Modeling students' mathematics achievement and performance through teaching quality: SERVQUAL perspective

Purpose - This study explored the effect of mathematics teaching quality on mathematics achievement among undergraduate students, using the SERVQUAL model. Design/methodology/approach - The sample comprised of 320 first-year undergraduate students of a public university in Ghana. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was run in Amos (v.23) to test the various hypotheses. Findings - The study concluded that the tangible aspect of the SERVQUAL model (service quality), which is very instrument in some service industries such as the airline, had no significant effect on mathematics achievement. Mathematics teaching reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy, however, had significant positive effects on mathematics achievement among undergraduate students. Research limitations/implications - The study assessed the effects of the individual dimensions of SERVQUAL on mathematics achievement, and it was realized that the tangible dimension had no significant effect. Tangibles may however compliment the other dimensions and is therefore imperative to also assess the effect of service quality (as a higher/second order variable) with the five dimensions as its first-order variables. Practical implications - Human resources (lecturers) were seen as a strategic tool in enhancing students' academic performance and mathematics performance to be specific. Management of universities is therefore expected to invest in building, training and developing their human resources for an enhanced academic performance of students, especially in mathematics. Originality/value - Although some past studies have applied SERVQUAL to teaching and learning researches, attention was largely focused on the measurement or assessment of teaching quality using SERVQUAL, with little attention on the effect of SERVQUAL on an outcome variable.