NSS 2013 Strategic Meeting of Senate 11 September 2013 Dr Veena O’Halloran Director of Student Experience and Enhancement Services

Presentation What the NSS survey is telling us Themes How we compare with the sector Discussion on means of addressing issues

Strategic theme: “Outstanding teaching and student experience” What we want to achieve:- An outstanding and distinctive student experience Personalised student support Satisfied, skilled and successful graduates Are we achieving these objectives? NSS 2013 tells us we are not.

Positive feedback

Negative feedback

Positive vs Negative feedback

Negative Themes Organisation and Management –General organisation of courses –Organisation of the timetable –Clashes –Communication of changes Course Content - Workload Assessment and Feedback –Inadequate –Late Some Staff - Unsupportive and unhelpful

Not new: Outcomes over recent years

Teaching on my course

Assessment & feedback

Academic support

Organisation & management

Learning resources

Personal development

Overall satisfaction

Students’ Union

What do we need to address? Culture Leadership, roles and responsibilities Communication – what, when and how? Consistency across depts./schools, across each and between faculties Transparency through monitoring

Strategic Focus Already in hand: Assessment and Feedback Champion, Dr Lizann Bonnar: a)New institutional Assessment & Feedback policy (Target: Nov Senate); a)Wider scoping of Assessment and Feedback issues - Consistency of practice: institution-wide agreed turnaround time for feedback on assessments University-wide staff network for assessment and feedback focus. Quality Assurance and performance monitoring: a)QAC – best practice, policy, consistency of practice and turnaround times implementation b)Departments/schools to report to QAC on how they are performing against these c)HR Policies; and role recognition; ADR; CPE framework EEF Project: “Engaging Students in Delivering High Quality, Consistent, University Wide Student Assessment and Feedback” a)Liaison with 30 staff and 300 students b)Identifying key departmental contacts to carry work forward c)Common set of guidelines for staff and students

Myplace development & support: a)Scope use of Myplace to implement consistent and more effective use of tools for assessment and feedback; a)Scoping Gradebook development; Assessment Schedule tool (for cross class comparison). Communications strategy: a)Service Level Agreement on different types of communication; b)Technologies in use to support communication (Myplace, Pegasus, mPegagus, Twitter, Text, local tech) and identify consistent approaches for different types of communication. c) Communication through MyPlace and pop-ups on mobile devices LEF Workshops and Events: a)External sector-wide viewpoint; b)Sharing good practice; c)Research; d)Learning from others; e)Staff development – eg Masterclasses And being scoped...

Some thoughts for department/schools: for discussion Communications Involve students and their reps in solving issues Assign a go-to student and staff member Ensure communication-loop is closed Provide immediate explanation when arrangements for courses/classes change Assessment and feedback Achieve common understanding between staff and students on what feedback means and involves Ensure all students receive some form of feedback relatively early in a class to enable them to improve Ensure students know when to expect feedback and that agreed deadlines are met Agree university-wide turnaround time for feedback Give particular attention to feedback on semester 1 exams Student support Hold 1-to-1 meetings with final year students at a best time to facilitate improvement in their performance Provide targeted support for underperforming students

Some thoughts for department/schools: for discussion Sharing and implementing good practice Learn from external peers – e.g. through research; role as External Examiners at other HEIs; Externals from elsewhere coming here Address staff behavioural issues of lack of engagement (collective and individual)

Discussion