Luzale D. Henson
Ronnie G. Cainglet
New Era University
How to Cite:
Henson, L. D., & Cainglet, R. G. (2024). Satisfaction survey of NEU’s 2018 integrated school (IS) graduation exercises. NEU Knowledge Journal: A Compilation of Researches of New Era University Faculty, Staff, Students, and Administrators, 1(1), 48-57. https://doi.org/10.64303/kj-urc-neu-iSSs2oeG8ue1N
ABSTRACT
Degree of satisfaction on an Integrated School Graduation Exercises was measured using an 8-item survey questionnaire with a 7-point Likert Scale (7 – Very Satisfied, 6 – Moderately Satisfied, 5 – Slightly Satisfied, 4 – Neutral, 3- Slightly Dissatisfied, 2 – Moderately Dissatisfied, 1- Very Dissatisfied). The eight items rated were Accessibility (ACCESS), Performance of volunteers and aides (AIDES), Orderliness (ORDER), Solemnity (FORMAL), Discipline (CONDUCT), Most liked (MOST), Least liked (LEAST), and Overall Experience/Satisfaction (OVERALL). The independent variables were the nine groups of IS graduates, namely: NEU-PAMPANGA (PAM), NEU-LIPA (LIPA), and the seven IS tracks in the Main campus. These tracks were General Academic Strand (GAS), Literary Theater Arts (LTA), Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Media and Visual Arts (MVA), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMMS), and Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM). The survey instrument was administered to 252 randomly selected respondents who were the graduates of New Era University Integrated School Class 2018. Sample size was calculated based on power analysis as recommended by Cohen (1988). The survey yielded 99.60% response rate and responses had an estimated internal consistency reliability of .89 (Cronbach’s Alpha).
One-Sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank test showed that the median satisfaction rating of graduates was statistically significantly greater than the hypothesized value of 5, Z = 8.769, p < .05, effect size (r) = .55 (medium according to Cohen, 1988). Kruskal-Wallis (K-W) test revealed no significant difference in satisfaction rating of groups when classified by strand (for main campus only), but there was significant difference when grouped by branch namely: Pampanga branch, Lipa branch, and Main campus, Chi-square (2, N = 150) = 17.567, p = .001, effect size (η) = .35 (medium). Post hoc Mann-Whitney U (M-W) test with Bonferroni correction showed that rating given by Lipa branch was statistically significantly greater than that given by Pampanga branch and also by Main campus. Rating given by Pampanga branch and Main campus were not statistically significantly different. Receiving of the diploma was the most liked part of the ceremony while length of the ceremony was the least liked part.
Keywords: Satisfaction rating, One-Sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test
INTRODUCTION
One of the findings of the satisfaction survey on the University’s 2017 Commencement Exercises indicated that an overwhelmingly greater number of respondents rated the ceremony as either Good or Excellent compared to those who rated it Poor or Very Poor on a 6-item, 5-point Likert scale. Moreover, almost all of the respondents overwhelmingly recommended holding the University’s 2018 graduation at the same venue.
In the 2018 graduation, a modified 7-point Likert scale was used instead of last year’s 5-point scale. In addition, the first 5 questions in the original instrument were retained and three more questions were included to find out the most liked, least like part, and over-all satisfaction of the graduation ceremony.
The population of interest consisted of IS graduates categorized into nine groups, namely: NEU PAMPANGA (PAM), NEU-LIPA (LIPA), and the seven IS tracks in the main campus. These tracks were General Academic Strand (GAS), Literary Theater Arts (LTA), Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM), Information and Communications Technology (ICT), Media and Visual Arts (MVA), Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMMS), and Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM).
This study aimed to determine the level of satisfaction of graduates who participated in the University’s graduation ceremony held on April 22, 2018 at the Philippine Arena, Bocaue, Bulacan. Two graduation ceremonies were held on the same day, morning session for the Senior High School with 1,974 graduates and afternoon session for the tertiary and graduate school with 2,725 graduates.
Research Questions
Research Question 1: What is the satisfaction rating of the graduates?
