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CITESCORE
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SCOPUS
Journals
Education Sciences
Special Issues
Student Preferences and Satisfaction: Measurement and Optimization
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Special Issue "Student Preferences and Satisfaction: Measurement and Optimization"

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Marija Kuzmanović
E-Mail Website
SciProfiles
Guest Editor
Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Jove Ilica 154, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: conjoint analysis; game theory and decision theory; mathematical modelling; data analytics; operational research
Prof. Dr. Dragana Makajić-Nikolić
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Organizational Sciences, University of Belgrade, Jove Ilica 154, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Interests: decision theory; mathematical modelling; data analytics; operational research; risk assessment; simulation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We hereby invite you to submit a paper to a Special Issue on the topic “Student preferences and satisfaction: measurement and optimization.” The purpose of this issue is to expand and challenge our current understanding of student preferences; to explore new analytical approaches to measure it; and to widen our knowledge of how we can both increase student satisfaction and improve education system.

The contemporary environment is characterized by intense competition, rapid changes, and lately great uncertainty, and the education market is no exception. Students are increasingly demanding when it comes to all aspects of education at all levels, as well as accompanying activities and expectations related to employment opportunities after graduation. Understanding the needs and wants of students not only leads to their greater satisfaction, but also affects the quality of the education system, greater employability and, consequently, the development of the economy and society as a whole. This increased knowledge will enable the creation of strategies and more efficient decision-making to respond to students' demands from the education and public policy points of view. In this context, several key questions arise: understanding students’ behavior; understanding their attitudes, perceptions, motivations, and preferences; and, optimization of students’ satisfaction.

Therefore, this Special Issue aims to bring together theoretical, methodological, and empirical papers related to the students’ preferences and satisfaction. We are looking for papers employing quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods framed according to multidisciplinary approaches combining education science and data science. More specifically, but not exclusively, the main topics of this Special Issue are as follows:

  • revealed and/or stated students' preferences towards universities, schools and academies, scientific areas, study programs, courses, educational technologies, organization of lectures and timetabling, internship; employment opportunities etc;
  • students satisfaction of the above areas
  • methods for measuring student preferences and satisfaction; empirically and/or theoretically grounded use of data analytics and optimization in measuring of students preferences.

Prof. Dr. Marija Kuzmanović
Prof. Dr. Dragana Makajić-Nikolić
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Stated students preferences
  • Revealed students preferences
  • Satisfaction
  • Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods
  • Survey research
  • Data analytics
  • Optimization
  • Simulation
  • ICT in education
  • Educational resources/practice

