The Role of Physical–Environmental Components of Campus Public Spaces in Students’ Intention to Continue Studying: The Mediating Role of Perceived Environmental Quality, Student Satisfaction, and Voluntary Presence Outside Class Hours
Keywords:
intention to continue studying, non-class-hour presence, student satisfaction, Physical–environmental components, university public spaces, perceived environmental qualityAbstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the role of physical–environmental components of campus public spaces in students’ intention to continue studying, emphasizing the mediating roles of perceived environmental quality, student satisfaction, and voluntary presence outside class hours. This study employed a mixed-method exploratory–explanatory design. In the qualitative phase, thematic analysis and expert interviews were conducted to identify key physical–environmental components of campus public spaces. In the quantitative phase, survey data were collected from 374 university students using a researcher-developed questionnaire. Data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS software. Reliability, validity, and structural relationships among variables were assessed. The results indicated that physical–environmental components had a significant positive effect on perceived environmental quality (β=0.893, p<0.001), student satisfaction (β=0.433, p<0.001), voluntary presence outside class hours (β=0.342, p<0.001), and intention to continue studying (β=0.237, p<0.001). Perceived environmental quality significantly influenced satisfaction (β=0.446, p<0.001), voluntary presence (β=0.205, p=0.002), and intention to continue studying (β=0.177, p<0.001). Student satisfaction significantly affected voluntary presence (β=0.435, p<0.001) and intention to continue studying (β=0.217, p<0.001). Voluntary presence also had a significant positive effect on intention to continue studying (β=0.351, p<0.001). Mediation analysis showed that satisfaction and voluntary presence partially mediated the relationship between environmental quality and intention to continue studying. The findings demonstrate that the physical–environmental quality of campus public spaces plays a critical role in shaping students’ environmental experience, satisfaction, and voluntary presence, which in turn strengthens their intention to continue studying; therefore, improving the design quality of campus public spaces can serve as an effective strategy to enhance student retention.
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Copyright (c) 1404 Abbasali Ranjbar, Maryam Shabak (Author); Nima Norouzi; Siyamak Nayyeri (Author)
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