Introduction
The relationship between student loyalty and the factors that lead to loyalty have been studied extensively in the traditional educational environment where interactions between students and instructors take place directly in physical classrooms on campus (Martinez-Arguelles & Batalla-Busquets,
2016). However, advances in information and communication technology (ICT) are changing all industries and sectors (Jun & Cai,
2001); higher education is no exception (Chow & Shi,
2014). E-learning is becoming increasingly popular in high education (Tsai, Shen, & Chiang,
2013; Wu,
2016) as the applications of ICT continue to provide a variety of teaching and learning options for faculty and students (Sarabadani, Jafarzadeh, & ShamiZanjani,
2017). E-learning can be seen as an innovative approach to the delivery of educational services through electronic forms of information that enhance knowledge, skills, and other outcomes of learners (Fazlollahtabar & Muhammadzadeh,
2012). In other words, e-learning is the use of modern ICT and computers connected to the Internet to provide teaching and learning contents (Beqiri, Chase, & Bishka,
2010).
E-learning can bring about many benefits for both universities and students (Bhuasiri, Xaymoungkhoun, Zo, Rho, & Ciganek,
2012). For universities, firstly, e-learning helps universities save substantial costs related to the investment in physical teaching and learning infrastructures (Arbaugh,
2005). Secondly, e-learning helps universities become more digitized and contribute to the formation of a digital and knowledgeable society where learning and knowledge sharing can be conducted in a simple and fast way at anytime in anywhere with the help of Internet enabled technologies (Taylor,
2007).
Thirdly, e-learning helps universities integrate further into the global educational environment (Lee,
2010). In particular, international cooperation and links in the field of teaching can take place beyond the boundaries of one country; for example, joint training programs in which domestic students are not required to go to a university abroad to study, but are able to receive full academic services provided by the foreign university.
For students, e-learning provides them an additional choice of learning style in addition to traditional learning (Hollenbeck, Zinkhan, & French,
2006). E-learning is not limited by time and space as it can take place at home, at work, or anywhere via computers or mobile devices connected to the Internet and the university’s e-learning system (Bhuasiri et al.,
2012; Kilburn, Kilburn, & Cates,
2014). This is particularly convenient for students who are learning and working at the same time (Wisloski,
2011). Finally, with e-learning, students can completely control the pace and rhythm of their studies as they are not required to attend physical classes on campus (Bhuasiri et al.,
2012).
More and more universities are implementing student caring strategies in the same way as businesses are taking care of their customers (Stodnick & Rogers,
2008). In other words, today’s students are seen as customers of universities and universities need effective measures to retain their loyalty (Martinez-Arguelles & Batalla-Busquets,
2016). Previous studies in the field of traditional business, e-business, and traditional education suggested a chain model of service quality, satisfaction, and loyalty where service quality affects satisfaction, and in turn, satisfaction affects loyalty (Jiang, Yang, & Jun,
2013; Jun, Yang, & Kim,
2004; Parasuraman & Grewal,
2000). The authors of the current study raise two important questions: (1) Can this chain model be applied to the e-learning environment? and (2) What is the role of e-learning service quality factor in this chain model?
Researchers have long examined the factors that lead to student loyalty in the traditional learning environment (Parves & Ho Yin,
2013). Few research efforts are focused on how key elements of e-learning service quality affect e-learning student loyalty through the intermediary role of e-learning student satisfaction (Martinez-Arguelles, Callejo, & Farrero,
2013). The authors of this study argue that not all e-learning service quality attributes impact overall e-learning service quality in the same manner. It is therefore imperative to discover what among e-learning service quality attributes are the most important ones that have impacts on overall e-learning service quality, and to evaluate the relationship between overall e-learning service quality, e-learning student satisfaction, and e-learning student loyalty.
