STUDENT SATISFACTION IN THE CONTEXT OF A POSTGRADUATE PROGRAMME OF THE HELLENIC OPEN UNIVERSITY

Abstract

The aim of this study is to empirically examine the correlation between student satisfaction from their studies and three important distance learning factors in a blended distance education environment, namely the student-tutor interaction, the performance of the tutor and the course evaluation by the students. The study involved 81 postgraduate students from a modular course of the School of Humanities of the Hellenic Open University (HOU). A questionnaire of 35 closed type questions was used. The majority of the students were satisfied from their studies, from the tutor’s performance and from the communication and interaction with their tutor, while they also provided a positive overall course evaluation. Regarding the course evaluation, they would like the course programme to be better formulated and more clearly communicated. The data analysis yielded a significant, positive correlation between the satisfaction of the students from their studies and all three examined factors. Finally, there was a statistically significant difference on student satisfaction levels among different age groups, a statistically significant difference regarding the number of course modules attended in relation to the evaluation of the tutor's performance and a statistically significant difference regarding the number of Counseling Group Sessions (CGS) attended in relation to student satisfaction.