Global Journal of Human Social Science, G: Linguistics and Education, Volume 23 Issue 8

researchers used a single-term scale to operationalize students' satisfaction, while others used multiple-item scales. The relationship between teaching quality and students satisfaction has been studied, and the findings indicate that the two constructs are independent but closely related, meaning that an increase in one is likely to increase the other (Sureshchandar et al., 2002b). According to Groundwater-Smith & Mockler (2003), the curricular framework must include thorough descriptions of the knowledge, abilities, procedures, and results at each learning stage. Again, the quantity and quality of student interaction should be the primary focus of the educator. According to Guolla (1999), satisfaction evaluates consumer psychology after using a product or service. Thus, students' satisfaction with their learning program is considered a cumulative satisfaction of the entire program of their study. As a dependent variable, students are the institution's valuable clients; their interests and satisfaction must be prioritized. There are empirical studies that used similar variables as the current study, which lay support to the current study's model and broaden the contributions to education enterprises worldwide. For example, Sun et al. (2016) developed and tested a structural model of satisfaction with university teaching and recommended that universities improve teaching satisfaction levels. Similarly, Astin (1993) claims high-quality interactions between students, their peers, and faculty about intellectually meaningful subjects produce the most productive learning outcomes. Kember (2004) opined that the exploration and assessment of the nature of teaching were teaching quality, and he described teaching quality as the gap between teaching plans and teaching activities as they were carried out. However, studies also assumed that students with greater learning and satisfaction would have a corresponding greater quality interaction with the instructor and other students (Shea et al., 2001). Teachers can use various instructional strategies, resources, and media to guide student learning and teaching objectives and student characteristics to improve learning effects and learner satisfaction and achieve students' learning objectives (Dewar, 2002). Based on the preceding discussion, the study suggests the following hypothesis: H1: Teaching quality (SERVQUAL) is significantly associated with students' satisfaction ii. Moderating role of e-learning between teaching quality and students' satisfaction Literature on information systems reveals that user satisfaction is one of the most significant aspects of determining system success (DeLone & McLean, 1992). Several factors, including teacher, student, course, system design, technology, and environmental aspects, affect user satisfaction in an e-learning environment (Arbaugh & Duray, 2002; Hong, 2002; Lewis, 2002; Stokes, 2001; Wang & Bagaka, 2002). According to Powers & Rossman (1985), student-faculty interaction, peer interaction, and a sense of literary inspiration in both the student and the student's peers strongly influence student satisfaction. Similarly, these aspects of student satisfaction were also revealed in studies of online courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels (Bailie, 2015; Diekelmann & Mendias, 2005). Issues that have to do with timely and useful contact with the teacher, guidelines that are crystal clear regarding the expectations of the course, enrollment support, student assignments and requirements, and data security have all been mentioned by previous research studies on online courses. Consequently, these issues can raise student satisfaction (Choy et al., 2003; Hara & Kling, 1999; Vonderwell & Turner, 2005). The previous areas can be further broken down into those that focus mostly on the delivery and content of programs. The availability of technology primarily drives student satisfaction with e-learning (Bower & Kamata, 2000). In general, those students are dissatisfied and frustrated while using technology in the course (Bonk & King, 2012; Hara & Kling, 1999). Thus, to successfully complete the course, online students must be conversant with the new technology being used (Belanger & Jordan, 1999). According to studies, e- learning is useful for meeting educational needs, particularly in developing countries, because it improves sustainable teaching quality and student satisfaction (Yekefallah et al., 2021). Similarly, universities and other tertiary institutions used digital media to make student education easier, uninterrupted and sustainable during the COVID-19 pandemic (Prober & Heath, 2012). From the preceding discussion, e-learning can boost the reaching quality and improve students' satisfaction. That suggests the next hypothesis: H2: E-learning moderate the relationship between teaching quality and students' satisfaction iii. Research model Following the extensive literature reviewed and hypotheses developed, the study conceptualized the proposed model in figure 1. The model shows the relationship between teaching quality (independent variable) and students' satisfaction (dependent variable). Similarly, the model presents e-learning moderating the relationship between teaching quality and students' satisfaction. Furthermore, the SERVQUAL model is adopted to measure teaching quality. Volume XXIII Issue VIII Version I 84 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 G © 2023 Global Journals Effect of Teaching Quality on Students' Satisfaction in Nigerian Tertiary Institutions: The Moderating Role of E-Learning Amid COVID-19 Recovery