Quality perceived by online students: The influence of contextual factors José Mª Castán Farrero María Jesús Martínez Argüelles

Introduction But, several studies postulate that psychosocial characteristics of students provide significant differences in terms of perceptions of service quality The essential question: what dimensions comprise the perceived service quality (PSQ) construct in virtual higher education? Martínez (2006) - The essential service (teaching-related indicators) - Support services - Complementary services - The user interface

Aim of the study and hypothesis How perceived service quality varies in virtual higher education according to diverse contextual factors? HYPOTHESIS H1: The student’s sex has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ. H2: The student’s age has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ. H3: The student’s experience of university education has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ. H4: The holding of a university degree has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ. H5: The student’s experience in online educ. has a direct and indir. effect on the PSQ. H6: The student’s experience in the university institution itself has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ.

Aim of the study and hypothesis How perceived service quality varies in virtual higher education according to diverse contextual factors? HYPOTHESIS H7: The student’s motivation has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ. H8: The student’s academic performance has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ. H9: The programme’s field of study has a direct and indirect influence on the PSQ. H10: The type of Internet connection has a direct and indirect effect on the PSQ. H11: The location of student’s connection has a direct and indirect influence on the PSQ. H12: The price of the studies has a direct and indirect influence on the PSQ.

Methodology - A multiple regression analysis has been used to contrast whether the variables have a significant effect on the PSQ and, where the answer is affirmative, the extent of their relative influence. - We started out with a linear regression model comprising four initial dimensions (D) and subsequently we gradually added the different qualitative and quantitative variables (X) to this basic model. These variables were incorporated into the model with both additive and multiplicative effect, the latter in relation to each one of the four dimensions identified in the previous factorial analysis. Model to calculate: PSQ i = ß 0 + ß 1 D 1i + ß 2 D 2i + ß 3 D 3 + ß 4 D 4i + ß 5 X i + ß 6 X i D 1i + ß 7 X i D 2i + ß 8 X i D 3i + ß 9 X i D 4i + ε i - The data were provided by 1,870-degree students of the Open University of Catalonia, in response to a survey sent out in June The sample was made up of the following types of students: 50% of the students are women, 45.6% are younger than 36 and 22.4% are studying their first semester at the UOC.

Conclusions  Hypothesis H1 is partially confirmed: the students’ sex does not have any direct influence on the perceived service quality. Nonetheless, a mediated effect through the user interface has been found, since a modification in this dimension produces a greater variation in the PSQ of men rather than of women.  The existence of a positive direct and indirect relation between the age of the students and the level of perceived service quality is confirmed (Hypothesis H2). Thus: the older the students, the more likely they are to: a) perceive a higher level of service quality and, b), attach more relative importance to the essential service, namely, the teaching and the development of their own learning process.  Hypothesis H3 is partially confirmed. An effect on the level of perceived service quality is noted in students who have previously taken a university course – in this case, negatively, that is, lowering it. Nonetheless, previous university experience does not have any indirect influence – through the dimensions – on the perceived service quality.

Conclusions  Previous experience in online education makes students attach a greater relative importance to support and complementary services, and, furthermore, they feel that the service presents a lower level of quality, thereby confirming hypothesis H5.  Hypothesis H4 and H6 are rejected, as the PSQ is neither directly nor indirectly affected by prior possession of a university qualification, nor by the student’s experience in the university institution itself.  Hypothesis H7 is confirmed and, as such, the level of perceived service quality varies in accordance with student motivation.  Hypothesis H8 is rejected. No significant evidence is found to support the hypothesis that the perceived service quality depends directly or indirectly on the student’s academic performance.

Conclusions  It has been corroborated that the programme’s field of knowledge has a direct and indirect influence on the perceived quality service (Hypothesis 9).  Hypothesis H10 is partially rejected, by virtue of the fact that the perceived service quality depends indirectly but no directly on the type of Internet connection used by the student.  Hypothesis H11 is rejected, given that no significant relation has been detected between the perceived service quality and the location of the student’s Internet connection.  Hypothesis H12 is accepted and, therefore, we can confirm that the perceived service quality depends directly and indirectly on the cost of the studies. Students that pay higher fees perceive a lower level of PSQ and give more importance to the central service dimension.

José Mª Castán Farrero María Jesús Martínez Argüelles  Thank you Quality perceived by online students: The influence of contextual factors