Academy helps institutions to use NSS results to enhance student learning
- Date: 18-08-2010
Over the coming academic year we will once again be working with institutions across the UK to help them translate their National Student Survey results into strategies to improve the student learning experience.
Our Chief Executive, Professor Craig Mahoney, said: “The National Student Survey gives institutions a wealth of information that they can use to improve the experience their students have at university. The survey’s true value is as a quality enhancing tool and, by using its results constructively, institutions and departments can help bring about vital changes to enhance learning and teaching in UK higher education.”
We are the sector body responsible for the enhancement of learning and teaching in UK higher education. We have designed NSS-specific programmes including student forums, workshops, seminars and conferences, to improve the student learning experience.
One area of focus for us is the pattern of NSS results in individual disciplines areas. The History Subject Centre, for example, conducted research into the NSS in their discipline and uncovered some unexpected results.
Their report, History Departments and the National Student Survey, found discernable differences in the NSS results from History Departments depending on their Mission Group. Departments are already investigating this further to help their future planning. The report is also proving valuable as History Departments feed into institutional strategies around NSS results.
The Economics Subject Centre (Network) has developed its own qualitative student survey. This is used, alongside NSS results at subject level, to provide economics departments with in-depth reports based on students’ views. Focus groups then further explore the students’ views.
This work has been invaluable to economics departments and many are now making changes to enhance their students’ learning. One economics lecturer commented: “We have examined the data from three sources: the NSS, the Economics Network Student Survey, and the Economics Network Focus Group. Together these provide a body of evidence to identify where the key issues lie and motivate the discussion as to the way forward in addressing our students' concerns.”
We also run an annual conference to provide institutions with advice on using survey results to enhance teaching and learning. In May 2010 academics from across the UK met to discuss issues including how to get from survey results to enhancement, NSS and international students, and using NSS for discipline-based enhancement.