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Reviewing the NSS and New Approaches to Student Satisfaction�Differing Perceptions of Quality of Learning

Dr Harriet Dunbar-Morris PFHEA, NTF | Dean of Learning and Teaching, Reader in Higher Education

Dr Melita Panagiota Sidiropoulou | Senior Research Associate

16 November 2021

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Differing Perceptions of Quality of Learning

Scope

Perceptions/experiences of teaching/learning

inform policy and practice

strengthen voice of BAME students

Awarding gap

COVID-19

a QAA-funded collaborative enhancement project

Basics

Survey n=835

and focus groups (n=33)

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First- and second-year UGs

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Four Universities

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Data collection: 10 May — 9 June 2021

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Analysis

Split by ethnicity group:

with good ethnic diversity

mutual to partner

Universities

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Subject areas:

Health Sciences (236)

Other Sciences (347)

Business Studies (252)

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https://sites.google.com/port.ac.uk/qaa-bame-enhancementproject

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Findings

      • Experience of factors related to wellbeing falls short of expectation
      • Value of recordings of teaching materials was high
      • The contribution of online group work to learning was perceived as low
      • Engagement is higher on campus than online
      • Health science had a better experience than other subject areas

Low online for:

(i) working with teaching staff, not on coursework

(ii) discussing career plans with staff/advisors

(iii) participating in networks/communities/open courses external to the programme

38% perceived online group work to be valuable

Perception of Importance: 75%-89%

Experience: 34%-46%:

Feel member of a university community

Make university friends

Adequate support for mental wellbeing

73% perceived them to be valuable

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Focus on students by ethnicity

Overall satisfaction with teaching and learning

and preference for online studying

varied considerably by ethnicity

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Close the feedback loop

      • Improve future design/implementation of group work (It is still valuable, but has had limited impact online in 2020/21)
      • Explore the potential of recordings (Learning strategies; students as creators)
      • Flexible provision of personal tutorials to match blended learning
      • Integrate external networking and community opportunities into courses from the start
      • Encourage student participation in policy, co-creation activities, and further research

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NSS trends by ethnicity

Non-White

Higher Satisfaction for:

- Learning Community

- Organization and Management, and

- Employability and Skills.

- Black students least satisfied

- Asian students most satisfied

WHITE

Higher Satisfaction for

- most questions for Assessment and Feedback, and

- some questions regarding The Teaching on my Course

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UoP vs Sector:

Different trend this year:

BAME students slightly more satisfied than White students by 1%

(vs UK sector –lower by 4%)

  • Black students more satisfied with: Employability and Skills, Learning Resources and Learning Opportunities
  • Asian students more satisfied with: Academic Support, Learning Community, Student Voice, and the Students’ Union
  • White students more satisfied with: the Teaching on my course

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Staff perceptions of survey benefits and challenges

Overall

    • 44% satisfied with benefits of NSS
    • 85 course leaders/ questionnaires
    • 20% agree that benefits outweigh challenges
    • ½ agrees that student experience are useful tool for course leaders

Correlations between:

    • Understanding benefits
    • Seeing practical changes
    • Struggling with challenges (limited power, conflict of values etc)

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Being positive towards NSS and appreciating its usefulness

Some practical steps we took:

    • Got back to participants with findings & the way forward
    • Introduced a more localised approach to deciding how/when to communicate with students about responses
    • personalised one- or two-page reports for each course leader participant in the NSS.
    • Further positive changes to strengthen the voice and engagement of all stakeholders are planned…

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Among other things we learned that

  • Universities have a difficult task, to maintain a balance between the ideals of an educational institution and the demands they face as economic organisations and/or organisational ecosystems part of wider social environments and changes
  • Study experience: quality of teaching, pedagogic values, independent learning, active learning, community, sense of belongingness and connectedness, wellbeing and other support…
  • We recommend using our QAA project survey tool for your own evaluation and policy work
  • Communication is crucial; between:
    • Staff e.g. course leaders and leadership/management
    • Staff and students
    • Students
  • Organisational culture/ethos is multidimensional and can be fragile if one aspect is overlooked.
  • Quality of learning/teaching affecting and being affected by transitions
  • Covid-19:

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Thank you

Dr Harriet Dunbar-Morris PFHEA

Dean of Learning and Teaching, Reader in Higher Education harriet.dunbar-morris@port.ac.uk

@HE_Harriet

Dr Melita Panagiota Sidiropoulou

Senior Research Associate

melita.sidiropoulou@port.ac.uk