Student satisfaction and final grade predictors in the Visual Arts Teaching Methodology Course at faculties of teacher education in the Republic of Croatia

Marijana Županić Benić and Siniša Opić

Summary:  A sample of 489 students attending teacher education faculties in the Republic of Croatia were surveyed to examine their satisfaction with the Visual Arts Teaching Methodology course and identify the predictors of their final grades in that course. The results confirmed that students are satisfied with all composite variables (6), which measure different aspects of course quality, and the highest-rated composite variable was course organization. A Stepwise linear regression was used to identify the predictors of the final grades in the course. The analysis returned three hierarchical models with predictors that accounted for 14.6% of the variance in the criterion variable (final grade). An increase in the number of students in lectures, the number of classes missed, and the overall course satisfaction were predictive of higher final grades in the course. The assessment of student satisfaction with classes in higher education can identify the aspects of courses or study programmes that warrant further improvement. The students’ satisfaction with a course mostly depends on the quality of their relationship with the teacher and the quality of the teacher’s performance in class. Based on the results of previous studies, the assessment of teacher performance in class and the quality of the student-teacher relationships should not depend on the students’ final grade.