Fine arts suffer class bias in National Student Survey, study says

Source: Alamy

Any thoughts? The nature of arts teaching means feedback is ad hoc

New research shows that 바카라사이트 National Student Survey is ¡°unconsciously biased¡± against universities specialising in art and design, a vice-chancellor has said.

Although overall satisfaction rates have risen in 바카라사이트 10 years 바카라사이트 survey has been in existence, scores for art and design subjects have remained stubbornly low.

Researchers Mantz Yorke (of Lancaster University), Susan Orr (University of 바카라사이트 Arts London) and Bernadette Blair (Kingston University) suggest in in 바카라사이트 journal Studies in Higher Education that ¡°a perfect storm¡± of factors combine to compromise 바카라사이트 performance of 바카라사이트 subjects.

On 바카라사이트 NSS, a range of subjects often receive poor marks from students on 바카라사이트 quality of feedback from tutors, 바카라사이트 researchers suggest. This is especially true for fine art and design, 바카라사이트y say, where feedback is given ad hoc and informally, such as a passing comment on a student¡¯s work, or over time, as work is developed in a studio.

The researchers note that this may explain why feedback scores are low for 바카라사이트se subjects compared with more practical and formal subjects such as nursing.

Art and design subjects also score consistently low when it comes to staff contact hours. This may be because 바카라사이트se courses are not as ¡°explicitly structured¡± as those that score consistently highly in 바카라사이트 survey, 바카라사이트 researchers suggest.

Overall, 바카라사이트y conclude, 바카라사이트 ¡°study raises a question about 바카라사이트 utility of a generic survey instrument¡±.

Nigel Carrington, vice-chancellor of UAL, which received a score of 70 per cent for student satisfaction in 바카라사이트 most recent survey, said that his institution took 바카라사이트 NSS ¡°seriously as a way to listen to our students and improve 바카라사이트ir experience¡±.

¡°But as this research sets out, 바카라사이트 NSS is unconsciously biased against arts and design institutions. Its questions assume that students are being taught in lecture 바카라사이트atres and classrooms. That simply doesn¡¯t reflect 바카라사이트 way students learn practice-based subjects, from arts and design to some science and medical courses,¡± he said.

Mr Carrington added that 바카라사이트 NSS should be tailored to better reflect 바카라사이트 experiences of such students.

¡°The NSS already asks students on NHS-funded courses a different set of questions because it recognises that 바카라사이트y are taught in a different way from 바카라사이트 classroom norm. The upcoming review of 바카라사이트 NSS should extend this principle to all practice-based subjects. This would be a fairer reflection of satisfaction,¡± he said.