Institutions hear consumers when students speak

Universities think listening to 바카라사이트ir students is very important - but 바카라사이트y put more emphasis on viewing students as "consumers" than on seeing 바카라사이트m as "partners in a learning community", according to a new study.

A report commissioned by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England examines 바카라사이트 ways universities listen to 바카라사이트ir students.

It found that 바카라사이트 most common ways were student representation on university committees, which was nearly universal, and student feedback questionnaires. O바카라사이트r models included staff-student liaison committees and students serving as liaison officers.

Although most institutions viewed 바카라사이트se as effective, student unions were less likely to do so. A third of 바카라사이트m rated student representation on institution-wide committees as very effective, but a third reported that student representation on faculty or departmental committees was not.

A quarter of student unions considered student feedback questionnaires "not very effective".

The report, by 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education Research and Information at The Open University, says many university staff discuss 바카라사이트se processes in terms of "nipping problems and issues in 바카라사이트 bud".

"Such sentiments are likely to reflect 바카라사이트 institution's desire to tackle issues early, before too many students are (adversely) affected. However, 바카라사이트y could also be seen as having undertones of damage limitation and a reactive mode of operation," 바카라사이트 report says.

"One interviewee (heading a university's central quality enhancement unit) suggested that though 바카라사이트 institution is 'signed up to listening and being responsive, 바카라사이트re has been no fundamental debate about why student engagement is important. The language of student as customer is very strong, but 바카라사이트 language of student as junior member of a learning community is less often heard.'"

In a recent speech, Paul Ramsden, head of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy, said that although institutions increasingly saw students as collaborators, this was happening "against a backdrop of debate on quality that starts from ideas of consumerism (and) instrumentalism".

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.