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Article
Publication date: 1 February 2011

Dennis C.S. Law and Jan H.F. Meyer

The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) is a quantitative instrument for collecting student feedback on programme quality that has been tested and practically used in Western…

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Abstract

Purpose

The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) is a quantitative instrument for collecting student feedback on programme quality that has been tested and practically used in Western university response‐contexts. The purpose of this paper is to adapt and partially validate a Chinese translation of the CEQ, for application in the new context of post‐secondary education in Hong Kong.

Design/methodology/approach

From a population of about 2,515 students in six institutions, 1,572 responses were obtained, representing a response rate of 62.5 percent. Given that a Chinese CEQ has never been tested in this new context, an exploratory approach was adopted by examining the psychometric properties of the CEQ constituent scales and their underlying factor structure as exhibited via item‐correlation analysis and exploratory factor analysis.

Findings

The alpha values of the CEQ scales in the present study are generally lower than those of the other reported studies. The results of exploratory factor analysis indicate that the degree of overlap among the constructs as measured by the CEQ scales is more extensive than most other reported studies, resulting in only four factors being explicitly indicated, with some constructs being overshadowed by other more salient constructs and failing to exhibit in the factor structure.

Practical implications

While broadly supporting the potential of CEQ‐type surveys in informing the quality endeavour, the findings of the present study (and those of some related tests on Chinese students that have recently been reported) suggest the need for further development of the CEQ for application in the Chinese context in general, and the context of Hong Kong post‐secondary education in particular.

Originality/value

The paper cross‐validates the CEQ in a new context.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 19 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2016

Lei Mee Thien and Mei Yean Ong

– The purpose of this study is to examine the applicability of Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) in a Malaysian university context.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the applicability of Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) in a Malaysian university context.

Design/methodology/approach

The CEQ was translated into Malay language using rigorous cross-cultural adaptation procedures. The Malay version CEQ was administered to 190 undergraduate students in one Malaysian public university. Statistical analyses were used to examine the reliability and factor structures of the Malay version CEQ scales using IBM SPSS version 20.0.

Findings

Findings raised serious questions about the reliability and construct validity of the CEQ for a Malaysian university sample. Findings revealed that only two out of five scales of CEQ showed satisfactory level of reliability. Six items failed to load on the intended scales.

Research limitations/implications

The sample size is small with 190 university students and covered respondents from one local university, while the other 17 local universities were not included due to geographical distance.

Practical implications

The findings are particularly important for higher education policymakers to optimise and allocate the resources to improve university quality teaching. More attention should be paid toward how to furnish the university teaching staff to provide a high level of teaching quality that contributes to students’ generic skills for their employment in future. Researchers could extend the applicability of the Malay version CEQ in primary and secondary school context.

Originality/value

The vast majority of CEQ-related research has been undertaken in the Western context, thus raising the question of the applicability of CEQ for a Malaysian university context. The fall in the Times Higher Education and QS World University rankings as well as the limited research in assessment-related higher education has also accelerated the needs to examine the applicability of CEQ23 in Malaysian university context. This study has provided fundamental cross-validation empirical evidence to propose improvement in future studies.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 24 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 September 2013

Ellen Jansen, Jacques van der Meer and Marjon Fokkens-Bruinsma

– The purpose of this paper is to validate the course experience questionnaire (CEQ) for possible use in Dutch universities.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to validate the course experience questionnaire (CEQ) for possible use in Dutch universities.

Design/methodology/approach

A 23 item CEQ was administered and the data analysed using confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

Confirmatory factor analysis provided a good fit for the CEQ's five-factor structure, and the scales showed good reliabilities. Validation with external criterion and discriminant validation between faculties with different teaching environments demonstrated the CEQ's potential for use in Dutch universities.

Research limitations/implications

A limitation of this study was the convenience sample and the number of students included (n=956).

Originality/value

The results of this validation exercise suggest that the use of the CEQ in Dutch universities could be useful. This could be of benefit for these universities in being able to initiate discussions with other universities, both in The Netherlands and beyond, about possible enhancement initiatives.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 21 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2006

Åge Diseth, Ståle Pallesen, Anders Hovland and Svein Larsen

The present study seeks to compare scores on factors from the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) with scores on an abbreviated version of the Approaches and Study Skills…

3727

Abstract

Purpose

The present study seeks to compare scores on factors from the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) with scores on an abbreviated version of the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) and examination grade among undergraduate psychology students. The purpose is to investigate the relationship between course experience and approaches to learning, and to examine their relative importance as predictors of academic achievement.

Design/methodology/approach

Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modelling were utilised in order to find measurement models for each of the constructs and to test hypothesised structural relations between these constructs.

