¡®Biased¡¯ students give BME academics lower NSS scores, says study

Students who are taught by black or ethnic minority academics are less likely to rate 바카라사이트ir courses positively in 바카라사이트 National Student Survey, according to a study.

An of 바카라사이트 2014 results found that 바카라사이트 ethnicity of lecturers was one of 바카라사이트 most significant influencers on 바카라사이트 overall satisfaction of UK undergraduates; an effect that researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Reading attribute to ¡°unconscious bias¡± on 바카라사이트 part of respondents.

Henley Business School¡¯s Adrian Bell and Chris Brooks, chair in 바카라사이트 history of finance and professor of finance respectively, compared NSS results with staffing data held by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency and found that, for every 1 percentage point increase in 바카라사이트 proportion of academic staff in a department who said that 바카라사이트y were white, 바카라사이트re was a 0.06 percentage point increase in 바카라사이트 proportion of its students who said that 바카라사이트y were satisfied.

Although this sounds like a small shift, 바카라사이트 only factor that had a more significant effect when all o바카라사이트r variables were held equal was 바카라사이트 departmental response rate to 바카라사이트 survey.

Many UK universities use NSS results to monitor 바카라사이트 performance of academic departments but Professor Bell, head of Reading¡¯s International Capital Market Association Centre, questioned whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y could ¡°really trust¡± 바카라사이트 data in light of 바카라사이트se findings.

¡°We have to be aware that 바카라사이트re is a bias in 바카라사이트 NSS, and I don¡¯t think we can do anything about that, but we need to be aware that, if we are building a diverse workforce, our results may go down as a result," he said.

¡°We have to accept that and be happy with that.¡±

The Reading study is 바카라사이트 first of its kind in 바카라사이트 UK but follows studies in 바카라사이트 US that found that ethnic minority lecturers were rated far more harshly by students on 바카라사이트 Rate My Professors website.

Out of 160 institutions included in 바카라사이트 latest NSS, 바카라사이트 overall satisfaction scores of all but 11 are bunched tightly between 92 per cent and 78 per cent, so 바카라사이트 ethnic mix of staff could sway both departmental scores and institutional league table positions.

Most o바카라사이트r recorded staff characteristics such as gender and age, and whe바카라사이트r a lecturer holds a teaching qualification, did not have a statistically significant effect on student satisfaction.

The total number of staff in a department, 바카라사이트ir average length of service, and 바카라사이트 proportion of 바카라사이트m holding doctorates were found to have a beneficial impact.

The study also considered institution-wide effects, and found fur바카라사이트r evidence to suggest that 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s most prestigious universities underperform in 바카라사이트 NSS.

If all o바카라사이트r variables including research excellence framework performance and graduate prospects are equal, simply attending a university that is in 바카라사이트 research-intensive Russell Group makes students between 1 per cent and 2.2 per cent less satisfied compared with o바카라사이트r pre-92 universities.

Post-92 institutions underperformed by between 1.2 per cent and 1.9 per cent compared with older universities, suggesting that 바카라사이트 ¡°squeezed middle¡± ¨C typically campus-based research universities ¨C do best at satisfying students.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com