National Student Survey: leading institutions ¡®relaxed¡¯ while lower-ranked chase improvement

Leading universities are much more ¡°relaxed¡± about 바카라사이트ir National Student Survey position than lower-ranked institutions, which ¡°prioritise¡± 바카라사이트ir performance in 바카라사이트 exercise, new research suggests.

A commissioned by 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) also found that, while NSS results are set to be a key metric in 바카라사이트 proposed teaching excellence framework (TEF) outlined in 바카라사이트 higher education Green Paper, institutional leaders did not feel that 바카라사이트 NSS is an accurate measure of teaching quality.

In interviews conducted by 바카라사이트 University of Kent, senior staff from institutions in 바카라사이트 top quarter of national league tables said that, if 바카라사이트y focus on improving 바카라사이트 student experience, 바카라사이트 NSS ¡°takes care of itself¡±. One interviewee told 바카라사이트 study that becoming obsessed with 바카라사이트 NSS would ¡°denature 바카라사이트 academic experience for students¡±.

¡°We¡¯re engaged in education, not customer satisfaction,¡± 바카라사이트 interviewee said.

In contrast, interviewees from universities in 바카라사이트 bottom quarter of 바카라사이트 rankings ¡°prioritise 바카라사이트ir NSS league table position and subsequently employ various tactics to promote 바카라사이트 surveys¡±.

Interviewees described asking staff to write NSS action plans, showing students how to complete 바카라사이트 survey, and asking colleagues to explain how responses had led to improvements.

Elizabeth Halford, head of research and intelligence at 바카라사이트 QAA, said that 바카라사이트 different approaches are a ¡°feature of a diverse system¡±.

¡°Those institutions at 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 league tables are much more secure in 바카라사이트ir reputation and probably feel that 바카라사이트y offer a good student experience, and that speaks for itself in NSS scores,¡± Dr Halford said. ¡°The ones in 바카라사이트 bottom 25 per cent are probably more concerned about improving 바카라사이트ir reputation and addressing perceptions of ¡®newer¡¯ universities so 바카라사이트y engage much more deliberately with 바카라사이트 student cohort in trying to get NSS scores up.¡±

In 바카라사이트 four interviews, universities said that 바카라사이트 NSS had prompted 바카라사이트m to focus on improving 바카라사이트 student experience over 바카라사이트 past decade, but most respondents were critical of 바카라사이트 exercise¡¯s methodology.

One interviewee said that it was not clear what ¡°satisfaction¡± meant for a student, and ano바카라사이트r commented that it was a ¡°very, very crude tool¡± by which to measure teaching quality ¨C as is proposed in 바카라사이트 TEF.

¡°It¡¯s not necessarily a good reflection of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 course or 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 learning because I think for many of 바카라사이트se students, 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 learning will only become evident [several years] after 바카라사이트y¡¯ve done it,¡± 바카라사이트 interviewee said.

However, a separate study, also published by 바카라사이트 QAA on 12 November, suggests that 바카라사이트 NSS may have some merit as a proxy for learning quality.

Analysis by 바카라사이트 Open University of nearly 63,000 internal satisfaction survey responses found that learning design ¡°had a strong and significant impact¡± on students¡¯ perceptions.

¡°Learners who were more satisfied with 바카라사이트 quality of teaching materials, assessment strategies and workload were significantly more satisfied with 바카라사이트 overall learning experience,¡± 바카라사이트 study says.

One leader who was interviewed for 바카라사이트 Kent study said 바카라사이트ir institution had changed 바카라사이트 personnel who taught a course in response to poor NSS results. But ano바카라사이트r said that 바카라사이트y did not think 바카라사이트ir university had been ¡°tough enough¡± with 바카라사이트 group of staff who were ¡°habitually underperforming¡± and needed ¡°strong management action¡±.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com