Findings

The original CEQ and ASSIST factors were reproduced. A model in which course experience factors predicted SAL was supported, but the same model did not provide evidence for any indirect or mediator effect between course experience, approaches to learning and academic achievement. Indirect empirical support for a hypothesised causal link between course experience and approaches to learning was found.

Research limitations/implications

Weak relations between the predictor variables (course experience/approaches to learning) and academic achievement limited the possibility of identifying mediator effects, and future research should address this issue.

Practical implications

Lecturers and course designers should take into account that students' approaches to learning are influenced by course experience, especially with respect to the adoption of a surface approach to learning.

Originality/value

This paper included a comparison between course experience, approaches to learning, and academic achievement, whereas most previous research has not included academic achievement. The utilisation of confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling gave a stronger test of construct validity than exploratory analyses, and it facilitated the testing of hypothesised structural models.

Details

Education + Training, vol. 48 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0040-0912

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 April 2015

Joanna Poon and Michael Brownlow

The purpose of this paper is to identify the relative importance of the factors that influence the overall satisfaction of real estate students and also examine the extent to…

1935

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the relative importance of the factors that influence the overall satisfaction of real estate students and also examine the extent to which demographic backgrounds affect this. Furthermore, this paper benchmarks the satisfaction of real estate students against that of built environment students.

Design/methodology/approach

The data used in this paper have been collected from the Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) within the Australian Graduate Survey (AGS). Dimensionality reduction was used to prepare the data about the courses identified in the AGS for analysis. This was done in order to simplify classification of real estate and built environment courses examined in this paper. Descriptive and statistical analysis methods were used to analyse student satisfaction variables and identify the extent to which demographic factors influenced overall student satisfaction.

Findings

Real estate students in Australia have a relatively higher level of student satisfaction compared to built environment students overall, but built environment students have a higher level of satisfaction with regard to compulsory variables such as “Good Teaching Scale” and “Generic Skills Scale”. However, real estate students show a higher level of agreement in the Likert scale regarding the optional variables “Appropriate Assessment” and “Learning Community”, respectively. The most important factor for overall student satisfaction was the question: “the staff made it clear right from the start what they expected from the students”. The answers to this question had a Pearson correlation value of 1.000 for both real estate and built environment students. Age and mode of study also have some impact on the overall satisfaction level of both sets of students, while gender, degree class and the year the university were established are additional factors affecting the overall satisfaction of built environment students.

Practical implications

This research identifies the factors that affect the satisfaction of property course students in ascending order of importance. Course directors of real estate courses can use the findings of this research to make recommendations on the redesign and redevelopment of their courses in order to make them more attractive and appealing to students to enhance student recruitment and retention.

Originality/value

This is pioneering research that provides a comprehensive overview of the factors affecting student satisfaction with regard to real estate and built environment students in Australia.

Details

Property Management, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 October 2021

Lei Mee Thien, Mi-Chelle Leong and Fei Ping Por

This study aims to examine the relationship between undergraduates' course experience and their deep learning approach and to identify areas of improvement to facilitate students'…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationship between undergraduates' course experience and their deep learning approach and to identify areas of improvement to facilitate students' deep learning in the private higher education context.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 844 Malaysian undergraduate students who studied in six private higher education institutions (HEIs) in Penang and Selangor. This study used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis.

Findings

The findings revealed that good teaching and appropriate assessment have no significant relationship with deep learning. Generic skills, clear goals and standards, appropriate workload and emphasis on independence are positively related to deep learning. Generic skills and emphasis on independence are two domains that deserve attention to enhance deep learning among undergraduates.

Practical implications

Lecturers need to focus on to the cultivation of generic skills to facilitate students' deep learning. Student autonomy and student-centred teaching approaches should be empowered and prioritised in teaching and learning.

Originality/value

The current study has its originality in providing empirical findings to inform the significant relationship between dimensions of course experience and deep learning in Malaysian private HEIs. Besides, it also identifies the areas of improvement concerning teaching and learning at the private HEIs using importance-performance matrix analysis (IPMA) in a non-Western context.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 January 2020

Riccardo Natoli, Zi Wei and Beverley Jackling

The introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has brought about renewed calls for the learning environment to foster a deep approach to learning by…

Abstract

Purpose

The introduction of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) has brought about renewed calls for the learning environment to foster a deep approach to learning by students. Given this, the purpose of this paper is to determine what aspects of the learning environment, as measured by the Course Experiences Questionnaire, created in two semester-long financial accounting classes, influence students’ approaches to learning, as perceived by Chinese accounting students.

Design/methodology/approach

A logistic regression model based on responses from 497 accounting students across two universities in China is used to address this issue.

Findings

The findings provide original empirical evidence of the Chinese accounting students’ expectations of deep learning. The main results showed that teaching quality and clear goals and standards were significantly associated with a deep approach to learning.

