Camille Kandiko Howson QAA Student Engagement Sheffield Hallam University March 2014
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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
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This Quality Assurance Agency (QAA)-funded research project explored the views of students entering higher education in the four countries of the UK in 2012-13 and those entering in earlier years, to investigate their perceptions and expectations of the quality of their learning experience and the academic standards of their chosen programmes of study. This project provides illustrative examples of the issues affecting student perceptions and expectations regarding quality and standards in the first year of a funding model in England that is significantly different both to that in existence in previous years and to that operated in the other countries of the UK. Research consisted of conducting interviews and focus groups with over 150 students (primarily Years 1 and 2) at 16 institutional locations, across a range of mission groups, institutional types and UK-wide geographical location. Concept maps of students’ higher education experience were collected along with transcripts of interviews.
Transcript of Camille Kandiko Howson QAA Student Engagement Sheffield Hallam University March 2014
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
@cbkandiko
Thank you!
Research Assistant: Dr Matthew Mawer
Questions?
