English Program Service Quality and Student Satisfaction at a Southern Chinese University: An Empirical Study Utilizing an Important-Performance Analysis (IPA) Matrix

Abstract

This research paper explores the relationship between perceived service quality of a college English program and student satisfaction in a public university in Southern China. An action priority matrix was developed to aid administrators, at the departmental and school level, allocate limited resources to identified areas of priority. A convenience sample of 2954 first-year students from 18 departments volunteered to take a survey on attitudes related to aspects of the English program in the first semester, including views on the physical learning environment, institution, faculty, course content, and interaction/communication. Using the importance-performance analysis (IPA) technique, this study found that classroom environment was considered the most important for the English program, while instruction methods such as individual and group presentation were the least important. For service quality, the best performance was connected to instructors, while the most negative relates to social opportunities, grading, and instruction methods. This study also found that first-year students prioritized CET4 test-taking skills and knowledge in the classroom. Chinese developed Apps for English learning were considered ineffective platforms for English learning. Evidence shows that female students placed greater importance on classroom environment and facilities, while males emphasized more on learning technologies.