It should be noted that previous studies on e-learning service quality were conducted mainly in developed countries, resulting in various e-learning service quality attributes (Dursun, Oskaybas, & Gokmen,
2014; Machado-Da-Silva, Meirelles, Filenga, & Filho,
2014; Martinez-Arguelles et al.,
2013). A handful of studies on e-learning service quality were conducted in emerging countries, especially Vietnam – an emerging country with a great deal of economic and educational successes since its economic reforms in 1986 (Harman & Nguyen,
2010). Vietnam’s higher education system is increasingly integrated into the international education system (Welch,
2010). Another important question that arises is whether e-learning service quality attributes that are extracted in developed countries can be applied to Vietnam? The present study contributes to the literature by answering this question.
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships among e-learning service quality attributes, overall e-learning service quality, e-learning student satisfaction, and e-learning student loyalty in the context of e-learning in Vietnam. More specifically, the current study aims to (1) identify key e-learning service quality attributes; (2) examine the relationship between extracted e-learning service quality attributes and overall e-learning service quality; (3) explore the relationship between overall e-learning service quality and e-learning student satisfaction; and (4) investigate the relationship between e-learning student satisfaction and e-learning student loyalty.
Literature review
An emerging strategy for enhancing the quality of service in higher education that attracts a significant public interest is a student-centered approach (Stodnick & Rogers,
2008). The core idea of this strategy is to consider students as customers and universities must try their best to provide the best educational services for students (Stodnick & Rogers,
2008), which will make students satisfied and loyal to their university (Martinez-Arguelles & Batalla-Busquets,
2016).
Although there are still some debates over what constitutes quality of service in different sectors and areas, most scholars and practitioners agree that quality of service is defined by the difference between the customer’s service expectations and experiences (Gronroos,
1990). Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (
1985) were among the first pioneers to pinpoint service quality attributes in the traditional business environment. They identified ten components of service quality: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, competence, courtesy, credibility, security, access, communication, and understanding the customer.
Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (
1988) condensed these ten factors into the seminal SERVQUAL scale, which includes the appearance of facilities, equipment, and personnel, collectively referred to as “tangibles”; the willingness to help customers and provide fast services, collectively referred to as “responsiveness”; the ability to perform the committed services correctly and trustfully referred to as “reliability”; the knowledge and courtesy of staff and their ability to bring about trust and confidence, collectively referred to as “assurance”; and the accessibility, easy to contact, and always strive to understand the customers and their needs, collectively referred to as “empathy”. The SERVQUAL and its modified variants have been used to measure service quality in many studies, although it also raised debates about if it is the most appropriate instrument to measure service quality.
In the area of higher education, service quality is defined as the difference between the students’ higher education service expectations and experiences (Stodnick & Rogers,
2008). SERVQUAL has been used to measure service quality in the traditional learning environment. Cuthbert (
1996) was among the first researchers to investigate the applicability of SERVQUAL to measure the quality of higher education services perceived by students. The author reported a low reliability coefficient for each SERVQUAL factor. The author ran a factor analysis of SERVQUAL items and extracted seven factors which were not the same as the original five factors of SERVQUAL. The study concluded that SERVQUAL might not be suitable for measuring the quality of higher education services.
Hughey, Chawla, and Khan (
2003) used SERVQUAL to measure the quality of service of computer labs in universities. After running the exploratory factor analysis, three factors were extracted, namely, staffing, services, and professionalism. In addition, other variables such as gender, academic standing and time spent in the labs were also analyzed to see whether these variables affected the quality of service experienced by students. The results showed that female students scored higher in services and professionalism than male students. The results also showed that junior students rated the lab staffing factor higher than senior students.
O’Neill (
2003) used SERVQUAL to measure the quality of university orientation programs. The author asked the students to evaluate the quality of these orientation programs as soon as the orientation was completed and 1 month later. The results showed that SERVQUAL was initially expressed by only one factor, but then expressed by three factors. Sahney, Banwet, and Karunes (
2004) used SERVQUAL to measure the quality of higher education services in India. After running the factor analysis, the authors concluded that SERVQUAL was expressed as one factor. However, both studies did not examine the relationships between SERVQUAL items and student outcomes; for example, student satisfaction. A study by Dado, Petrovicova, Riznic, and Rajic (
2011) used SERVQUAL to examine the quality of higher education services in Serbia who indicated that there was a significant gap between student expectations and experiences. Legcevic, Mujic, and Mikrut (
2012) used SERVQUAL to examine the quality of higher education services in Croatia; the results showed that for every element of SERVQUAL, the student expectations were always higher than the student experiences.
