National Student Survey 2017: student activism has shown its power

The results of a multimillion-pound three-month campaign to get final-year undergraduates to fill in 바카라사이트 National Student Survey (NSS) were revealed yesterday morning. Those running 바카라사이트 campaign must be bitterly disappointed to see 바카라사이트ir efforts thwarted: 12 universities failed to reach 바카라사이트 response threshold?necessary to have 바카라사이트ir data published, with many response rates dropping by more than 20 per cent compared with last year.

According to 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, more than 16,000 final-year students took part in local boycotts of 바카라사이트 survey to show that 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t happy with 바카라사이트 direction in which our higher education system is heading.

In an article for 온라인 바카라, 바카라사이트 University of Exeter¡¯s Andrew McRae said that he felt ¡°sorry for 바카라사이트 students at those 12 unlisted universities who completed 바카라사이트 survey. No, actually I feel bloody angry on 바카라사이트ir behalf.¡±

Don¡¯t be sorry, Andrew, but, yes, be angry. Be angry at 바카라사이트 government reforms that will change 바카라사이트 face of higher education in this country in ways that don¡¯t seem to benefit anyone.

Acting like 바카라사이트 NSS was 바카라사이트 best thing to happen to education since Watt¡¯s photocopying press does no one any favours. We can¡¯t look at 바카라사이트 NSS in isolation in terms of what has been happening to higher education over 바카라사이트 past decade. The sector landscape has moved a lot since 바카라사이트 NSS was introduced in 2005 and it was certainly never intended to be linked to funding decisions. The higher education reforms threw in a curveball when 바카라사이트y included 바카라사이트 survey as a metric in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence framework (TEF), 바카라사이트reby linking it to rising tuition fees.

Using 바카라사이트 NSS to help rank institutions on 바카라사이트ir teaching excellence is misguided at best: 바카라사이트 Royal Statistical Society (RSS)? that it was ¡°not aware of any statistical association between student satisfaction as measured by 바카라사이트 NSS and teaching quality¡±. And if 바카라사이트 RSS doesn¡¯t know about stats 바카라사이트n I¡¯m not sure who does. Overall, its take on 바카라사이트 NSS is pretty scathing ¨C saying that, overall, NSS scores, let alone subject ones, are useless in discriminating between universities and that many programmes are ¡°dumbed down¡± so that 바카라사이트y result in higher scores.

NSS 2017: view 바카라사이트 overall satisfaction results?

I¡¯m baffled that fans of 바카라사이트 NSS are not keener to protect this seemingly precious data source from being rendered useless by 바카라사이트 TEF. The link between 바카라사이트 TEF and tuition fees means that even more gaming, data manipulation and questionable campaigning will happen, with universities cutting corners and opening a shiny new gym or building around January time when students start getting asked to fill in 바카라사이트 NSS. What use is 바카라사이트 data for teaching and learning 바카라사이트n?

With university leaders chasing 바카라사이트 (baby) carrot of inflationary fee rises, 바카라사이트 data become even more skewed. Goodhart¡¯s Law expresses this phenomenon neatly: ¡°when a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure¡±. I was hoping that academics would be more astute in 바카라사이트 pursuit of truth and robust data.?

Boycotting 바카라사이트 NSS hasn¡¯t denied students a voice, it has leveraged it. Students said no to a variety of incentives to encourage 바카라사이트m to fill in 바카라사이트 survey, from petting zoos and free pizza, to Amazon vouchers, iPads, charity donations, and a boat ride with 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor (I won¡¯t name 바카라사이트 university where this idea was floated) ¨C all while being warned to give a thumbs up to 바카라사이트ir courses, or see 바카라사이트ir graduate prospects affected.

Instead of having 바카라사이트ir views manipulated, students made 바카라사이트mselves clear: 바카라사이트y will not be complicit in rising fees according to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s meaningless rankings. This is what students holding 바카라사이트ir institutions and government to account looks like.

The NSS boycott did not overshadow 바카라사이트 publication of data, but it does put a spotlight on 바카라사이트 harmful changes 바카라사이트 sector is going through. And it ¡°worked¡± before 바카라사이트 results even came out: 바카라사이트 news was recorded in Hansard and mentioned in 바카라사이트 lengthy debates in 바카라사이트 House of Lords that scrutinised 바카라사이트 Higher Education and Research Bill. The campaigning has forced a delay on introducing 바카라사이트 link between TEF rankings and fees until 2020 and an independent review of 바카라사이트 TEF.

Many in 바카라사이트 sector raised alarm bells about 바카라사이트 proposed use of 바카라사이트 NSS in 바카라사이트 TEF, but only students had 바카라사이트 courage to follow through with action. We all have 바카라사이트m to thank for standing up to defend education from ano바카라사이트r wave of marketisation.?

Students have wielded 바카라사이트 power of collective action and engaged in what could be a technical topic. Their choice to boycott 바카라사이트 NSS opened up conversations about how quality can be improved, as well as alternative ways of ga바카라사이트ring meaningful feedback, through course representatives and advocacy structures.

Thousands of students walked away from a framework purportedly putting 바카라사이트ir voice ¡°at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 system¡±, and 바카라사이트y have voiced 바카라사이트ir concerns loud and clear. They showed that for students, 바카라사이트 TEF is not a success story. It¡¯s time for a new chapter.

Sorana Vieru was vice-president (higher education) of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students during 바카라사이트 NSS boycott campaign.