Maria Aparecida Gouvea

Distance Education on the Stakeholders' Perspectives: Students' Perception of Quality, Loyalty and Satisfaction Maria Aparecida Gouvea

This book evaluated Brazilian Distance Education (DE) considering students?, instructors? and institutional (coordinators? points of view) perceptions under a services marketing perspective. A case study was conducted considering Open University of Brazil Public Management undergraduate course. Study considered three stakeholders, students, faculty and course coordinators. Students? sample presented favorable perceptions of course quality, satisfaction, image, loyalty and institutional support. Significant relationship between perceived quality and student satisfaction was observed, as well as satisfaction and quality, directly and indirectly, influence student loyalty. Finally, image regarding the Open University influences course perceived quality. Instructors? sample did not show relationship among attitudes and participation in DE nor among perceptions of technology and DE use. Coordinators reported within the main reasons for DE adoption the opportunity to disseminate education to unprivileged areas. Results were positive, reinforcing importance of the study of DE under business perspective in order to conduct an strategical education management.