SERVQUAL has been a popular measurement scale to evaluate service quality in many different traditional service environments characterized by direct interactions between customers and employees of service providers. With advances in the Internet, ICT technologies, and the growth of e-commerce and e-services, the SERVQUAL turns out to be inappropriate for evaluating and measuring e-service quality characterized by interactions between customers and websites of service providers. As a result, a number of studies attempted to develop e-service quality measurement scales. For example, Loiacono, Watson, and Dale (
2000) developed WebQual, an e-service quality measurement scale which consists of 12 items: trust, response time, ease of understanding, information fit-to-task, tailored communications, intuitive operations, visual appeal, innovativeness, emotional appeal, consistent image, relative advantage, and inline completeness.
Yoo and Donthu (
2001) developed an e-service quality measure called “SITEQUAL” for evaluating website quality that includes four factors – security, processing speed, ease of use, and aesthetic design. Jun and Cai (
2001) identified 17 dimensions that are grouped into three categories for measuring e-service quality – online system quality, product service quality, and customer service quality. Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Malhotra (
2002) constructed a framework that can be utilized to measure e-service quality, consisting of 11 factors: security/privacy, assurance/trust, responsiveness, personalization, efficiency, reliability, flexibility, access, ease of navigation, site aesthetics and price knowledge. Wolfinbarger and Gilly (
2003) advanced e-TailQ scale, including four factors to evaluate e-service quality. These four factors are customer service, website design, security, and reliability. DeLone and McLean (
2003) constructed an updated information system success model with factors determining the success of information systems such as service quality, system quality, and information quality.
Based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, Han and Baek (
2004) developed a four-factor scale for measuring e-service quality. These factors are tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, and empathy. Yang, Jun, and Peterson (
2004) identified credibility, security, attentiveness, reliability, access, and ease of use as important dimensions for measuring e-service quality.
Based on the literature review, content analysis, and exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Malhotra (
2005) developed a framework for measuring e-service quality, which includes E-S-Qual as a core online service quality scale (efficiency, privacy, fulfillment, and system availability) and E-RescS-Qual as an online recovery service quality scale (contact, compensation, and responsiveness).
More and more universities are implementing student caring strategies in the same way as businesses are taking care of their customers (Stodnick & Rogers,
2008). Today’s students are seen as customers of universities and universities must provide the best e-learning service quality to their students (Martinez-Arguelles & Batalla-Busquets,
2016). Previous studies in the field of e-service quality provide a logical point of departure for future research in e-learning service quality.
In the US, Shaik, Lowe, and Pinegar (
2006) indicated two dimensions of online distance learning programs, namely, instructional service quality and management and administrative services. The instructional services mostly refer to classroom experiences with the instructor and information on the learning website of the university, while the management and administrative services mostly refer to services of help-desk, advisors, administrative staff, and university management. Lin (
2007a) used DeLone and McLean’s (
2003) information systems success model to find the factors that lead to the success of e-learning systems in Taiwan and found that three factors, namely, system quality, information quality, and service quality had impacts on the success of e-learning systems.
Peltier, Schibrowsky, and Drago (
2007) suggested six factors that can be used to measure teaching quality in the e-learning setting in the US; they are: interactions between students and students, interactions between instructors and students, lecture delivery quality, course content, course structure, and instructor support and mentoring. Among these six factors, course content is the most powerful factor in determining the online learning experience’s perceived quality, and the quality of interactions between instructors and students and interactions between students and students were not directly related to perceived overall quality of the course.
