Postgraduate students
2008 National Student Survey (NSS) and Student Satisfaction Survey (SSS) Results
Summary Report
East 15 postgraduates students have indicated very high overall levels of satisfaction with the content of their courses and in particular with the teaching. Assessment and feedback, organisation and management remain issues that the School is seeking to improve further. It has been noted that, in focus groups conducted with students to discuss assessment and feedback, East 15 students expressed a little frustration at the amount of ‘translation’ required from them to make the academically-biased statements in the survey fit their practice-based training. It is possible that this is affecting some of the survey results. One suggestion arising from the focus groups was for a more practice-based SSS survey to replace the academic survey where appropriate.
Degree Content: responses to these questions indicate that satisfaction with degree content is slightly improved on 2007 responses. 81% of students agreed that the degree content matched their expectations, 89% agreed the degree enhanced their knowledge and understanding and 89% felt that the learning and teaching was appropriate. 78% felt the workload for the course was appropriate, a decline of 10% compared to 2007 responses.
Action: Heads of Course to ensure that students have sufficient time for independent study and preparation.
Teaching on my course: Satisfaction with teaching remains extremely high, with 96% satisfaction with staff specialist knowledge and enthusiasm and 93% satisfaction with staff ability to make the subject interesting. Agreement with the statement ‘The degree is intellectually stimulating’ has fallen a little from 91% in 2007 to 85% agreement in 2008. This statement requires a higher degree of translation on the part of East 15 respondents to make it relevant to their experience and it is possible that different year groups will interpret this statement differently, leading to fluctuations in results year on year.
Assessment and Feedback: There has been a decline in student satisfaction. Satisfaction with regard to clarity of what is required to pass the course has declined from 60% in 2007 to 52% in 2008. Levels of satisfaction with regard to the fairness of assessments fell from 77% in 2007 to 48% in 2008, with the promptness of feedback from 74% to 33%. Satisfaction with regard to the receiving of detailed comments on work fell from 77% to 69% and with feedback to help improve work from 88% satisfaction in 2007 to 69% in 2008.
Action: Focus group discussions with students will take place in February/March 2009 following which a report on assessments and feedback will be considered at the departmental Planning Meeting at the end of Term Two to devise a School-wide strategy for improving assessments and feedback across all courses.
Academic Support: The responses given in this part of the survey are very positive and show an improving response. Satisfaction with advice and support has increased from 53% to 78% and with availability of good advice in response to questions about studies from 65% satisfaction in 2007 to 85% satisfaction in 2008. However, satisfaction with support and supervision given by academic staff for independent study declined by 12% (from 77% satisfaction in 2007 to 65% in 2008). One possible interpretation for the anomalous results for Assessment and Feedback and Academic Support is that whilst teaching staff are passionately committed to their students and readily give skilled and valued verbal feedback during practice-based learning, the written feedback requirements and marking criteria used to determine final assessments may be appropriate for academic courses but are less so for the assessment of a creative activity and training such as acting or directing.
Action: see Assessment and Feedback.
Organisation and Management: Satisfaction with the efficiently of the timetable has risen significantly from 46% to 69% and 67% of students agreed that changes in the course had been communicated effectively compared to 37% agreement in 2007. Satisfaction with the organisation and smooth running of courses also rose from 37% to 48%.
The School has been through a period of dynamic, unprecedented change and growth over a very short period of time and continues to do so at both the Loughton and Southend campuses. This has had an on-going effect on student satisfaction with the organisation and management of courses as the changes go into effect. Tighter timetabling, close staff/student liaison and better teaching space allocation and control have been introduced across both campuses to help address this issue, as students and staff adapt to new work and structures.
Action: The School is strengthening staff-student liaison via the Students Association with the intention of communicating strategic planning and developments more effectively to the student body as a whole. Digital notice boards will be installed at both Loughton and Southend campuses to facilitate the efficient and timely notification of day-to-day organisation and management changes to students. Heads of Course will be instructed to restrict ad hoc room and timetable changes to the absolute unavoidable minimum.
Learning Resources: In 2007 95% of postgraduate students expressed dissatisfaction with library facilities. By 2008 this figure had dropped to 59% dissatisfaction but it is obvious that there is still much work to be done in this area. Satisfaction with availability of IT resources rose from a low of 16% in 2007 to 52% in 2008 which is an improvement but still much lower compared to other departments. Satisfaction with printed materials and online documentation rose from 38% to 54%. Satisfaction with availability of specialised equipment, facilities or rooms rose from a low of 16% to 37% which is still considerably below satisfaction levels in other Colchester-based departments. The 2007 survey took place against a background of building work delays at both Loughton and Southend campuses. Significant numbers of students had to have classes in temporary teaching accommodation for at least one term. The Brown Room Library was in its first year of operation. It will be instructive to compare the 2007 results with those of the 2008 survey with regard to availability of specialised equipment, facilities and rooms.
Action: Continue to seek University resources to enhance Library and IT provision at Loughton campus. Compare 2008 survey results with 2007 survey results for room availability etc to identify trends or issues requiring further action.
Personal Development: 2008 scores for personal development remain consistent with 2007 levels with increases in satisfaction with the extent to which the course will support future career prospects, further study or individual goals (from 91% to 96% satisfaction) and a negligible reduction in satisfaction with development of transferable skills (from 60% satisfaction in 2007 to 58% in 2008). 74% of students agreed that the course had made them feel more confident in tackling new problems – exactly the same percentage as last year.
Overall Satisfaction with Quality of Degree: Overall satisfaction scores for East 15 postgraduate students have risen with 85% expressing overall satisfaction compared to 84% last year. The School has every hope that this trend will continue and accelerate as the new postgraduate courses introduced in 2008-2009 (MA/MFA Acting (International)) and 2009-2010 (MA/MFA Filmmaking) become established and the MA/MFA Theatre Directing course transfers from the Southend campus to its new home at the Loughton campus. This drawing together of the MA/MFA courses at the Loughton campus will provide a new and dynamic focus for School’s postgraduate work.
Professor Leon Rubin
East 15 Acting School
February 2009.