Ho: Mean satisfaction rating of graduates is 5 (Slightly Satisfied).
Ha: Mean satisfaction rating of graduates is not equal to 5.
Research Question 2: What is the satisfaction rating of graduates by branch?
Ho: Mean satisfaction rating of graduates by branch is 5 (Slightly Satisfied).
Ha: Mean satisfaction rating of graduates by branch is not equal to 5.
Research Question 3: Is there a difference in the satisfaction rating between branches?
Ho: There is no difference in the satisfaction rating between branches,
μ1 = μ2 = μ3.
Ha: Not all of the μs are equal.
Research Question 4: Which part of the ceremony is rated “most liked” by the graduates? Which part is rated “least liked”?
METHODOLOGY
Sample Size
The sample size was calculated based on a priori type of power analysis, fixed effects, omnibus, one-way ANOVA involving 9 groups, .80 power, .25 effect size (medium), and .05 significance level. For this specification, a sample size of 252 (28 cases per group) was deemed necessary (Cohen, 1988).
Survey Questionnaire and Distribution
The 8-item questionnaire concerned about (1) accessibility of the venue (ACCESS), (2) performance of volunteers and aides (AIDES), (3) orderliness of the graduation procedure (ORDER), (4) formality/solemnity of ceremony (FORMAL), (5) discipline/conduct of graduating students (CONDUCT), most liked in the ceremony (MOST), least liked in the ceremony (LEAST), and Overall Experience/Satisfaction (OVERALL). The first 5 items and last item were rated using a 7-point Likert scale, where: 7- Very Satisfied, 6 – Moderately Satisfied, 5 – Slightly Satisfied, 4 – Neutral, 3 – Slightly Dissatisfied, 2 – Moderately Dissatisfied, and 1 – Very Dissatisfied. On the other hand, the remaining two items (MOST and LEAST) were rated by choosing which part of the ceremony (Receiving of diploma, Speeches in general, Length of ceremony, Venue, Seating arrangement, and Organization of ceremony) the respondent liked the most and liked the least. Respondents were randomly selected based on their seats where they were designated to occupy.
Student volunteers were trained, instructed, and tasked to administer the distribution of questionnaire to the graduates. Surveyors were also instructed to distribute the questionnaire only when the graduates had returned to their assigned seats after they had gone on the stage. Respondents were told not to confer or communicate with anybody by any means while answering the questionnaire. To ensure strict compliance of survey instructions, four assistant researchers were also tasked to supervise the distribution, filling out, and retrieval of the questionnaires.
Validity and Reliability
The instrument underwent content validity check through the scrutiny of three expert instrument developers. They were asked to critique and rectify the items to satisfy accuracy standard. Internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) was estimated to be .89, greater than the .70 recommended minimum acceptable value for responses to be considered reliable or consistent (Bohrnstedt and Knoke, 1988).
Statistical Analysis
To answer research questions 1 and 2, One-Sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank test was used as an alternative to One-Sample t-test since the data set did not meet the assumption of normality. Rating from OVERALL was used to indicate overall satisfaction.
To answer research question 3, Kruskal-Wallis (K-W) test was used for the omnibus test and Mann-Whitney U (M-W) as post hoc test following a significant K-W test. These nonparametric tests were used since the data did not meet the assumption of normality. Moreover, the high or strong inter-correlation of variables (ACCESS to CONDUCT), which ranged from .42 to .75 suggests that a composite score could be formed and used to represent an index of satisfaction rating. Thus, a composite variable (SCORE) was created, which was the total score of a respondent in the first five items in the survey questionnaire (i.e., SCORE = ACCESS + AIDES + ORDER + FORMAL + CONDUCT). The variable SCORE was then used in comparing the satisfaction level of groups (i.e., Pampanga branch, Lipa branch, and Main campus).
To answer research question 4, descriptive statistics such frequency and percentage were used. Ratings from MOST and LEAST were ranked to indicate the most liked and least liked part, respectively, of the graduation ceremony.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Respondents
The survey yielded 99.6% response rate (251 out of 252). Frequency distribution of respondents for the variable OVERALL by level of rating is presented in Table 1.