Wang, Wang, and Shee (
2007) developed and validated a multi-factor model based on previous research on the success of information systems to evaluate the success of an e-learning system in Taiwan. The results indicated three factors - system quality, information quality, and service quality, determining the e-learning system’s success. Lee (
2010) studied the quality of online education support services, the acceptance of online learning, and student satisfaction based on perceptions of Korean and American students. The results showed that the quality of online support services correlated well with online learning acceptance and student satisfaction for both Korean and American students. Martinez-Arguelles et al. (
2013) developed a scale to measure e-learning service quality in Spain and found four factors - core business (teaching), facilitative or administrative services, support services, and user interface.
Limited studies investigated the impact of perceived e-learning service quality on student satisfaction and loyalty. For example, according to Martinez-Arguelles and Batalla-Busquets (
2016), e-learning service quality in Spain comprises the quality of instructional services (teaching service or core service) and non-instructional services (administrative services, additional or complementary services, and user interface). In addition, the results indicated that each of these services has a statistically significant impact on perceived e-learning service quality, satisfaction, and loyalty.
Al-Samarraie, Teng, Alzahrani, and Alalwan (
2017) utilized the technique of Fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory to analyze the data collected from 38 students and nine instructors based on an interview survey. The authors identified information quality, task-technology fit, system quality, utility value, and usefulness as key factors that are very likely to have impacts on users’ e-learning continuance satisfaction.
Ozkan and Koseler (
2009) proposed a conceptual e-learning assessment model in UK consisting of six factors, namely, supportive issues, instructor attitudes, learner perspective, content quality, service quality, and system quality. This framework was statistically tested for content validity, reliability, and criterion-based predictive validity. The results indicated that the proposed model was suitable for the evaluation of student satisfaction.
Goh, Leong, Kasmin, Hii, and Tan (
2017) investigated students’ e-learning experiences in association with learning outcomes and satisfaction in Malaysia. The authors considered three learning experiences – course design, interaction with the instructor, and interaction with peer students as determinants of learning outcome and satisfaction. They indicated that interaction with peer students was the most powerful in predicting learning outcomes and satisfaction.
In summary, based on the theoretical foundations of e-service quality in the field of e-commerce (e.g., DeLone & McLean,
2003; Han & Baek,
2004; Jun & Cai,
2001; Parasuraman et al.,
2005; Yang et al.,
2004), a handful of studies were conducted to develop e-learning service quality measurement scales in higher education. These measurement scales have different factors, but revolve around important ones such as tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, ease of use, accuracy, security/privacy, contents, and timeliness. These factors can be grouped into three categories - information system quality, information quality, and service quality (Lin,
2007b; Wang et al.,
2007).
Although such scales contribute significantly to the measurement and assessment of e-learning service quality, they were developed in the e-learning environment in developed countries in the West (e.g., Spain, US or UK), or countries in Asia but with a higher level of economic development than Vietnam (e.g., Korea, Taiwan). Therefore, the current study fills this research gap by developing and validating an e-learning measurement scale in a comprehensive and systematic manner in the context of Vietnam.
Discussion and implications
In Vietnam, the number of Internet users has been increasing in the past decade, accounting for more than 50% of the total population (CIEM,
2018). Besides, the use of mobile phones (e.g., smart phones) connected to the Internet is increasingly becoming popular. Vietnam has about 129 million mobile phone subscribers (CIEM,
2018). The ubiquity of the Internet, technology-savvy young people, and a series of economic reforms implemented by the Vietnamese government after joining the World Trade Organization in 2007 create favorable conditions for e-business in general and e-commerce in particular in Vietnam to grow rapidly (Pham & Doan,
2014). The rapid growth of e-business/e-commerce also motivates the Vietnamese government and Ministry of Education and Training to invest in information technology and Internet infrastructures for Vietnam’s higher education system to quickly integrate into the global higher education system, including e-learning (VDIC,
2012).
Currently there are about 20 universities out of 278 higher education institutions (with 2,061,641 students) providing online education programs in Vietnam, and this number is expected to increase in the future (Vietnam’s Ministry of Education and Training,
2015). This shows that e-learning is still at the beginning stage of its development and has a great potential in Vietnam, requiring universities to constantly improve learning quality in general and e-learning quality in particular to bring about student satisfaction and loyalty. However, there has so far been no systematic and comprehensive research on this topic in Vietnam. The current research aims to fill this research gap.
