title: Impacts Of Service Quality, Satisfaction And  Personal Factors On Student Retention In  Open Distance Learning Institutions In  Malaysia  
creator: Ng, Man San
subject: LC5201 Education extension. Adult education. Continuing education
subject: LC5800 Distance education
description: The purpose of this study was to determine the impacts of service quality, student  satisfaction and personal factors on student intention to complete study in open distance  learning (ODL) institutions. A cross-sectional survey design was employed in this  study. Data was collected during the period from October to December, 2009 from a  nation-wide random sample of 450 Open University Malaysia (OUM) undergraduate  students. Several statistical techniques were used to analyse the data and they include  producing frequency counts for generating descriptive statistics. In addition, factor  analysis was used to identify and confirm the factors of service quality, student  satisfaction and student retention. Multivariate analysis was also used for testing  hypotheses and measuring the impacts of factors on student retention. The study  findings based on 342 usable questionnaires indicated that service quality and its four  dimensions (tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, and assurance) had positive impacts  on overall satisfaction. However, the empathy dimension did not have any effect. Five  factors were found to have effects on student intention to complete study in OUM. They  were: student satisfaction, goal commitment, family support, study habits and number  of semesters attended. However, service quality had no effect. The findings indicated  that low student retention in ODL institutions was attributed not only to student  satisfaction but also to a combination of personal factors. It follows that the key to an  effective retention strategy is for ODL institutions to provide quality support services  that meet the satisfaction of the students. Additionally, ODL institutions should help the  students to overcome their personal problems. (Abstract by author)
date: 2010-10
type: Thesis
type: NonPeerReviewed
format: text
identifier: https://library.oum.edu.my/repository/570/1/Msc_%28BA%29_thesis__Ng_Man_San.pdf
identifier:   Ng, Man San  (2010) Impacts Of Service Quality, Satisfaction And Personal Factors On Student Retention In Open Distance Learning Institutions In Malaysia.  Masters thesis, Open University Malaysia.   
relation: https://library.oum.edu.my/repository/570/