A significant and positive shift in student’s experience of
assessment and feedback is a standout finding from this year’s
annual Student Academic Experience Survey (SAES) published today
by Advance HE and the Higher Education Policy Institute
(HEPI).
The findings include:
-
26% of students feel their overall academic experience is
better than expected across the board – a strong increase of 6%
from last year
-
Students are much more likely to cite the quality of
feedback as a main reason that their experience was better than
expected (37% compared to 29% last year). Students note, in
particular, improvements in staff feeding back on draft work
and the amount of time staff allocate to commenting on work.
36% of students have their assignments returned within two
weeks on average – an increase on 30% last year
-
Among students whose experience was better than expected,
39% say this was because of support provided for independent
study – an increase of 3% on last year.
Students are working harder, with more weekly contact on
average (13.9 hours in 2019 and 14.6 in 2020) and more
independent study (13.8 hours in 2019 and 14.1 in
2020).
In another positive indicator of an improving academic
experience, class sizes are reducing. Students are spending fewer
hours in large classes (51–100 / 101+ other students).
Significantly more time is being spent in medium-sized classes
(16–50), and there is also a growth in the time being spent in
the smallest classes of all (0–5 / 6–15).
The recent trend of improvement in perceptions of
value-for-money – 2017 to 2019 inclusive ̶ has not
been maintained. This year, the number of students reporting
‘good or very good’ value has declined from 41% in 2019 to 39%.
However, the data suggest COVID-19 has had a negative impact on
students’ academic experience. Those students who completed the
survey from 16 March 2020 onwards were less positive (38%
reporting they received ‘good’ or ‘very good’ value) than those
who reported before that date (40%). Furthermore, some of the
earlier fieldwork coincided with strikes in the sector, and
students have reflected in their free-standing comments that the
industrial action, as well as COVID-19, influenced their
responses.
In a new question this year, students were asked about the
main drivers in their decision to go to university. By far the
two most significant drivers are ‘to get on the career ladder’
(53%) and ‘to follow interest in a subject’ (47%). Notably,
social considerations, such as ‘all my friends are going to
university’ (9%), are not strong drivers in decisions to go into
higher education.
Other new questions in the Survey focus on the use of
technology. Ninety per cent of students report basic technology
is used in their teaching but where advanced technology is used
(7%), significantly more students say they would choose the same
course and university again – a strong endorsement of how using
the right technology, which complements the subject matter, can
make a material difference to how students view their
experiences.
Alison Johns, Chief Executive of Advance HE, said, “I am
delighted and encouraged to see that student feedback on
assessment, in particular, has improved along with many other
areas of the student academic experience. This follows a great
deal of hard work across the whole sector.
“It is a continuing and very significant concern that BAME
students are still reporting less positively than White students.
I am determined and committed to supporting the sector in
addressing these issues through our work in equality, diversity
and inclusion (EDI), particularly through the Race Equality
Charter. All students should have equal opportunity to enjoy a
positive experience and look with hope to their future prospects.
It also remains a considerable worry that wellbeing has not
improved in particular for LGB+ students. I know institutions are
trying hard to tackle these issues and we can all do more working
in close partnership.
“We should also carefully note that students express very
important views on educational technology. We aim to feed this
into our work to support the sector as it transforms to the new
environment and challenges brought about by the Coronavirus
pandemic.”
, Director of HEPI, said,
“There has never been a more important moment to ask students
what they think. Over the past year, they have witnessed
industrial action, a global health crisis and a much tougher
labour market. They have responded in the best way possible, by
working harder than in the past.
“Nonetheless, many students are worried about their own
lives, with further falls in wellbeing this year. Some groups,
such as Black, disabled and LGB+ students, give less positive
responses and need more support.
“The pandemic means institutions are having to change what
they do. Although resources will be squeezed, it is vital that
they continue listening to all students as they prepare for the
next academic year.”
The Student Academic Experience Survey has been running
since 2006 and is widely used to support policy and practice
changes. This year SAES collected the views of 10,227 full-time
undergraduate students studying in the UK. The authors are
Jonathan Neves, Head of Business Intelligence & Surveys
Advance HE, and Rachel Hewitt, Director of Policy and Advocacy,
HEPI.