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among e-learning service quality attributes, overall e-learning service quality, e-learning student satisfaction, and e-learning student loyalty in the context of e-learning in Vietnam, an emerging country. The results indicate that e-learning service quality perceived by e-learning students includes three factors: e-learning system quality, e-learning instructor and course materials quality, and e-learning administrative and support service quality. In general, the factors extracted from this study are quite similar to those extracted in previous studies.
Specifically, system quality, information quality, and service quality are the main e-learning service quality attributes in the studies of Alsabawy, Cater-Steel, and Soar (
2012), Lin (
2007b), Machado-Da-Silva et al. (
2014), Ozkan and Koseler (
2009), and Wang et al. (
2007), although these studies focused on the success of the e-learning system, not e-learning service quality. Martinez-Arguelles et al. (
2013) emphasized on core business (teaching), facilitative or administrative services, support services, and user interface; however, the power of their predictive model is limited with adjusted R
2 = 50.1%. Pham et al. (
2018) identified e-learning administrative and support service quality, e-learning instructor quality, e-learning accuracy, e-learning course materials quality, and e-learning security and privacy as the main attributes constituting overall e-learning service quality, but their study is of exploratory nature with a limited sample size of 142.
Today, universities are changing their strategy of managing relationships with students by considering students as customers and universities as providers of educational services (Kilburn et al.,
2016). From this perspective, the results of this study are also consistent with that of previous studies on online service quality in general, for example, Han and Baek (
2004), Jun and Cai (
2001), Parasuraman et al. (
2005), and Yang et al. (
2004), to name a few. These studies have emphasized on online system quality and online service quality.
The difference between this study and previous studies is that overall e-learning service quality in this study is a second-order construct which is composed of three first-order constructs: e-learning system quality, e-learning instructor and course materials quality, and e-learning administrative and support service quality. Moreover, the relative importance of factors constituting overall e-learning service quality in this study is different from that of other studies. Specifically, e-learning system quality plays the most important role, followed by e-learning instructor and course materials quality, and e-learning administrative and support service quality. This suggests that in Vietnam as an emerging country, where online technology infrastructure is still in the investment stage, e-learning system quality is critical to making contribution to overall e-learning service quality.
This study also shows that overall e-learning service quality affects e-learning student satisfaction and, which in turn positively affects e-learning student loyalty. It should be noted that overall e-learning service quality also has a direct effect on e-learning student loyalty. These results are consistent with that of previous studies in both traditional and online educational environments (Al-Rahmi et al.,
2018; Eom & Ashill,
2018; Goh et al.,
2017; Kilburn et al.,
2016; Shahsavar & Sudzina,
2017; Yilmaz,
2017). This may indicate that there is no difference between students in developed countries and emerging countries in the sense if service quality is good, students are satisfied, and if students are satisfied, students are loyal to the university.
This research contributes significantly to the literature by pointing out e-learning service quality attributes that constitute overall e-learning service quality in an emerging country context - Vietnam. In particular, overall e-learning service quality is a second-order construct which is composed of three factors: e-learning system quality, e-learning instructor and course materials quality, and e-learning administrative and support service quality. Moreover, overall e-learning service quality is positively related to e-learning student satisfaction, and e-learning student satisfaction is positively related to e-learning student loyalty. The noteworthy discovery of this study is that e-learning system quality is the most important factor perceived by Vietnamese students, followed by e-learning instructor and course materials quality, and e-learning administrative and support service quality. The implications drawn from this research for universities in Vietnam are presented below.
