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Shelina Bhamani
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Shelina Bhamani
Research Scholar, Department of Education
Institute of Business Management
Abstract
This research study aimed to explore and highlight the development of the Student
University Satisfaction Scale (SUSS). The paper elicits the process of development and
piloting of the tool, its validity, and its reliability. A sample of 73 students from different
universities was chosen for the study. The tool is divided in two sections: demography
survey and satisfaction survey. The satisfaction survey has 32 items categorized under six
facets. The findings of the study presented high level of reliability with Cronbach’s alpha
(.911).
Keywords: Scale Development, Student Satisfaction, University Facilities, Academic
Quality, Quality Assurance, Assessment
There has been a significant lack of literature and studies in Pakistan that
investigate student satisfaction (Khan, Nawaz, Ahmed & Naqvi, 2011); therefore, the core
purpose of the study was to develop a tool on student university satisfaction and explore its
reliability by piloting it in private universities. The main objective of the development of
the tool was to have a contextually appropriate measure that can investigate student
satisfaction and provide insights to the university management, educationists,
academicians, and researchers to plan and strategize initiates for student satisfaction in the
universities.
Methodology
A quantitative paradigm was chosen for the study using survey method and scale
development strategy was employed as a design for this research study. A sample of 73
students was selected from seven private universities situated in Karachi and Sukkur, two
big cities of Pakistan for the study and informed consent was sought from each participant.
The ranking of these universities ranged from best to average as per Higher Education
Commission, Pakistan information given on its website.
The overall survey tool comprised two main sections. Section A focused on the
demographic of the students that had variables of gender, programme of study, level of
study, mode of study, financing of the study and GPA scored in the last semester (see
Table 1) and section B consisted of Student University Satisfaction Scale (SUSS), which
had 32 items (see Appendix A).
Table 1: Demographic Description of the Sample
Variables Frequency Percentage
Female 24 33
Gender Male 49 67
Employed 52 71
Employment Status Unemployed 21 29
Single 61 84
Martial Status Married 12 16
Masters 23 32
Level of Study Graduate 50 68
Full Time 45 62
Mode of Study Part Time 28 38
The study followed data management procedure by initially providing students
with a consent form to read and sign. Later, they were given the demographic section and
the scale to respond to. Once the data was collected, it was coded and entered by the data
entry associate. The data was then analyzed using Cronbach’s Alpha Reliability Analysis
to explore the reliability of the tool and each item. Moreover, the tool was designed
considering the six key major facets that influence student satisfaction at a university level
(See Table 2).
The overall scale reliability appeared to be a = .911. As can be seen from the Table
3, the reliability analysis displayed Item 1 (M = 2.3, S.D. = .583, a = .907 ), Item 2 (M =
2.5, S.D. = .668, a = .907), Item 3 (M = 2.4, S.D. = .625, a = .908), Item 4 (M = 2.3, S.D. =
.695, a = .907), Item 5 (M = 2.2, S.D. = .716, a = .910), Item 6 (M = 2.1, S.D. = .636, a =
.907), Item 7 (M = 2.1, S.D. = .694, a = .907), Item 9 (M = 2.1, S.D. = .680, a = .910),
Item 10 (M = 2.2, S.D. = .672, a = .907), Item 11 (M = 2.2, S.D. = .716, a = .907), Item 12
(M = 2.3, S.D. = .659, a = .907), Item 13 (M = 2.2, S.D. = .651, a = .907), Item 14 (M =
2.3, S.D. = .579, a = .907), Item 15 (M = 2.3, S.D. = .671, a = .906), Item 18 (M = 2.1,
S.D. = .657, a = .909), Item 19 (M = 1.8, S.D. = .600, a = .909), Item 21 (M = 2.0, S.D. =
.770, a = .906), Item 22 (M = 1.9, S.D. = .754, a = .908), Item 24 (M = 2.1, S.D. = .686, a
= .909), Item 25 (M = 2.2, S.D. = .840, a = .908), Item 26 (M = 2.2, S.D.= .750, a = .910),
Item 27 (M = 2.0, S.D. = .743, a = .907), Item 28 (M = 2.1, S.D. = .748, a = .906), Item 30
(M = 2.1, S.D. = .631, a = .909) and Item 32 (M = 2.2, S.D. .677, a = .908) if deleted from
the scale will result in a low reliability. If Item 16 (M = 2.2, S.D. = .624, a = .911), Item 17
(M = 2.1, S.D. = .681, a = .911), Item 23 (M = 2.0, S.D. = .677, a = .911), Item 29 (M =
2.0, S.D. = .687, a = .911) and Item 31 (M = 2.3, S.D. = .783, a = .911) are deleted from
the scale, the reliability will remain the same. However, if Item 8 (M = 2.2, S.D. = .641, a
= .912) and Item 20 (M = 2.5, S.D. = .663, a = .913) are deleted from the scale, it will
result in higher reliability.
Since, the reliability of the tool is very high in the given sample, there is a strong
possibility of other universities using the tool to measure student satisfaction. This can be
used by all the practitioners and researchers who target student satisfaction, assessment of
quality in the university, and student perception from the developing countries.
Conclusion
The aim of the study was to construct a scale that could serve the purpose of
investigating student university satisfaction. This study also served the purpose of piloting
a tool for the authors to carry forward a large scale study. It is crucial to note that this
scale is developed to facilitate authors’ for their large scale study on the investigation of
business student university satisfaction and thus the sample size for this study is relatively
limited and focused using convenient sampling method. However, this can widely be used
in various fields of higher education for the following purposes:
1. Assessment of university facilities and academic quality
2. Quality assurance
3. Investigation of student satisfaction with the university
4. Investigation of the parent satisfaction with the university
Additionally, SUSS can also serve the purpose of annual student university
evaluation survey. Literature review shows that there is a considerable need to investigate
and consider student satisfaction for institutions effectiveness in competing world
(Middaugh, 2010). This study aimed at bridging the gap in the contextually applicable
literature and devised a scale that can be implied in a Pakistani context and countries with
the similar geographical and contextual background. It cannot be ignored that educational
institutions that focus on their student satisfaction have been in the highest ranking and
considered top most universities in the world. Consequently, the focus of higher education
COPY RIGHT © 2012 Institute of Interdisciplinary Business Research 337
ijcrb.webs.com JULY 2012
INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY RESEARCH IN BUSINESS VOL 4, NO 3
sector is to make learning student friendly to sustain, retain, and encourage youth of the
nation to acquire education for the betterment of the country and world at large.
Authors’ Note:
This scale can be utilized by the researchers keen to examine perception of key
stakeholders like students, faculty, management and parents. We are aware of the
complexity of research and its dynamics involved in scale development; hence, we would
welcome feedback, suggestions and plans of modification in the tool. Please write to us on
nasreenhuss@gmail.com and shelina.bhamani@gmail.com if you wish to utilize the tool
for your study so that we can provide you with the scoring key and data entry guideline.
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Appendix A
Student University Satisfaction Scale
13 Teachers are generally student friendly and focus on specific individual needs.
31 I am kept updated of all the university relevant news through university portal.