Information for Final-Year Undergraduate students 2018 HAVE YOUR SAY Information for Final-Year Undergraduate students 2018 www.thestudentsurvey.com

https://www.youtube.com/user/thestudentsurvey What? Why? How?

What? What is the National Student Survey (NSS)? CONFIDENTIAL UK-wide survey which collects information about students’ academic experiences In doing so, it supports public accountability helps inform the choices of prospective students provides data that assists institutions in enhancing the student experience Is for final-year undergraduate students Results of the survey are published and made available to higher education providers and student unions (via a dedicated portal) prospective students (via the Unistats website)

Very important to note … The NSS is an independent survey that seeks to gather honest opinions The NSS survey is independent of St George’s It is managed by HEFCE (soon to become the Office for Students) on behalf of the other UK higher education funding bodies It is run by Ipsos MORI, an independent research agency They will send you messages & reminders You will also receive messages & reminders from St George’s You should provide your true opinion of your course … …what you liked and did not like

Core questions in 8 categories … The teaching on my course Staff are good at explaining things Staff have made the subject interesting The course is intellectually stimulating My course has challenged me to achieve my best work Learning opportunities My course has provided me with opportunities to explore ideas or concepts in depth My course has provided me with opportunities to bring information and ideas together from different projects My course has provided me with opportunities to apply what I have learnt Assessment & feedback The criteria used in marking have been clear in advance Marking and assessment has been fair Feedback on my work has been timely I have received helpful comments on my work

Organisation and management Academic support I have been able to contact staff when I needed to I have received sufficient advice and guidance in relation to my course Good advise was available when I needed to make study choices on my course Organisation and management The course is well organised and is running smoothly The timetable works effectively for me Any changes in the course or teaching have been communicated effectively Learning resources The IT resources and facilities provided have supported my learning well The library resources (e.g. books, online services and learning spaces) have supported my learning well I have been able to access course-specific resources (e.g. equipment, facilities, software, collections) when I needed to

Learning community Student voice I feel part of a community of staff and students I have had the right opportunities to work with other students as part of my course Student voice I have had the right opportunities to provide feedback on my course Staff value students’ views and opinions about the course It is clear how students’ feedback on the course has been acted on The students’ union (association or guild) effectively represents students’ academic interests …and finally … Overall I am satisfied with the quality of the course Looking back on the experience, are there any particularly positive or negative aspects you would like to highlight? [open box comments]

Plus non-core questions on Work placements Social opportunities Welfare resources and services Workload Assessment Employability and skills Additional questions St George’s has chosen What is the single most important thing that would have improved your university experience? [open box comments] My learning has benefited from modules that are informed by current research

Why? Why is the NSS important? The results of the NSS provide an important dataset for a range of users: higher education providers and student organisations to identify good practice and areas for enhancement. prospective students to inform decisions as to where to study. funding bodies and Government to inform policy and for regulatory purposes. third parties that provide public information, such as league table compilers and student information websites.

In order for NSS data to be made publicly available to prospective students, a University needs to achieve for each subject a minimum of 10 respondents above 50% response rate To achieve these thresholds, all institutions are encouraged to promote the NSS to boost response rates … …including highlighting how your feedback makes a difference, how students’ opinions in previous years have resulted in change …

For Foundation Degree – Assessment & Feedback You said… Formative feedback is not always consistently provided We did… Feedback for formative assignments given using the same format as summative feedback. In addition, there has been more input on what feedback is, and how it should be used. Formative feedback is given by those in the module team that are also marking the summative assignment. Tutorials offered following formative assignments to discuss feedback and provide guidance

– Academic support You said… Email response by lecturers can take up to five days We did… Introduced WhatsApp groups that are accessed by course director which has allowed shared queries/ concerns to be followed up and flagged to relevant lecturers. Reminders about student and staff expectations in terms of timely communication. Reminders to staff to include clear out of office contact information

- Employability You said… Sessions aimed at preparing students to apply for jobs post-course were too late in the programme We did… Reviewed the timetable and these sessions, including interview skills and writing personal statements were moved to earlier in the year.

