Abstract:

Accumulated student’s experience on time modifies the evaluation and perception of key factors in the organizational model based on the relational coordination, a mutually reinforcing process of interaction between communication and relationships carried out for the purpose of task integration. Therefore it is of great interest to evaluate the effect of accumulated experience in the organization. The main objective of this research consists on identifying changes in the evaluation of the organizational model according to student’s accumulated experiences. It favors the promotion of mass-customized strategies for students according to the accumulated experience in the academic stage.
The research was done from a sample of 2329 students, with data collected in 2015, two groups were considered. First group of students located at the first and second year of grade (54%) and second group of students located at third, fourth and fifth year (46%) in the University Estatal de Quevedo (Ecuador).
For each group of students a relational coordination model was built by means of factorial analysis (FA). Later on, differences were identified amongst both groups. The survey was composed by 23 items related to Relational Coordination. Student’s perceptions on organizational aspects were measured through a Likert scale from 1 (no frequent) to 5 (very frequent).
The model I grouped 1268 students attending 1st and 2nd year. First five factors explained a 59.46% of variance. First factor, explained a 33.79% of variance with variables related to the dimension of the relationship (shared knowledge, mutual respect and shared objectives) and in profiles representing students and administrative officers. This factor is related to Institutional Coordination.
Second factor explained a 9.08% of variance and was related to communication (accurate, frequent and oriented to solve problems) and relations (shared knowledge, mutual respect and shared objectives) related to class mate’s profiles. It represents the cooperation with class mates.
Model II was composed by 1061 students of 3rd, 4ºth and 5th year. Five factors that explained a 66.71% of variance were obtained. First factor, 40.66% of variance, is mainly composed by variables in the dimension of relation referred to student’s profiles and administrative officers. They represent institutional coordination. Second factor explains an 8.91% of variance and it is composed by variables concerned to the communication dimension and related to administrative officers and lecturer’s profiles. It refers to institutional communication. Third factor explains a 7.5% of variance and contains variables related to lecturer’s profiles. This factor represents coordination with lecturers.
Both models are similar although differences were found as a consequence of the effect of accumulated experience. First factor, institutional coordination, remains fixed in both models with high levels of explained variance. Communication with lecturers is a key element repeated in both models, with some variations though. In the case of students in first model, communication with lecturers is key, but in the case of students located in the second model, communication is enriched by including other institutional profiles as administrative officers.

Keywords:

Relational coordination, quality, satisfaction, upper education, shared objectives, mutual respect, communication.