Graduates were mixed in their satisfaction rating of the ceremony. Around 33% were Very Satisfied while around 52% were either Moderately or Slightly Satisfied and 12% gave a Neutral rating. The remaining 3.6% gave a combined Dissatisfied rating.
Research Question 1
One-Sample Wilcoxon Signed Rank test revealed that the observed median was 6, greater than the hypothetized median (5.0), Z = 8.769, p < .05, effect size (r) = .55 (medium according to Cohen, 1988) (Table 2). This finding suggests that the population’s level of satisfaction was above 5.0 or above Slightly Satisfied. In fact, the proportion of respondents under the combined Moderately Satisfied and Very Satisfied category (68.5%) is far greater than that under the combined Slightly Satisfied to Very Dissatisfied category (31.5%) (Table 1).
Research Question 2
A statistically significant result was obtained in favor of rating beyond Slightly Satisfied (i.e., >5 on the scale) for all branches. Furthermore, graduates from Lipa branch manifested the highest level of satisfaction, Median = 7, effect size (r) = .80 (large according to Cohen, 1988) (Table 2).
Research Question 3
A composite score (SCORE) was computed and used as the dependent variable to determine the significant difference in the satisfaction rating between branches. Also, K-W test was used because normality and homogeneity of variance assumptions were not met. Results revealed statistically significant differences Chi-square (2, N = 150) = 17.567, p = .001, effect size (η) = .35 (medium according to Cohen, 1988). Group pairs found significantly different by post hoc M-W test with Bonferroni correction (α = .05/3 = .017) are shown in Table 3. Specifically, the rating given by Pampanga branch was significantly greater than that given by the Main Campus and by Lipa branch. Ratings given by the Main campus and Lipa branch were found not statistically significantly different.
Research Question 4
The receiving of the diploma by the graduates was the most liked part of the ceremony (Table 4). A number of graduates noted emotional elements (such as walking across the stage, projecting their live image on screen, and having their names called) more important than anything else.
The length of the ceremony topped the least liked part of the ceremony (49.4%). This is understandable since there were 1,974 graduates during the April exercises, although perhaps some adjustments could be discussed that would shorten the ceremony.
Comments and suggestions related to the 2018 graduation were noted such as:
“Please allow the graduates to go to washroom/cr when needed”
“Cameraman should practice more. Hindi po nakita yong ibang gum-raduate”
“We should be given the diploma, not the greetings”
“Always respect the time…..please start on time”
“Separate the graduation day of SHS and college ”
“Please ensure the buses to come early and ready”
“Next time, please make the ceremony shorter because the students get bored”
“Free bottled water please”
“Free lunch please”
Positive comments were also noted such as:
“Thank you for making this day special unforgettable! Love it”
“Maganda, maayos at higit sa lahat disiplinado”
“Good preparation and etc”
“Organized”
“The flow of the ceremony was solemn…amazing”
“Indeed a memorable experience”
Solemnity (FORMAL) obtained the highest proportion of Very Satisfied rating 37.8% while accessibility of the venue (ACCESS) obtained the lowest proportion of Very Satisfied rating (19.8%) (Table 6).
The proportion of respondents under combined three positive levels of satisfaction (Slightly Satisfied, Moderately Satisfied, and Very Satisfied), which ranges from 62.7% to 84.1%, is overwhelmingly greater than that under combined three negative levels of satisfaction (Slightly Dissatisfied, Moderately Dissatisfied, and Very Dissatisfied), which ranges only from 6.0% to 14.3% (Table 7).
Thus, majority of the respondents rated positively ACCESS, AIDES, ORDER, FORMAL, and CONDUCT, with FORMAL (solemnity of ceremony) gaining the highest rating (84.1%) followed by ORDER (orderliness of the graduation procedure) (81.3%) (Table 7).
References
Bohrnstedt, George W. and Knoke, David. (1988). Statistics for Social Data Analysis. 2nd Edition.USA: F.E. Peacock Publishers, Inc.
Cohen, Jacob. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2nd Edition. USA: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
SPSS v23.
