Student expectations and perceptions of higher education: Engaging Students

Student Engagement and Partnership

Sheffield Hallam University

19 March 2014

Dr Camille B. Kandiko Howson @cbkandiko

King’s College London

Overview

• Student Engagement

• The Project

• Findings

• Conclusions

• Discussion

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Background: Student engagement (UK)

The participation of students in quality enhancement and quality assurance processes, resulting in the improvement of their educational experience (QAA Quality Code, Chapter B5)

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Background: Student engagement (US)

“the time and effort students devote to activities that are empirically linked to desired outcomes of college and what institutions do to induce students to participate in these activities”

(Kuh, 2009: 683)

The Project

Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)-funded research project explored the views of students in higher education across the UK in 2012-13, to investigate their perceptions and expectations of the quality of their learning experience and the academic standards of their chosen programmes of study

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Methodology

• Concept-map mediated interviews and focus groups were used to elicit students’ expectations and perceptions of quality, standards and the student learning experience

• Interviews and focus groups were conducted with over 150 students in 16 settings, across 4 general institutional types (research-intensive, teaching-intensive, regional-focused and special interest)

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Analysis

• Interview and focus group data were analysed through open-coding using a grounded theory approach, with codes combined into thematic areas

• Concept maps were analysed visually, structurally and thematically

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Findings

• How students frame higher education• Ideology• Practices• Purpose

• Students and their course

• Students and the institution8

I. Framing of ideology

Consumerist ethos: Student perceptions of value

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II. Framing of practice

Student expectations of the learning environment: Clear benchmarks

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III. Framing of purpose

Student expectations for employability

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IV. Students and their course

• Evaluation, feedback and feed-forward

• Staff: Attributes, practices and attitudes

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V. Students and their course• Equity of opportunity:

Personalisation versus standardisation

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VI. Students and the institution

• Students as stakeholders? Community, engagement and belonging

• Transition into higher education

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Value for money

• Finances: How are tuition fees spent

• Value: More ‘high-quality’ contact time, in small seminars and tutorials run by qualified teaching staff, not simply more lectures

• Information: How can students find out if they are going to be (and what proportion of the time) taught by well-qualified, trained teaching staff in small settings? Where do tuition fees go and why?

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Advice and guidance

• More realistic information about a course, what students should expect and what was expected of them

• Opportunities for internships, placements and work experience

• Promotion and coordination of student services and Student’s Unions activities

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Course-level leadership

• Strong course-level management of curriculum, quality and standards, with a structure mirroring undergraduate student-facing aspects

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Transition

• Students want more realistic information about their course, including what they should expect and what was expected of them

• Importance of direct interventions in students’ transitional experiences, not only general provision of services

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Engage Students!

• Challenge students

• Support students

• Inform students

• Seek, ask and report on feedback

• Provide opportunities for students

• Hold students responsible

• Work WITH not FOR students

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References

Kuh, G. D. (2009). What student affairs professionals need to know about student engagement. Journal of College Student Development, 50(6), 683–706.

Quality Assurance Agency (2012). UK Quality Code for Higher Education. Part B: Ensuring and Enhancing Academy. Chapter B5: Student Engagement. Gloucester: QAA.

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Dr Camille B. Kandiko Howson

King’s College London

camille.kandiko_howson@kcl.ac.uk

@cbkandiko

Thank you!

Research Assistant: Dr Matthew Mawer

Questions?