisfaction survey. As expected, the CHAID clusters discriminated better among students according to their several measures of satisfaction, one of which was the criterion variable for the analysis. However, both procedures produced differences across only two of six satisfaction scales. The matching-type measure clusters resulted in significant differences on 11 of 18 college study priority items compared to only 6 of 18 for the CHAID clusters. Final discussion describes the usefulness of market segmentation strategies for planning, evaluating, and improving academic and student support programs.Presented al the Thirty-Fourth Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research, New Orleans, LA, May 29–June 1, 1994.     

Science achievement and attitudes at primary and secondary interface

Conclusion The results in this study provide some evidence indicating that there are no major problems confronting students in transition in the schools sampled so far as science is concerned. The majority of students enjoy science at both levels, and, contrary to popular belief, there is no sharp drop off in student attitude as the year wears on. The maintenance of student satisfaction and positive attitudes seem to be related to the nature of the curriculum materials used and the quality of the interpersonal relationship between teacher and pupils. It would appear that in the open-area high schools involved in this study, the materials used (largely A.S.E.P.) and the identification of the teacher with the school and the students were more conducive to student satisfaction than those in use in the more conventional schools. That relatively few of the environmental measures used were found to be associated with student outcomes is a little puzzling. One suspects that in part the reasons may lie in the limitations of the instrument and in part in the lack of variance in student attitudes towards science across the transition period. A careful analysis of what actually happens in science lessons and interviews with the participants reveals that whereas most students are satisfied, the reasons for this satisfaction are as rich and varied as the patterns of adaptation utilized by students in transition.     

HANDICAPPED STUDENT SATISFACTION

This study was undertaken to investigate the relationships between selected student characteristics and measures of perceived campus and support service satisfaction of handicapped students enrolled in three comprehensive community colleges in Missouri. It was expected that specific information could be provided for decision making at the participating institutions regarding the handicapped student with special consideration to campus factors and support services. Significant correlations were found between students’ usage of specific services and their satisfaction with campus environments in general. Those specific services include: vocational evaluation, vocational counseling, instructional modification, and consumer services. Significant correlations were found between students’ usage of support services and their satisfaction with those services. High usage‐high satisfaction services included: learning centers, tutors, counseling, instruction modification, test arrangement, career exploration, job placement, equipment modification, notetakers, readers, and writers. Handicapped students used and were satisfied with the majority of services provides.     

Impact of social media use on student satisfaction in Higher Education

Social media has transformed the communication landscape for institutions of Higher Education by providing improved teaching and learning experience. However, very little is known as to whether the use of social media by Higher Education students improves their satisfaction. Grounded in social media, risk and technology acceptance literature, this paper examines Higher Education students' perceptions of social media use (SMU) and the impact of SMU on their satisfaction. Data collected from the students were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling. The study finds that: (1) perceived usefulness of social media has positive effect on the use of social media in student learning; (2) perceived risk of using social media discourages the use of the tool, and (3) SMU has positive effect on student satisfaction. The study further discusses the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.     

Examining Student Satisfaction with Group Projects and Peer Assessment

The efficiency and effectiveness of learning outcomes in groupwork and in peer assessment is well attested in the higher education literature. However, there is little evidence that any quantitative measures of student satisfaction have been undertaken with the group process and peer assessment. In this paper a peer assessment method is explained and a study detailed which was undertaken on a cohort of 261 students to measure student satisfaction of the assessment process. It was found that there were high levels of student satisfaction with groupwork and in the adopted assessment method. Further analysis revealed that there were no effects on the levels of satisfaction of students with the independent variables gender and age. Yet, there was a fairly significant difference in the levels of satisfaction of students having work experience favouring those without. Finally, there was found to be a substantial difference in the levels of satisfaction between Australian and international students with international students expressing higher values. It is recommended that this study be extended to other subjects and disciplines.     

基于毕业生满意度的高校服务型管理模式建构

调查了应届毕业大学生对四年大学生活的满意度,通过分析他们对大学生活的满意度、教师上课效果的认可度,对就读大学的情感归属度,对大学未来发展的期望度,以及对职业素质认知度等五个角度,有效解读了高校服务型管理模式所面临的挑战。围绕"学生的满意度和高等教育质量有机结合,大学教育的目标和学生的需求有机结合,美好的办学理想同有效的办学载体有机结合"三个结合,提出了服务型高校管理模式的建构路径。     

Accelerated Online Learning: Perceptions of Interaction and Learning Outcomes Among African American Students

This study investigated student interaction, satisfaction, and performance in accelerated online learning environments with the use of an online learning course-management system. The interactions assessed in this study included learner–learner interaction, learner–instructor interaction, and learner–content interaction. The participants were African American students from a university in the southeastern United States. Quantitative approaches including correlation and regression analyses were performed to examine the contribution of interaction predictors to student satisfaction as well as the relationship between student satisfaction and student performance. In addition, Internet self-efficacy and its impact on interaction was investigated. The results showed that learner–content interaction was the only significant predictor of student satisfaction whereas interaction among students or with the instructor did not significantly predict student satisfaction. Internet self-efficacy was positively correlated with three types of interaction. Student satisfaction was found to be related to student performance.     

