Research on the Priority of Service Quality Index for Online English Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Dual Perspective

Abstract

Online English education has become a very common way of educating and learning during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the weight analysis index for the service quality survey of the online English education industry remains a research gap during this period. Thus, this research implemented the analytic network process (ANP) to analyse the index, weight and ranking of online English teaching based on the service quality (SERVQUAL) questionnaire and compare the differences between the dual perspectives of service providers and consumers. Interestingly, this research found that the dimension of responsiveness was considered the most important by service providers. However, consumers deemed the dimension of assurance to be the most significant. Meanwhile, this study discovered that consumers paid more attention to reassurance and safety when they faced problems and transaction procedures during the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, this research found that dimensions utilised to evaluate the quality of online education service are similar whether in the COVID-19 epidemic or prior to the coronavirus pandemic. Thus, it has a certain reference value for evaluating the service quality of online English teaching through the use of dimensions and index weights in the SERVQUAL scale during the coronavirus pandemic. Finally, the findings of this research revealed weights of dimensions and indicators, thereby providing suggestions for maintaining good service quality within online English teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.