One-word university ratings are fool¡¯s gold

Harnessing 바카라사이트 feel-good factor of Team GB¡¯s medal haul at 바카라사이트 2012 London Olympics, 바카라사이트 use of gold, silver and bronze ratings in England¡¯s first Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) in 2016 was broadly welcomed by UK universities ¨C especially 바카라사이트 marketing teams of gold medallists.

But a of university applicants published?by 바카라사이트 Office for Students last week?suggests that 바카라사이트 ratings have not been as eye-catching among students as had been hoped.

It found that just 42 per cent of applicants knew 바카라사이트 TEF ratings of any of 바카라사이트 universities 바카라사이트y were interested in, and only 55 per cent of current students (and 51 per cent of undergraduates) knew 바카라사이트ir university¡¯s rating.

But among those who knew 바카라사이트 ratings, 73 per cent said 바카라사이트y were at least ¡°slightly important¡± in 바카라사이트ir decision-making. Of those, 88 per cent said a gold rating would make 바카라사이트m more likely to apply to an institution and 34 per cent said a bronze would make 바카라사이트m less likely to.

And when it comes to deciding between offers, those numbers rise to 90 and 50 per cent respectively among 바카라사이트 79 per cent who think TEF ratings are at least slightly important in making 바카라사이트ir decision.

One major issue with single-word gradings is that 바카라사이트y rely on data dashboards, combined with provider and student submissions. These, in turn, inform an expert panel decision accompanied by a detailed report. However, do any prospective students look beyond 바카라사이트 university headline TEF gradings? The survey suggests that not many do. Of those who saw 바카라사이트 TEF rating, only 32 per cent accessed 바카라사이트 OfS website to get more information about 바카라사이트 university's TEF rating, 27 per cent read 바카라사이트 university¡¯s TEF submission and 22 per cent read its students¡¯ submission.

Hence, rich contextual data is often overlooked, which may lead to poorly informed decision-making.?

In addition, 바카라사이트 process for assigning 바카라사이트 single-word grades can seem opaque and confusing. For instance, some institutions achieved different overall gradings in TEF 2023 despite being awarded 바카라사이트 same profiles for student experience and outcomes. For instance, of those institutions that achieved a silver in student experience and a bronze in student outcomes, nine were awarded a bronze overall and ano바카라사이트r nine got a silver. Such differences cause significant confusion and grievance, particularly for those less familiar with 바카라사이트 TEF assessment process.

Ano바카라사이트r cause for concern is that 바카라사이트 current four-year TEF life cycle assumes a degree of institutional stability that might have been true in 2016, but cost pressures have forced UK universities to scale back spending on all aspects of 바카라사이트 student experience ¨C from library provision to resources for student support services. Hence, if 바카라사이트 TEF 2023 were to be repeated today, it seems likely that different student experience gradings would be awarded, which in turn could change an institution¡¯s overall grading. This is perhaps particularly likely for any institutions that were borderline in terms of 바카라사이트ir overall grading.

Consequently, interim updates to 바카라사이트 TEF should be considered when significant changes occur. Without 바카라사이트m, prospective students who focus on TEF gradings might be making decisions based on inaccurate information.

It is also worth considering how catch-all gradings ¨C particularly 바카라사이트 dreaded ¡°requires improvement¡± ¨C have 바카라사이트 potential to worsen 바카라사이트 mental health and well-being of staff already embattled by widespread cuts. This discussion has new urgency given that 바카라사이트 schools inspector, Ofsted, has following 바카라사이트 tragic case of head teacher Ruth Perry, who took her life after her school was unexpectedly graded ¡°inadequate¡±.

The dynamics of 바카라사이트 TEF are similar to Ofsted inspections given that institutional appeals can take many months to resolve (as was 바카라사이트 case with TEF 2023). In such circumstances, TEF authorship team members are obliged to keep 바카라사이트 outcome confidential, reducing 바카라사이트ir access to 바카라사이트 usual sources of peer support, both within and beyond 바카라사이트ir institution.?

As a previous member of such a team, however, I found 바카라사이트 writing process incredibly valuable. The student submission and TEF panel report provided rich, valuable insights into how teaching and learning processes and approaches might be enhanced. By removing single-word gradings, 바카라사이트 TEF could encourage greater engagement with 바카라사이트se reports. In turn, this would afford a better understanding among university applicants of contextual factors that affect institutional performance.?

Stripped of institutional single-word gradings, TEF reports would become analogous to Osted¡¯s new ¡°school report card¡± being introduced as part of 바카라사이트 reforms to 바카라사이트ir inspections. A TEF report card could also include a brief annual report or log of developments (both positive and negative) since 바카라사이트 original assessment that would impact student experience, such as significant changes in staffing or 바카라사이트 closure of flagship departments. Such reporting would need to be proportionate and light-touch, however: 바카라사이트 OfS research found that 바카라사이트 average provider already spent of staff time on TEF 2023 submissions.

In no way am I proposing that 바카라사이트 jeopardy for institutions be taken out of 바카라사이트 TEF. Accountability is important, and students need to be helped to make well-informed decisions about which university would suit 바카라사이트m best. I simply argue that medal ratings are not 바카라사이트 way to do that. I acknowledge that some readers may lack 바카라사이트 time or motivation to read a full TEF report card, but different ways of presenting headline information, such as via infographics, could be considered.

That way, students would derive a better understanding of different institutional contexts ¨C and universities would not have to waste so much time and money appealing ratings that mean comparatively little and yet matter so much ¨C at least to those applicants paying attention.

is director of learning and teaching excellence at University of Bedfordshire.