Raising the profile of Student Feedback Surveys

Quality Support Sally Iles, Learning & Teaching Adviser Liz Morrow, Principal Administrator Students’ Union Steven Meyer, Advice and Representation Manager Adam White, Vice President Academic Affairs

 To improve programme delivery – engaging with students to identify what works well and what could be improved upon  To comply with QAA Code of Practice relating to routine programme monitoring and review/ periodic review (plus some PSRB requirements)  For internal purposes to check if meeting local targets/KPIs  To enable comparisons across the sector and over time which inform student choice of programme/institution

 External surveys o NSS, DLHE, PRES, PTES, Student Barometer  Internal surveys o Programme feedback questionnaire (on-line survey, OMR) o Module feedback questionnaire (eLP, OMR) o Teaching feedback questionnaire (OMR) o Other (Library, Student Services, Students’ Union)  Supported by marketing campaigns which will include SU involvement as well as representation from Schools

Consideration needs to be given to  Programmes operating in normal academic cycle  Accommodating programmes which run outside this cycle  PSRB/other stakeholder requirements  International students, Collaborative Venture programmes, Corporate programmes

 Annual survey of most final year UG students  Mandatory, organised by HEFCE  Intensely resourced campaign, carried out by Ipsos MORI (using , text, paper questionnaire and then telephone) + local institution/SU campaigns  2010 NU campaign, contentious…..

Response rate currently 76% compared to 60% for the sector

 Previous year’s HESA return is used to predict which students will be eligible for NSS  Students may not be included or surveyed at the wrong time if HESA return is incorrect  Corrections to SITS must be made before HESA return committed (October of previous year)  Problem areas: student moves from 4 to 3 year programme or vice versa student repeats year and surveyed 1 year early (can’t be surveyed twice)

 Results published on the Unistats website and used for league tablesUnistats  Classified by sector JACS subject code - can be difficult to attribute to programmes  Publication threshold - 23 Students and 50% students responding  Shows % agree (those answering questions 4 mostly agree/ 5 definitely agree)

 NU can access qualitative feedback and quantitative results (≥10 responses) on Ipsos MORI Results site  Also provides alternative NU ‘departmental’ analysis of data  Results disseminated directly to Schools/Services and (via data warehouse) available from Northumbria World/Outlook folders for annual programme monitoring and periodic review  University/School/Service action plans monitored by School & University Learning & Teaching Committees and by VCEG

 Am I repeating myself?  Are you going to do something about it?  What do I get out of it?

 The idea / campaign  Examples: Assessment feedback (minimum standards) Anonymous results Library opening hours over Easter (All) Disruptive behaviour (All) Room booking systems (HCES) New feedback sheets (SASS)

………..Northumbria University will work to:  Achieve in all subject areas at least 90% satisfaction in the National Student Survey (NSS)