For St George’s at university level Student voice, closing the loop, student engagement You said… “[Course x] students only have 2 opportunities for feedback” “I don't know what issues are discussed to be acted upon, so I wouldn't know if there have been some changes or if they've been implemented. [Make it] clear to students what's been discussed so that we can take a note of any changes made and then give feedback on that, whether its a good change or not.” We did… Developed a new student online teaching feedback scheme across all programmes, for each module and each teacher, launching in January 2018 (not clinical placements, yet). built in “closing the loop” reflection on feedback and actions by module leader Introduced Student-Staff Liaison Groups for each programme, plus Environment & Learning Resources, from Spring 2018 Launched new Education Community Network meetings for staff and students, monthly.

- Virtual learning environment You said… “Moodle is a very awkward system to use and is slow and not responsive on mobile devices.” “Moodle is entirely un-user friendly and not intuitive” We did… Introduced a new VLE (Canvas) in September 2017 with all courses using Canvas by September 2018

- Feedback You said… “Informal feedback (e.g. from personal tutors, lecturers, clinical teaching staff or clinicians on placement) is usually excellent. The majority of staff are more than happy to help or point students in the right direction…. As far as formal feedback is concerned, there are several discrepancies. It would be very helpful if feedback were to be constructed in a more positive manner - ways to improve technique, ways to ask questions etc …” “There is no preparation given for exams no constructive feedback for after exams. They don't give you any past papers and you never know when you are going wrong.” “Results and feedback on certain assessment took too long.” We did… Wide-ranging internal audit on feedback headed by Prof Deborah Bowman completed last term; recommendations and implementation pending.

-Library & study space You said… “The library is so loud it's almost impossible to concentrate. People who talk should be asked to leave .” “There is sometimes shortage of rooms available for studying at St George's and this makes it hard to find adequate study environment when in the university” “Weekend library opening times should be as long as week days” We did… Employed security to staff during the day to control noise and conduct; moved main library entrance to reduce noise from social learning space Redesign library foyer to provide a better working environment Redesigned the SU bar to provide social study space during the day Opened up teaching rooms on Lv1 Jenner out of hours Extended opening hours to 24/7 from October 2017

- Environment (physical & virtual) You said… “Bad facilities in terms of places to study, eat on site, get coffee, etc.” “SGUL is a wonderful university that gets so much right.  I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.  It just feels, sometimes, that SGUL isn't very proud of itself, but it should be!  From my perspective, the only thing that lets it down is the lectures and the lecture theatres.” “Some of the lecture theatres could do with a refurb!” “We did… Refurbished LTs A, B & C [“I am pleased lecture theatres a,b,c,etc have had an overhaul.”(SES, 2017.  Yr2 physio)] Brought in PRET x 2 Created new, modern, small group teaching rooms from research space in Jenner New website being built during 2018 to transform internal info/coms and project St George’s effectively to the outside world

How? Dates and key facts summary The survey is open You’ll have received emails from Ipsos Mori to take part Non-respondents will receive a couple of follow up emails from Ipsos MORI, and may be contacted by telephone to take part We will also be emailing St George’s reminders (to everyone) We will be in touch with regular updates about completion rates The survey is confidential - information cannot be linked to an individual It doesn’t take long to complete It closes on 30 April 2018

We want to hear from everyone To encourage participation … There will be posters and info sessions like this You will get a free branded St George’s Notebook for completing the survey KEEP HOLD OF YOUR COMPLETION EMAIL FROM Everyone on a course (those that completed the survey) with a completion rate over 85% will get a St George’s branded hoodie. (It’s yellow this year!)

ANY QUESTIONS? If you would like to complete the survey now … www.thestudentsurvey.com