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Article
Improving the Performance of Student Teams in Project-Based Learning with Scrum
by
Sandra Fernandes
,
José Dinis-Carvalho
and
Ana Teresa Ferreira-Oliveira
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 444; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080444 - 19 Aug 2021
Viewed by 270
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of Scrum for project and team management in PBL teams in higher education. To attain this goal, a study was carried out to analyze students’ perceptions about Scrum as an effective method for [...] Read more.
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of Scrum for project and team management in PBL teams in higher education. To attain this goal, a study was carried out to analyze students’ perceptions about Scrum as an effective method for PBL teams. Based on two different editions of PBL that used the Scrum method with different characteristics in each approach, this paper aims to identify the best practices for effective team and project management and draw recommendations for successful use of scrum in PBL approaches. The authors used an exploratory case study carried out within an engineering program at the University of Minho, Portugal. The research design was based on an explorative quantitative and qualitative approach. Implementing Scrum in PBL teams helps students to keep the project running smoothly and draws greater awareness on how to manage the project and teams in a more effective way. Findings show that task assignment, performance monitoring, visual management and regular feedback were considered the main advantages of using Scrum in PBL teams, which had a positive impact on student performance. However, for the success of Scrum, students recognize the role of the Scrum Master and Project Owner as vital to guide the teams in a sustainable way. Research on the application of Scrum in Education is scarce and mostly exploratory. This paper is among the very few empirical studies consolidating knowledge on the implementation of Scrum approaches to improve learning in higher education. More specifically, it brings a valuable contribution on how to improve specifically team performance in PBL teams with the use of agile approaches such as Scrum. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Student Preferences and Satisfaction: Measurement and Optimization)
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Article
Student Surveys: Measuring the Relationship between Satisfaction and Engagement
by
Camille Kandiko Howson
and
Frederico Matos
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(6), 297; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11060297 - 16 Jun 2021
Viewed by 553
Abstract
This study explores the relationship between satisfaction and engagement survey items through an institutionally based survey, drawing on the two largest higher education student experience surveys in the world. The UK-based National Student Survey (NSS) was designed to inform student choice and drive [...] Read more.
This study explores the relationship between satisfaction and engagement survey items through an institutionally based survey, drawing on the two largest higher education student experience surveys in the world. The UK-based National Student Survey (NSS) was designed to inform student choice and drive competition and the US-based National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) was developed to provide actionable data for institutional enhancement. Comparing these surveys leads to a critical review of how such data can be used for policy decisions and institutional enhancement. The Institutional Experience Survey thus draws on findings from a survey of 1480 non-final year undergraduate students in a research-intensive UK university. Those who reported higher levels of engagement, measured across 17 engagement benchmarks, also reported significantly higher levels of satisfaction. Results are used to discuss the application of engagement-based surveys in the UK, compared to satisfaction-based surveys, and the benefits and challenges of both approaches. Conclusions are made about the usefulness of nationally standardised experience surveys, the different outcome goals of engagement and satisfaction, such as responsibility for learning and change, audience and results and lessons for other countries looking to measure the student experience. The paper highlights the need for a shift in perspective in relation to the role of student surveys in determining national and institutional policy from a student-as-customer approach to one that sees students and institutions as co-responsible for learning and engagement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Student Preferences and Satisfaction: Measurement and Optimization)
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Article
Revealed Preferences of Fourth Graders When Requesting Face-to-Face Help While Doing Math Exercises Online
by
Roberto Araya
and
Raúl Gormaz
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 429; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11080429 - 13 Aug 2021
Viewed by 623
Abstract
When in doubt, asking a peer can be very helpful. Students learn a lot of social strategies from peers. However, stated preference studies have found that for elementary school students with math questions, they prefer to ask their teacher for help. In this [...] Read more.
When in doubt, asking a peer can be very helpful. Students learn a lot of social strategies from peers. However, stated preference studies have found that for elementary school students with math questions, they prefer to ask their teacher for help. In this paper, we study revealed preferences instead of stated preferences. We analyzed the behavior of fourth-grade students seeking face-to-face assistance while working on an online math platform. Students started by working independently on the platform, before the teacher selected two or three tutors from among those who have answered 10 questions correctly. Each student was then able to choose between the teacher or one of these tutors when requesting assistance. We studied the students’ preferences over 3 years, involving 88 fourth-grade classes, 2700 students, 1209 sessions with classmate tutors, and a total of 16,485 requests for help when there was an option to choose between a teacher or a classmate. We found that students prefer asking classmates for help three times more than asking their teachers when given the choice. Furthermore, this gap increases from the first to the second semester. We also found that students prefer to request help from classmates of the same sex and of higher academic performance. In this context, students from the two highest tertiles sought help from classmates in the same two tertiles, and students from the medium tertile prefer to seek help from students of the highest tertile. However, students in the two lowest tertiles do not prefer asking for help from students from the top tertile more than from their own tertiles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Student Preferences and Satisfaction: Measurement and Optimization)
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Article
The Part and Parcel of Doctoral Education: A Gap Analysis between the Importance and Satisfaction of the Experience
by
Gregory Siy Ching
,
Yueh-Luen Hu
and
Amy Roberts
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(9), 481; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11090481 - 30 Aug 2021
Viewed by 221
Abstract
The doctoral student experience is complex and multifaceted, and although it is increasingly examined in higher education research, there is still much to explore and understand about the topic. Despite expanding discourse, few investigations have been conducted in the East Asian context with [...] Read more.
The doctoral student experience is complex and multifaceted, and although it is increasingly examined in higher education research, there is still much to explore and understand about the topic. Despite expanding discourse, few investigations have been conducted in the East Asian context with multiple universities and fields of study. The present paper aimed to overcome these limitations with research conducted in two Taiwan universities with 94 doctoral student subjects. The study was designed as a quantitative cross-sectional survey using gap analysis. Results showed that within three dimensions (experience with mentors, peers, and curricular engagements) nine distinct variables were validated. The importance of peer interaction and support from mentors were noted as key components for a successful, enjoyable doctoral experience within the Taiwan context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Student Preferences and Satisfaction: Measurement and Optimization)
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