Expectations or perceptions? Comparing educational services quality measurements: An empirical study with the EppaikQual scale


Θαλασσογραφία, 50Χ60,ελαιογραφία, Μαρία Τσιβά, 2015
Published: Nov 13, 2021
Keywords:
EppaikQual Quality of Educational Services Comparison of Measurements Pedagogical Training Program
Αναστάσιος (Anastasios) Αθανασιάδης (Athanasiadis)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4858-7918
Abstract

In the field of service quality, shortcomings are identified in empirical data that examine the effectiveness of service quality measurements between different measurement methods. The purpose of this empirical study is to check the coincidence or the deviation of the educational services quality metrics in a pedagogical training program for prospective teachers using the EppaikQual scale based on the ServQual and ServPerf methodology. This is a survey research in the field of quality of educational services. Specific statistical methods are applied to control the research hypothesis, which is related to the quantitative dimension of the empirical study. A total of 481 trainee teachers participated in the research, while the data were collected using an electronic questionnaire. The empirical study concludes that there are statistically significant differences in measurements between the two methodologies. However, it does not propose any measurement method as more effective, due to the marginal deviations identified and also due to the need in taking advantage of both approaches in the effort for a holistic evaluation of the quality of educational services. The research focuses on a single pedagogical training program in Greece and therefore the conclusions cannot be generalized for all pedagogical training programs. The article includes a suggested methodology for measuring the quality of educational services using the EppaikQual scale through the combination of two widely used measurement methodologies, providing useful information to the management of the educational programs for their quality management effectiveness. In addition, the research provides empirical data that support literature in the field of measuring the quality of services.

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Author Biography
Αναστάσιος (Anastasios) Αθανασιάδης (Athanasiadis), University of Western Macedonia
Faculty of Primary Education
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