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Evidence-based campaigning and the National Student Survey. Kate Little Quality & Student Engagement Consultant National Union of Students. Session objectives. Look at why being evidence led is important and how to ensure that you have evidence to back you up
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Evidence-based campaigning and the National Student Survey Kate Little Quality & Student Engagement Consultant National Union of Students
Session objectives • Look at why being evidence led is important and how to ensure that you have evidence to back you up • Broad understanding of the National Student Survey which can help you to develop strong education campaigns • A look at your department’s results and beginning to plan a campaign
Being evidence-led Evidence • (definition) The available body of facts or information indicating whether a belief or proposition is true or valid • For students’ unions and course reps, being evidence led is increasingly important to ensure the institution takes your arguments seriously • Ensuring that your campaigns and communications with your institution are based on solid evidence will help you do a better job of representing your students
Quantitative Qualitative Policy What evidence is available? Course reps NSS GOAT PRES/PTES Module evaluation Survey free text comments (NSS) University internal surveys ISB NUS Briefings QAA/HEA work Government agencies Part time officers Charity Briefings Union committee minutes University committee minutes
What is the NSS? The National Student Survey is a survey of academic experience aimed at final year undergraduates at HE and FE institutions across the UK. Over 400,000 students this year were asked to complete the 5 minute survey.
What is the NSS? The survey is composed of 23 tick-box questions focusing on these areas: • Teaching • Assessment and feedback • Organisation and management • Academic support • Learning resources • Personal development • The students’ union • Overall satisfaction
What is the NSS? • Run by an independent organisation, Ipsos-MORI • Three stages: • Online • Telephone • Postal • Students can opt-out at any point • 50% response rate is required!
Why is the NSS important? • Unparalleled amount of robust data on student opinion • Puts student voice at the centre of dialogue around academic quality • Useful to identify areas for improvement • Institutions take the results seriously
What can the results be used for? • For a student written submission • To support existing campaigns • To shape students unions’ campaigning priorities • To highlight local and national differences • To measure change over time • To inform student reps, societies and other student groups
The NSS Cycle December - April Promoting the survey May - August Handover and planning the NSS August-November Using your results August – results! Analysing and sharing your results
Unistats unistats.direct.gov.uk
Now it’s your turn… What do you notice in the results? How does your subject compare? How might you use this data? What other evidence could back you up?
Support from NUS • Evidencing the Student Voice: a guide for reps • Briefings on headline results; analysis of national data • Case studies online • Guide to promoting the NSS • Additional resources e.g. feedback and assessment benchmarking tool • nss@nus.org.uk
Support from your union Provide you with data Give you open-text comments Benchmark your department against similar departments in other universities
Questions? nss@nus.org.uk