Effects of Self-Efficacy,Emotional Intelligence,and Perceptions of Future Work Environment on Preservice Teacher Commitment

This study was designed to examine the effects of self-efficacy, expectations of future work environment, and emotional intelligence on preservice teacher commitment to the teaching profession on a sample of 209 preservice teachers. The purpose of the study was to add to the existing knowledge surrounding preservice teacher commitment and promote new ways to approach teacher education. Using correlation and regression analyses, we found that preservice teacher self-efficacy expectations surrounding classroom management, instructional strategies, and student engagement were positively correlated with commitment. Preservice teacher expectations of future work environment influenced their satisfaction with the profession, which was also positively correlated with their commitment to enter the profession. Preservice teachers with greater emotional awareness and pro-motivational thinking also demonstrated higher levels of commitment.     

‘Hardworking,determined and happy’: first-year students’ understanding and experience of success

While all agree student success in higher education is important, there is less agreement on what it means to be a successful student. Student success is often measured by institutional reports of grades, student retention and qualification completion. More recently, broader definitions have emerged; however, these do not incorporate student perceptions of success. The current study addresses this gap by exploring how first-year students talk about their success. Drawing from weekly interviews of students at an Australian regional university, the data are analysed through the lens of a conceptual framework of student engagement. The findings demonstrate that success is inextricably linked with student engagement as well as other dimensions of the student experience. As expected, students assess their success extrinsically with institutional measures such as grades and feedback. In addition, their behavioural engagement was seen as a more immediate measure of their success, while happiness and satisfaction were necessary for some students to feel successful. Perceptions of success have important consequences for students in terms of increased positive emotions, self-efficacy and course belonging. Success for these students has multiple dimensions. These findings give rise to suggestions for a staged approach to supporting first-year student success. However, the student experience is complex and multifaceted and further research is needed with different student cohorts who may define and experience success in other ways.     

高职院校学生满意度调查研究——以无锡职业技术学院为例

高职院校学生满意度是反映学校办学水平和服务质量的因素之一,了解学生的满意度是提高高职院校教育服务质量的有效措施之一。文章在对无锡职业技术学院学生满意度进行调查的基础上,分析了学生对＂教师教学＂、＂教学管理＂、＂学生工作＂、＂学校环境＂、＂教学条件与利用＂、＂学校社会声誉＂六大方面的评价,并提出相应的建议。     

Instruments for obtaining student feedback: a review of the literature

This paper reviews the research evidence concerning the use of formal instruments to measure students’ evaluations of their teachers, students’ satisfaction with their programmes and students’ perceptions of the quality of their programmes. These questionnaires can provide important evidence for assessing the quality of teaching, for supporting attempts to improve the quality of teaching and for informing prospective students about the quality of course units and programmes. The paper concludes by discussing several issues affecting the practical utility of the instruments that can be used to obtain student feedback. Many students and teachers believe that student feedback is useful and informative, but for a number of reasons many teachers and institutions do not take student feedback sufficiently seriously.     

Teachers' beliefs about social-emotional learning: Identifying teacher profiles and their relations with job stress and satisfaction

This study examines the extent to which teachers may be grouped based on their beliefs about social-emotional learning (SEL). SEL is aimed at promoting students' social and emotional competencies (e.g., responsible decision making, social awareness). Research suggests that in addition to being relevant to student outcomes, SEL is also relevant to teachers' experiences at work. We utilized latent profile analysis to identify profiles of teachers based on three different beliefs—comfort with SEL, commitment to improving SEL skills, and perceptions of principal and school-wide support for SEL. Findings revealed three different profiles—the SEL-thriver, SEL-striver, and SEL-advocate—that have differential levels of comfort and perceived support for SEL, but not commitment for SEL. Findings also demonstrated that the profiles were associated with differences in several socio-demographic characteristics and two outcomes—teacher stress and job satisfaction. Combined, the findings have implications for teachers as well as students and schools.     

Heterogeneity of student perceptions of the classroom climate: a latent profile approach

Student perceptions are a pivotal point of measurement for understanding why classroom learning environments are effective. Yet there is some evidence that student perceptions cannot be reliably aggregated at the classroom level and, instead, could represent idiosyncratic experiences of students. The present study examines whether heterogeneity in student perceptions of the classroom climate has implications for student achievement. We use data from 1428 seventh grade students in 75 mathematics classrooms from the Michigan Study of Adolescent and Life Transitions. Three dimensions of student perceptions of the classroom were measured: emotional support, autonomy support and performance focus. To obtain a measure of heterogeneity, we first reduced the data using latent profile analysis to describe profiles of students’ perceptions of the classroom. Next, we quantified the heterogeneity of student perceptions within classrooms using Simpson’s D. Classroom-level heterogeneity (Simpson’s D) of students’ perceptions was negatively associated with students’ mathematics achievement, even after controlling for individual- and classroom-level previous achievement, student’s prior perceptions and other variables. Findings suggest that measures of heterogeneity in student perceptions might be important for understanding classroom- and teacher-level effects on student outcomes.