Research limitations/implications

As two universities are included in the study, the findings are not necessarily generalisable to all accounting degree courses across China. There are practical implications for the teaching of IFRS in the financial accounting unit in China, and particularly for the two universities. Specifically, instructors need to foster students’ learning environment and inspire an enhanced approach to deep learning by focusing more on communicating their expected academic standards and improving their quality of teaching to reverse the passive approach taken by the vast majority of Chinese accounting students.

Originality/value

As one of the few studies from a Chinese accounting classroom context with respect to the learning approaches to teaching IFRS, this study will contribute to extend the existing knowledge of the learning environment of Chinese universities.

Details

Accounting Research Journal, vol. 33 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1030-9616

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 September 2010

Dennis Chung Sea Law

A major focus of the recent research into the quality of post‐secondary education is the centrality of the student experience. The purpose of this paper is to review the…

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Abstract

Purpose

A major focus of the recent research into the quality of post‐secondary education is the centrality of the student experience. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on studies addressing such a focus to shed light on how quality assurance (QA) practices can be improved.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews some of the approaches to addressing the quality issues from the viewpoints of students' evaluations of teaching effectiveness, students' programme experiences, students' total experiences, student satisfaction and service quality, and some of the quantitative instruments that have been developed for measuring the respective constructs.

Findings

The employment of student surveys using self‐report inventories/questionnaires with established reliability, validity and diagnostic power has the potential to transform both the external and internal quality‐monitoring mechanisms now being practiced in post‐secondary education, and help shift the focus of QA activities more to the enhancement‐led views.

Originality/value

To cope with the complexity of the education system and to get quality into it, this paper promotes the practice of conducting student surveys by taking reference from the relevant research literature and adopting a rigorous approach to developing and improving data‐collection instruments to tap into the students' experiences, so that the QA activities of educational institutions are research informed, evidence based and enhancement led.

Details

Quality Assurance in Education, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0968-4883

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 June 2018

Carolyn Timms, Tracey Fishman, Alexander Godineau, Jamie Granger and Tariro Sibanda

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship of undergraduate university students’ course experience (learning community (LC), clear goals and standards, student…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship of undergraduate university students’ course experience (learning community (LC), clear goals and standards, student support, study-family affect (SF affect) and autonomy) to their well-being, as measured by psychological engagement (dedication, absorption and vigour) and burnout (exhaustion and disengagement/cynicism).

Design/methodology/approach

First-year psychology students (n=128) were surveyed using previously validated measures of their well-being and experiences at university.

Findings

Belonging to a LC (where students were encouraged to develop fluidity with the subject matter and share insights) was positively related to students’ psychological engagement. By contrast, the provision of ready access to course materials did not predict student engagement. Knowledge of goals and standards predicted that students would find course work energising (vigour). Respondents reported that SF affect (where participation at university enhances family life) was related to their engagement at university. In addition, mature age students (over the age of 25 years) reported higher levels of engagement in their study than did younger students.

Research limitations/implications

The dominant predictor of student well-being (LC) was redolent of two important psychological human needs (affiliation and mastery). The central nature of this variable to student well-being is therefore currently undifferentiated and calls for the application of more finely tuned instruments to predict student well-being.

Originality/value

The current research applied measures from the widely validated Course Experience Questionnaire (Ramsden, 1991) as predictors of students’ psychological engagement and burnout. It highlights the value of personal relationships and community in university students’ mastery of difficult course material.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2011

Kevin Downing, Flora Ning and Kristina Shin

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of problem‐based learning (PBL) in higher education based on a large sample of first‐year undergraduates from two…

2005

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of problem‐based learning (PBL) in higher education based on a large sample of first‐year undergraduates from two programmes at a Hong Kong University (n=132). One programme uses an entirely problem‐based approach to learning, whilst the other uses traditional methods.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) as a measure of metacognition, differences in metacognitive development are explored between each group of students between the beginning and end of their first 15 months in each programme.

Findings

Despite significantly weaker entry scores on the LASSI, the mean final scores, taken after 15 months and three semesters of study in the different curriculum environments demonstrate dramatic improvements in metacognition for the PBL group. In addition, analysis of student learning experience measured at the end of the programme revealed that the PBL group reported significantly higher scores in their overall course satisfaction and generic skills development.

Practical implications

The paper argues that, in addition to the formal learning context, everyday challenges emerging from the additional new social contexts provided by problem‐based curricula provide fertile environments for the development of metacognition and enhancement of the learning experience. The implications of PBL environments on fostering constructivist learning and enhancing student experience are discussed.

Originality/value

This research is original in its use of the LASSI inventory as a pre‐ and post‐measure of metacognitive development in undergraduates. This is an online questionnaire administered to two groups of students following similar programmes except one is problem based and the other more traditional, and the results are strikingly significant.

Details

Multicultural Education & Technology Journal, vol. 5 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-497X

Keywords

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