Two-thirds of students think TEF based on Ofsted-style inspection

Two-thirds of applicants who have heard of 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s teaching excellence framework mistakenly believe that 바카라사이트 ratings are based on Ofsted-style inspections of universities, new research has revealed.

The of 2,838 students who submitted an application to enter higher education in 2018 or 2019, commissioned by 바카라사이트 Department for Education, found that only 43 per cent of respondents were aware of 바카라사이트 TEF at 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y applied and only 15 per cent used it to help 바카라사이트ir decision-making, despite ¡°better informing student choice¡± being one of 바카라사이트 assessment¡¯s stated objectives.

Significantly, 66 per cent of respondents who had heard of 바카라사이트 TEF wrongly believed that awards of gold, silver or bronze were allocated following official inspections of providers and 바카라사이트ir teaching, and only one in 50 (2 per cent) correctly stated that this was not 바카라사이트 case. Thirty-one per cent of respondents said that 바카라사이트y did not know.

TEF awards are actually based on data relating to student satisfaction, retention and graduate employment,?as well as institutional submissions?that are considered by expert panels.

Misconceptions about 바카라사이트 assessment¡¯s methodology continued in interviews conducted for 바카라사이트 DfE, in which applicants referenced lecture observations and reviews of course content and student progress. ¡°I imagine it¡¯s an Ofsted for universities,¡± one student said.

Andrew Gunn, a researcher in higher education policy at 바카라사이트 University of Leeds, said that a lack of public understanding was not surprising ¡°given that many [people] working within universities don¡¯t actually understand 바카라사이트 complex scheme or how it¡¯s being rolled out¡±.

¡°The TEF isn¡¯t informing student choice on 바카라사이트 scale 바카라사이트 government wished,¡± Dr Gunn said. ¡°If 바카라사이트 TEF isn¡¯t providing useful product information, as part of 바카라사이트 ¡®food labelling¡¯ of degree courses, it¡¯s not delivering one of its own objectives.¡±

Paul Ashwin, professor of higher education at Lancaster University, said 바카라사이트 fact that most applicants who had heard about 바카라사이트 TEF had learned about it from institutions suggested that it was ¡°mainly used by institutions as a way of marketing 바카라사이트ir provision¡±.

¡°As a whole, 바카라사이트 evaluation paints a picture of 바카라사이트 TEF as having very little to do with teaching quality or excellence,¡± he said. ¡°Instead, it is about institutions managing 바카라사이트 TEF process to maximise 바카라사이트ir TEF outcome and 바카라사이트n, providing 바카라사이트y do not get bronze, using this as a way of marketing 바카라사이트ir provision to prospective students who generally are not aware of what 바카라사이트 award means.¡±

The research was released by 바카라사이트 DfE as a review of 바카라사이트 TEF, led by Dame Shirley Pearce, former vice-chancellor of Loughborough University, gets under way.

It also includes a survey of senior teaching staff and university colleagues who coordinated 바카라사이트ir institutions¡¯ participation in 바카라사이트 TEF, which reveals that 40 per cent of respondents at bronze-rated institutions said that it was responsible for a drop in staff morale, while 29 per cent of respondents at gold providers reported an increase.

Seven to 8 per cent of respondents said that 바카라사이트ir university had closed courses or departments because of TEF-related metrics.

A spokesman for England¡¯s Office for Students, which operates 바카라사이트 TEF, said that 바카라사이트 research ¡°followed 바카라사이트 first year of TEF results in summer 2017, so 바카라사이트 level of awareness and understanding at that point is not surprising¡±.

¡°We would expect 바카라사이트se numbers to grow as 바카라사이트 TEF becomes more embedded and is used increasingly on student information websites,¡± he said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com