Class Service Quality: Moving Beyond SERVQUAL

This paper explores the development of an improved measure of class service quality (ClassQual) in a university environment. By specifically examining data collected from seventy-three Information Systems students at two large universities in the midwest and southern U.S, the significance of different aspects of the class service experience is highlighted. Results of the ClassQual instrument indicate that both the level of faculty concern and course content impact students’ perceptions of the overall service quality (OSQ) they receive in a class. Approximately 42% of the variance in OSQ was explained in the study indicating that the students surveyed value the availability, respect, and interest provided to them by the faculty member as well as the worth of the course information and the faculty’s ability to communicate that information clearly. By better understanding the criteria important to students in their evaluation of a class service experience, we can more accurately focus on improving both the quality of instruction and the student experience.