Education Survey

I came across an education survey report this morning that looked at the relationship between college students and their universities. Last month, two professors from the University of South Alabama presented the findings from a survey conducted in the spring 2008. They surveyed 1,025 University of Southern Alabama undergraduate students. The survey research goal was to uncover the relationship between students' perceptions that they are customers of the university and their educational attitudes and behaviors. Their research found 52% of their sample perceived themselves as university customers. Those who saw themselves as customers felt more entitled to complain. However, the survey research found satisfaction was the true predictor of a student's educational involvement, not whether they believed they were a customer of the university.

More universities are adopting the student-as-customer (SAC) model and treating students as customers. But what does this mean for educational organizations? According to the survey research, students who hold SAC perceptions tend to engage in behaviors and have attitudes that are not conducive to being a successful student. Education surveys like this one can shed some light on the education process for universities that are trying to find better ways to engage with students to create a more satisfying learning experience.

You can read more about this education survey at the Society for Industrial & Organization Psychology, Inc. website.