Assessing learner satisfaction by simultaneously measuring learner attitude, motivation, loyalty and service quality in English academies

Abstract

The aims of this study are threefold in their approach to English academy teaching: (i) to assess learner satisfaction, (ii) to assess the impact of satisfaction on loyalty and (iii) to assess the three constructs that we considered to be the antecedents of learner satisfaction: learner motivation, learner attitude and service quality. To collect the data, a questionnaire was developed and delivered to 334 English learners in Spain in 2014. We concluded from these results that learner satisfaction is directly influenced by service quality; whereas learner motivation and learner attitude have no significant impact on learner satisfaction. Moreover, learner satisfaction has a strong impact on learner loyalty. The results also indicated that intrinsic motivation has a direct positive correlation with learner attitude and service quality, whilst extrinsic motivation has an insignificant relationship with learner attitude and a negative relationship with service quality. Amongst the four dimensions used to measure service quality two factors – namely teachers and tangibles (materials, equipment and facilities) – are the most important.

Keywords:

• Satisfaction
• motivation
• attitude
• loyalty
• service quality
• English learning

Acknowledgement

This research was done with the support of Professor Andrea Bikfalvi, 12 English teachers (Vivien Greatorex, Tom Burns, Linda Moody and Imogen Prince from Modern Language Services University of Gerona; Ana Isabel Pons, Josep Maria Cabre and Miriam Romanacu from EOI Barcelona Drassanes; Elisabet Codern from EOI Gerona; Marc Toone from Up! Idiomes; Sophia Roisin and DolorsPla from Maristes Gerona) and 334 English learners in Spain.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.