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 2012-15 KPI 1a:

to improve our institutional NSS score for satisfaction with

‘teaching on the course’ to 90% by 2015

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 201570

75

80

85

90

95

80 80

8483

82

8586 86

88

90

NSS % agree with 'Teaching on my course'

% a

gre

e

SP KPI targets

Digital transformationStrategic Plan 2012-15 KPI 7b:

to achieve 90% satisfaction score in NSS Q17: ‘I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to’

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 201570

75

80

85

90

95

83

87 8784

86 85 8688

90

Q17 NSS - access to general IT resources

% a

gre

e

SP KPI targets

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 1-21

1. 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

Teaching and Learning – key observations

Recognition of excellence in teaching practices, methods, models Training and support with new technology and novel teaching methods - the value of teaching awards in recognising good teaching– the value of guest speakers and visiting lecturers Importance of the learning environment, social/study spaces for peer to peer learning

Assessment and feedback

Assessment and Feedback – key observations

Communication and implementation of quality feedback best practice Communicating and managing perceptions re ‘fairness’

Academic Support

Key observations

Supportive, helpful, available, approachable, friendly!

Organisation and management

Organisation and Management – key observations Lengthy gaps between lectures Deadline clashes Organisation and management of placements.

Learning Resources

Learning Resources – key observations Issue of availability of books/journals for some courses, particularly close to deadlines Importance of study areas, availability of study areas to meet the needs of students Expectations of online library and availability of texts Opening hours to specialised rooms and availability of technical support

Personal Development

Ranking University of Brighton Scores

Ranking The UoB NSS 2013 Scores as compared to other institutions.

Year The

teac

hing

on

my

cour

se

Rank

Tea

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Ass

essm

ent a

nd fe

edba

ck

Rank

A&

F

Aca

dem

ic s

uppo

rt

Rank

AS

Org

anis

ation

and

man

agem

ent

Rank

O&

M

Lear

ning

reso

urce

s

Rank

LR

Pers

onal

dev

elop

men

t

Rank

PD

Ove

rall

Sati

sfac

tion

Rank

OS

Out

of:

2013 86 160 72 189 81 155 76 161 83 111 82 155 86 121 322

2012 86 153 69 217 79 171 74 171 82 96 81 169 82 198 325

2011 85 119 67 201 76 174 71 154 82 77 81 132 83 126 302

• 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 https://student.brighton.ac.uk/nss/staff.htm

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: https://student.brighton.ac.uk/nss/staff.htm

• Response rate updates, annual results and reports are available on the SPO staffcentral pages http://staffcentral.brighton.ac.uk/spo/planning/nss%202013.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

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

NSS 3 Point Scale % Agree

Brighton SU Rating (+/- 100)

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 MapProvides 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

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

8. I have received de-tailed comments on my work.

Some questions sit naturally together

Visualisations show some significant and unexpected gaps

SU Fit – Q23

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Positivity

Weighted Awareness

Weighted Fit

SU Fit – How meaningful are we to students?

Awareness – % expressing an opinion

Fit – Positive opinions minus negative opinions

B6 Student Feedback Questions

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

B6.1 I have had adequate opportuni-ties to provide feedback on all ele-ments of my course.

B6.2 My feedback on the course is listened to and valued.

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 45.77 (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 63.07 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 (11th – 15th 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 enhancementof 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