The National Student Survey (NSS) Presentation and discussion of the NSS 2013 results Stuart Laing; Strategic Planning Office; Academic Standards, Registry; CLT and the SU October 2013

Introduction – Professor Stuart Laing University results – Strategic Planning Office How the Students’ Union use the results – SU How the Centre for Learning and Teaching use the results – CLT Opportunity for some discussion and sharing of good practice – CLT Outline

Within the University’s quality assurance framework Results are circulated to Heads of School, Deans and course leaders Action plans for low performing courses are reported to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Health process – NSS outcomes and actions discussed at course/school boards, School reports considered in mid-December Course leaders talk to their students about the results CLT review the outcomes and work with Schools Students’ Union work with course reps to use results with current students How the results are used at Brighton

Transformational learning experience: Strategic Plan KPI 1a: to improve our institutional NSS score for satisfaction with ‘teaching on the course’ to 90% by 2015

Digital transformation Strategic Plan KPI 7b: to achieve 90% satisfaction score in NSS Q17: ‘I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to’

The National Student Survey (NSS) Results Penny Jones and Rachel Bowden, SPO October 2013

Insert NSS Marketing poster 2013

About 4,000 of our final year students are asked to complete the National Student Survey from January to April every year. It has become one of the key ways we find out about our students’ views and experience of their course. It enables us to benchmark ourselves against other similar courses and subject areas in the sector. It has helped focussed the University’s attention on driving improvements, building on what we do well and starting a dialogue with our students. What is the NSS?

23 questions 5 point scale – Definitely agree to definitely disagree 6 main sections, questions The teaching on my course 2. Assessment and feedback 3. Academic support 4. Organisation and Management 5. Learning resources 6. Personal Development Question 22 – overall satisfaction Question 23 – satisfaction with the SU Additional questions Comments The survey

The NSS 2013 internal results were the best to date for Brighton We increased our response rate from 67% to 72% Our score on overall satisfaction increased from 82% to 86%. 87% of respondents said they would recommend the university All questions/ question sections either maintained result or improved NSS 2013 results for the University

Overall satisfaction Courses on the up: Eng Lang & Media Textile Design for Fashion International Business Economics and Finance Law with Business Mathematics International Events Management International Tourism Management Podiatry Nursing MPharm

The teaching on my course

Assessment and feedback

Academic Support Key observations Supportive, helpful, available, approachable, friendly !

Organisation and management

Learning Resources

Personal Development

Ranking University of Brighton Scores

The sample population for NSS 2014 will be compiled and circulated to Heads of School for checking during October 2013 The survey period runs from January until the end of April 2014 Response rates are updated weekly and reports circulated to Heads of School and posted on the SPO staffcentral pages. Information and ideas on increasing student engagement with the survey can be found here NSS 2014 Preparations

The NSS Steering Group is chaired by Sarah Plumeridge, Academic Standards, Registry, with members from SPO, M&C, CLT and the Students’ Union Information for staff on the NSS is available here: Response rate updates, annual results and reports are available on the SPO staffcentral pages html html The NSS at Brighton

NSS 2013 More questions?

Brighton SU usage of NSS A different perspective Ask more questions Provide insight Focus efforts Raise SU profile – Q23 Inspire reps and students

The NSS is not a 3 point scale Usual reporting combines the “above the line” figure 86% agree treats definitely and mostly agree as the same thing SU positivity rating includes all scores and weights accordingly (+100 / -100) A more accurate reflection of student views?

Heat Map Provides a quick visual guide to areas of higher or lower satisfaction Used to provoke better questions Assessment & Feedback remains a low scoring area Higher positivity in Learning & Teaching and Personal Development

Question Pairing Some questions sit naturally together Visualisations show some significant and unexpected gaps

SU Fit – Q23 SU Fit – How meaningful are we to students? Awareness – % expressing an opinion Fit – Positive opinions minus negative opinions

B6 Student Feedback Questions Lowest scoring NSS area B6.1 I have had adequate opportunities to provide feedback on all elements of my course. Mean 68.7 ( Range -11 / +97.5) B6.2 My feedback on the course is listened to and valued. Mean 54.2 (Range -17 / +97.5) B6.3 It is clear to me how students’ comments on the course have been acted upon. Mean (Range -27 / +95)

So where next? What matters most to students? What influences overall satisfaction? Where can and should the SU be focusing?

Correlations Correlation between Q22 – Overall satisfaction and each NSS question Highest correlation areas – Teaching, Personal development Lower – SU (Q23), Learning resources.

Regression The extent to which individual questions influence overall satisfaction Q22 range points Regression adjusted R2 = % of range that can be accounted for by this variable Time to call stats support...

So, where next? Course rep training School level data Refreshers seminars (11 th – 15 th Nov) Academic Campaigning One strand of the quality framework Drill down with course and module feedback Basis of more conversations Engaging students in creating their own ways forward

Centre for Learning and Teaching The role that the NSS can play in the enhancement of learning and teaching Enabling course teams to reflect on their use of the NSS and contextualise results Collate evidence-based practice of activities and enhancements for dissemination Use findings to feed into local level and institutional improvements

Examples of activity CLT can support colleagues in the process of understanding results, and developing practices as a result of evaluation Student focus groups (SET) as part of the periodic review process ‘What works’ project – retention and NSS initiative Using evaluation tools and feedback (e.g. students’, external examiner) to feed into curriculum design and course review (Course Leaders Course) Staff-student partnership activities (e.g. student engagement forum, peer learning, joint research projects, course rep developments) Contributing to Course Rep training – staff toolkit

Making it count Higher Education Academy report – reflecting on the NSS in the process of enhancement Staff-student partnerships 1. Student representation 2. Student exploration 3. Closing the loop Institutional structures Analysis and exploration

Discussion On tables in small groups, discuss: (20 minutes) 1. How do you use the NSS results in relation to learning, teaching and assessment? 2. Have you made any changes as a result? 3. Are there barriers to making changes? 4. What questions has it raised in your area? Plenary