Key Factors and Theoretical Logic of Learners’ Satisfaction in Quality-Oriented Off-Campus Training Institutions: A Grounded Theory Analysis

With the implementation of the “Double Reduction” policy in China, quality-oriented off-campus training has emerged as a pivotal education format focusing on social literacy and future competencies. This study uses Python to mine learners’ review texts from Dazhong Dianping (a Chinese equivalent of Yelp), applies procedural grounded theory to identify key factors, and adopts the S-O-R model framework to elucidate key factors and theoretical logic underpinning learners’ satisfaction in quality-oriented off-campus training institutions. The research findings are as follows. First, learners’ satisfaction is significantly shaped by four categories of factors: external environment, learner characteristics, institutional attributes, and psychological perceptions. Second, each dimension within the four types of elements operates independently, allowing for individual effects on learners’ satisfaction as well as collective impact. Third, the mechanism of satisfaction generation exhibits a dynamic cyclical and promotional pattern. Fourth, the heterogeneity in training content can trigger differential factors in learners’ satisfaction generation. This study reveals that the influencing factors of learners’ satisfaction in quality-oriented off-campus institutions have a dynamic cyclical pattern from the psychological expectation stage, the training experience stage to the value judgment stage, which is conducive to deepening the understanding of learners’ satisfaction mechanism. JEL Classification: A21, I21.