Of the three components that make up overall e-learning service quality, universities must pay special attention to e-learning system quality. In the e-learning environment, student learning is achieved primarily through interactions between students and the e-learning system. The e-learning system is manifested through the university’s e-learning website. Therefore, e-learning system quality can be considered as the quality of the e-learning website and is related to the capability of hardware and software used to meet online teaching and learning’s needs. Universities providing e-learning services must ensure that the e-learning system’s software and hardware are modern and compatible so that the e-learning system operates smoothly and reliably. Note that items that make up e-learning system quality in this study are primarily related to ease of use, security/ privacy, and accuracy.
Many studies confirm the importance of the e-learning system’s “ease of use” attribute. Ease of use here means easy navigation to facilitate students, especially for those students who do not have much experience in interacting with computers and websites, to search for needed information easily. In order to do this, the organization and structure of pages and information content displayed must be truly logical and easy to understand. A well-organized navigation structure will provide students a better sense of technology readiness and a greater enjoyment in learning. As students have more technology readiness and become more interested in learning, their level of satisfaction with the e-learning system will be higher and that is a measure of the e-learning system’s success.
In order to improve e-learning system quality, safety and security of students’ personal information must be adequately taken into consideration. Before, during and after e-learning courses, students’ financial and personal information is provided in transactions between students and the university via the utilization of credit and debit cards. Therefore, if this information is not secured, then negative consequences can happen for both students and the university. Universities must constantly upgrade their safety and security systems with advanced algorithms to enhance students’ trust in the e-learning system.
The e-learning system’s accuracy must also be adequately paid attention. Information displayed on the e-learning system’s website must be accurate, easily accessible, and reasonably organized, which will enable students to complete e-learning transactions and interactions quickly and accurately. As a result, students will be more satisfied with the e-learning system.
The second factor that constitutes overall e-learning service quality is e-learning instructor and course materials quality. This factor is also confirmed in many studies in developed countries (Martinez-Arguelles et al.,
2013). For a newly emerging country like Vietnam, this factor is even more important. According to cultures of many countries, including Vietnam, many people still think that e-learning is often not a kind of learning with good quality. Therefore, universities must recruit highly qualified instructors who are passionate about their profession and are well-trained (much better if they are trained in developed countries). Instructors must have both theoretical and practical knowledge, always care about students’ interests, and motivate students to interact continuously: student-student interactions, student-faculty interactions, and student-e-learning materials interactions in order to achieve a better learning outcome.
In addition to the recruitment of excellent faculty, universities in Vietnam must gradually improve their teaching and learning materials systems. Materials for teaching and learning should be well streamlined and logical so that students can easily feel what to do first and what to do next. Teaching and learning materials systems must be both theoretical and practical, ensuring that continuity and relevance are updated to meet students’ learning needs and more importantly, to make students enjoyed with learning. In addition, universities in Vietnam must further strengthen their cooperation with prestigious publishers in the world to gain access to modern and new book and teaching materials systems used for e-learning.
Finally, while e-learning system quality and e-learning instructors and course materials quality can be considered as core, e-learning administrative and support quality also makes significant contribution to overall e-learning service quality. This factor is also confirmed in studies in developed countries (Martinez-Arguelles & Batalla-Busquets,
2016). Many universities in emerging countrirs like Vietnam still do not consider students as customers to serve. This point of view can be very detrimental to univiersities. Thus, universitities must treat students as customers to serve and provide committed services to students. Meeting students’ needs such as information inquiries, course selection, enrollment, tuition, and other administrative procedures before, during and after e-learning courses must be fast, accurate, and convenient. Universities must maintain both physical and online offices to meet students’ information inquiry needs 24/7. Students will be more satisfied if their interests are always appreciated by university staff.
Universities in Vietnam must continually enhance the performance of three e-learning service quality attributes identified in this study. Improved e-learning service quality attributes will enhance overall e-learning service quality. The higher the overall e-learning service quality, the more satisfied the e-learning students. The more satisfied the e-learning students, the more loyal to the university the e-learning students. As e-learning students become more loyal to the university, they will register for more e-learning courses; after their graduation, they are very likely to return to study graduate programs online or on campus; they can be messengers to freely advertise about the university in general and e-learning programs in particular to their friends and relatives.