19/04/23 | slide 1

What do students really want?A student perspective on the use of technology

in 21st century higher education

Joint Information Systems Committee Supporting education and research

Joint Information Systems Committee

Presenter

Facilitator

Usman Ali is the Vice President (Higher Education) previously being elected on the NUS National Executive Committee, Block of 15 in 2009 and is now the first Muslim Vice President in the history of the National Union of Students. He was also the Chair of the Communications Scrutiny Committee and the Nominations committee whilst being on the ‘block.’ Prior to the NUS, he was the President and Vice President Activities at the University of Salford, where he studied Business Information Systems with a 1 year industrial placement. As Vice President (Higher Education) he will be on the OIA Board of Directors, National Student Survey (NSS) Steering Group, the National Student Forum and the Higher Education Academy Academic Council as well as others.

Rhona Sharpe is principal lecturer in the Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development at Oxford Brookes University UK

where she is responsible for the research and consultancy activities of the unit.

Session practice

Joint Information Systems Committee

Text-chatting

Elluminate layout

Audio

Whiteboard

Technical problems

• Use the text-chat to engage with other delegates, presenter and moderators.• You can send private text-chat messages e.g. to moderators or to individuals.

• You can change your Elluminate layout to “Wide layout” to make it easier to follow the text-chat (select “View … Layouts…Wide layout”).

• If you are distracted by the text-chat, you can “unlock” the Elluminate layout to enable you to adjust the size and position of the text-chat sub-window (uncheck “View…Layouts …Layout locked”)

• It is best to run the Audio Set-up Wizard to test your audio set-up each time you enter an Elluminate room (select “Tools…Audio… Audio setup wizard).

• You must use a headset/microphone if you want to ask a question in audio.• Only use your microphone when guided by a moderator – click on the mic

icon (bottom-left of screen) to turn it on and click on it again to turn it off.

• Only draw on the whiteboard if guided by a moderator.

• Send a private text-chat message to “moderators” and they will try to help.

1.What students think about current ICT usage in HE

2.How students would like to see it used

3.Training needs of students and academics

In this session…

• What do students think about current ICT usage in further and higher education?

Part 1

video

2

3

3

3

6

4

11

20

14

30

33

34

53

37

45

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1

My ICT skills meet thestandard required toenhance my studies

I feel that ICT hasenhanced my time atuniversity in general

I feel that the use of ICThas enhanced my studies

%1 - Totally disagree 2 3 4 - Neither agree nor disagree 5 6 7 - Totally agree

Chart 13: 46% of students agreed that ICT has enhanced their studies

Q50. To what extent do you agree with the following statements about the information and communication technology at university?

Base: All answering section 6 (1003)

46%

38%

54%

“Teachers use PowerPoints far too

much and don’t know how to do anything else

on the computer.”

“Literature and media demonstrated a recurring focus on issues surrounding effective use of technology and not just technology for technology’s sake;

that many students still found conventional methods of teaching to be superior,

but staff need to develop their own ICT skills to meet the requirements of their students;

and that ICT has great potential to benefit the delivery of teaching, but harnessing that potential is the predominant challenge”

Research

A. ICT offers flexibility and convenience e.g. easy access to resources off campus

B. ICT provides access to wider information and people and ideas

C. ICT provides instant, on demand access and responses

D. ICT offers alternative methods of assessment e.g. other than essays

E. Other (and type into text box)

Part 1: DiscussionWhich of these student perceptions is it most important for institutions to respond to?

• How would students like to see ICT used?

Part 2

- Course rep events: Four regional course rep workshops in Newcastle, London, Lincoln and Salford.

Discussions around demand, perspective and training needs

- ICT Symposium: Held at University of London Students’ Union. Student union officers from around the country took part in a day of roundtable discussions.

- Online Discussions: Debates were held on the Course Rep Facebook group and on Twitter using the hashtag #studentICT

Higher Education

1. Students prefer a choice in how they learn

2. Significant variations in levels of demand across the student population

3. High levels of demand for improved IT facilities – NSS results demonstrated this also this year.

4. Virtual Learning Environments to be used in an effective way – particularly for FE students.

5. International students, particular those from countries with highly developed technologies, expect ICT/e-learning in the UK

Student demand

• Research skills

• Ethical use of ICT

• Managing privacy

• Customisation

• Using discipline specific tools

Part 1: DiscussionWhat do students need from institutions?

A. Consistent use of the VLE

B. Choice about mode of study (e.g. podcasts, lecture capture)

C. Online working (identity, privacy, ethical practice)

D. Online learning skills (research, customisation)

E. Other (type into text box)

Part 1: DiscussionWhich of these student demands is it most important for institutions to respond to?

• What are the training needs of staff?

Part 3

“Some of the tutors aren’t very good with computers…

…but I can usually help them”

“what are the barriers in relation to improving staff

skills/competencies?” ..... And how can these barriers be overcome?

Recommendations 1

• All institutions should have an ICT strategy that is revised every three years and students should be actively engaged in the process of developing that strategy

• Institutions should appoint Senior Fellows responsible for new technologies and supporting the integration of them into teaching and learning

• Faculties should have innovation funds to support academics to develop new ways of using ICT

• Institutions should review the use of their VLE to identify and share good practice of where it has enhanced the student learning experience.

Recommendations 2

• Institutions should consider ways of making university administration more accessible through technology including e-submission of assessment, registration and course choices.

• All students should be offered training needs analyses of their ICT skills at the start of their programme to identify their training requirements.

• Course evaluation forms should question the extent to which tutors have integrated ICT into courses

• ICT skills should be integrated into the Professional Standard Framework, institutional promotional criteria and also selection for teaching awards.

ICT should create added value not value for money #studentviewsICT

For more information: usman.ali@nus.org.uk

To what extent should students’ views inform what institutions offer?

Which recommendations can easily be put into practice?

How prepared are staff to deliver what students want and need?

Discussion Questions