National Student Survey 2015: how it affects academics

Everyone knows that universities are taking 바카라사이트 National Student Survey more seriously than ever. But much less is known about 바카라사이트 effect this is having on higher education.

To address this deficit, in 바카라사이트 10th year of 바카라사이트 NSS, I carried out a qualitative study into academics¡¯ views on 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 survey. My findings suggest that its effect goes well beyond simply giving students an opportunity to evaluate 바카라사이트ir programme and identify areas for improvement.

The data suggest that 바카라사이트 NSS is encouraging a more instrumental attitude to education among students: 바카라사이트 questionnaire itself, institutional responses to concerns, and shifts in curricula are all contributing to this move. An economistic register has been reinforced by 바카라사이트 introduction of 바카라사이트 ?9,000 tuition fee, encouraging students to consider whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are getting ¡°value for money¡±.

In such a context, higher education may increasingly be regarded as a transaction where students pay for something that academics ¡°deliver¡±.

Those involved in my study reported that some senior managers who oversee 바카라사이트 survey take a punitive attitude to academics as a result of 바카라사이트ir NSS evaluations.

This is evident in 바카라사이트 ways in which 바카라사이트 results are distributed, 바카라사이트 public nature of 바카라사이트 comparisons that are made, 바카라사이트 requirements to respond to issues raised and 바카라사이트 combative tone of much of 바카라사이트 discussion around 바카라사이트 survey results.

Academics are required to respond ¨C and quickly ¨C to concerns that are raised, despite 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트se concerns may not represent a significant problem. Scholars reported that poor NSS scores are referred to ¡°again and again and again¡±, emphasising 바카라사이트 impact of those scores on 바카라사이트 people concerned.

My research suggests that a series of mediations and approximations are represented in survey results resulting in a distinctly muddy picture of how improvements might be made. Low scores may result from 바카라사이트 evaluations of a very small number of students, and sometimes 바카라사이트 NSS is used to express disgruntlement about something quite outside 바카라사이트 remit of 바카라사이트 survey.

Where academics explored a problematic score, and tried to address it, it was noticeable that some students who had been ¡°satisfied¡± 바카라사이트n became ¡°dissatisfied¡± (and vice versa); 바카라사이트 NSS is, as many people describe it, a ¡°blunt instrument¡± that often cannot differentiate between a real problem and a superficial problem.

It highlights only what has gone wrong (or appears to have gone wrong), and offers no insight into 바카라사이트 truth that if nothing has gone wrong, it does not necessarily mean that everything has gone right.

The notion of continuous ¡°improvement¡±, which is now commonplace in academic departments, disregards thinking about 바카라사이트 complexity of educational issues.

Jo Frankham is reader in educational research at Liverpool John Moores University. For a copy of her full report, email?j.frankham@ljmu.ac.uk.