Abstract:
The growing demand for Open and Distance Learning (ODL) in Sri Lanka has
broadened access to higher education, yet research on students’ perceptions of
service quality in regional ODL settings remains limited. This study examines key
factors influencing service quality perceptions among school leavers at ODL centres
in four districts: Matale, Monaragala, Badulla, and Kegalle.
A 21-item questionnaire, based on the HEdPERF model and refined through expert
review, was administered using a five-point Likert scale. Sample adequacy was
confirmed (KMO > 0.70, communalities), justifying factor analysis despite the
modest sample size. The study extends the HEdPERF model by validating its
applicability in regional ODL contexts, emphasizing institutional prestige as an
emergent dimension, reflecting the contextual importance of reputation in Sri
Lankan ODL settings. A cross-sectional design yielded 162 valid responses (from
200), following the exclusion of multivariate outliers. Participants (aged 18–25,
60% female) primarily represented rural school leavers from middle-income
backgrounds. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) identified five reliable dimensions
explaining 70.67% of variance, retaining 16 items after removing low-loading
variables. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) confirmed strong model fit: (χ²(94)
= 138.751, p = .002; χ²/df = 1.476; CFI = 0.953; RMSEA = 0.055; GFI = 0.902,
meeting recommended thresholds). Composite Reliability ranged from 0.741 to
0.891; AVE values exceeded 0.502, and discriminant validity was supported by the
Fornell-Larcker criterion.
The study validates a multidimensional model of service quality in regional ODL
institutions,
identifying five dimensions: Environmental and Academic
Accessibility, Financial Accessibility, Institutional Staff Support, Institutional
Prestige, and Student Support Services. Student Support was strongly linked to
engagement and well-being; Financial Accessibility to inclusivity; and Institutional
Prestige to trust and affiliation. Students assessed institutional quality through
affordability, access, image, and support systems. These findings offer strategic
insights for enhancing satisfaction, retention, and competitiveness. Limitations
include a small, regionally confined sample and cross-sectional design limiting
causal inference.
