Optimizing Student' Satisfaction in Online Courses: Using a Two-Factor Theory as a Lens

Transcription

1 Murray State University From the SelectedWorks of Firm Faith Watson Spring November, 2015 Optimizing Student' Satisfaction in Online Courses: Using a Two-Factor Theory as a Lens Firm Faith Watson, Murray State University Available at: 7/

2 OPTIMIZING STUDENTS SATISFACTION IN ONLINE COURSES: USING A TWO-FACTOR THEORY AS A LENS by Firm Faith Watson A Proposal Accepted for Presentation at the 2015 Association for Educational Communications and Technology International Convention in Indianapolis Submitted in February, 2015 Accepted in April 2015

3 Optimizing Students Satisfaction in Online Courses: Using a Two-Factor Theory as a Lens What experiences do students perceive as satisfying and dissatisfying in online courses? The answer to this question continues to gain significance because students satisfaction is a very important indicator of the caliber of online courses, a learning modality which has escalated in the last decade. This presentation will address practical, theory-based approaches that will help online practitioners to design and assess course experiences that maximize online students satisfaction while minimizing or eliminating online students dissatisfaction. What theoretical rationale do online practitioners provide for designing and assessing online courses? The growth of online courses was originally fuelled by convenience factors but has increasingly been accompanied by the demand for online course design that results in satisfying learning experiences for online students. Satisfaction, however, is a complex construct and most related studies assume that satisfaction is the opposite of dissatisfaction. An alternative view from the area of organizational psychology was offered by Herzberg, Mausner and Snyderman (1959) who conducted a study which revealed that the factors that workers reported as leading to their satisfaction (e.g. achievement, recognition, responsibility, work itself and advancement) were rarely mentioned when the workers reported incidents that led to feeling of dissatisfaction. Instead, the dissatisfying incidents more often included factors related to company policy and administration, technical supervision, salary, interpersonal relations that involved supervisors, and working

4 conditions. Herzberg et al. purported that eliminating the dissatisfiers (which they called hygiene factors) may result in no dissatisfaction but not necessarily lead to satisfaction (referred to as motivators). Several education researchers (e.g. Chyung & Vachon 2005; Danielson, 1998; and Katt & Condly, 2009) have purported that Herzberg s et al. (1959) two-factor theory, originally applied to workplace satisfaction may be applied to the classroom. Alluding to the merits of Herzberg s et al. theory, Katt and Condly (2009) noted that, At a time when complaints of declining student motivation are ubiquitous in the academy, borrowing a time-tested lens from organizational psychology provides a different view of this current (and recurrent) problem and provides some guidance for our teaching practice (p. 231). The two-factor theory, however, has not been widely researched or applied in higher education or in online settings. Do online students satisfaction and dissatisfaction operate on two separate continua? For example, if the factors that lead to online students dissatisfaction are addressed, will students be only in a neutral state (i.e. no longer dissatisfied but not necessarily satisfied) because a separate set of factors are needed for their satisfaction? If online practitioners have a better understanding of these complex constructs, they will be better equipped to (a) assess whether or not their courses are maximizing students satisfaction while decreasing or eliminating sources of students dissatisfaction and (b) incorporate instructional strategies that meet both goals.

5 To help online practitioners understand the aforementioned complex constructs of satisfaction and dissatisfaction, the presenter will report findings from a study that investigated whether or not Herzberg s two-factor theory may contribute to a better understanding about how to maximize online students satisfaction while minimizing their dissatisfaction. The major questions that guided the study are: 1. What type of incidents do students perceive as satisfying and dissatisfying experiences in online courses? 2. To what extent do students descriptions of their satisfying and dissatisfying experiences in online courses separate into two major factors (that is: a. satisfiers motivators and b. dissatisfiers hygienerelated factors)? The respondents were master s students (at a large system-wide state university in the Midwest) who have taken at least one online course. These students were chosen because research studies (e.g. Chyung & Vachom, 2005; Herzberg et al., 1959; Katt & Condly, 2009) suggest that students who have more university experience are expected to be able to communicate their thoughts and feelings in a more coherent manner. The presenter will also explain how the categories from prior higher education research (e.g. Chyung & Vachon 2005; Danielson, 1998; and Katt & Condly, 2009) plus those that emerged from the current study may be used by online practitioners to better assess and design satisfying experiences for online students while reducing or eliminating their dissatisfying experiences.

6 In sum, the presenter will (a) review Herzberg, Mausner and Snyderman (1959) two-factor theory, (b) explain how the two-factor theory has been applied in higher education, (c) reveal findings from recent research based on students perceptions of satisfying and dissatisfying experiences in online courses, (d) recommend strategies for designing and assessing online courses using the two-factor theory as a lens, and (e) discuss considerations for future research. The audience will also receive the opportunity to ask questions and or share experiences that are pertinent to the presentation.