Student engagement, teaching excellence & measurementDr Geoff Stoakes, Head of Special Projects, Higher Education Academy

WhatUni Conference, 14 April 2016

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Teaching Quality

Learning Environment

Student outcomes and learning gain

Aspects of teaching excellence

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Three common metrics (suitably benchmarked):Student satisfaction indicators – National

Student Survey (teaching quality and learning environment)

Employment/destination – Destination of Leavers from Higher Education, from 2017 results of Her Majesty’s Revenues and Customs (tax returns)

Retention/continuation – student outcomes (annual data returns to HESA)

Teaching Excellence Framework: proposed common metrics

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Student engagement

Gibbs, G (2016) ‘Teaching’ in Response to the Higher Education Green Paper HEPIUS research indicates student engagement is the key factor is promoting student learning gain (e.g. Pascarella & Terenzini)Chickering & Gamson (1987) Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education

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Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education (Chickering and Gamson 1987) – with examples

Good practice……encourages student-faculty contact (e.g. students as partners in research; in curriculum development/assessment – peer assessment)…encourages cooperation among students (peer-assisted learning)…encourages active learning (placements)…gives prompt feedback…emphasises time on task (directed student learning)…communicates high expectations…respects diverse talents and ways of learning (inclusive learning)

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HEA’s favoured metrics Number of staff with accredited teaching qualifications (HEA Fellows) – HESA staff return

UK Engagement Survey (UKES) - adopted and adapted questions from National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) ‘assesses the extent to which students are participating in educational practices that are strongly associated with high levels of learning and development’ (Kuh 2001)

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UK Engagement Survey. Selection of questions• Reflective and integrative learning

E.g. “How often have you connected your learning to societal problems or issues?”• Time spent

E.g. “About how many hours do you spend in a typical 7-day week preparing for taught sessions?”

• Skills developmentE.g. “How much has your experience at this institution contributed to your knowledge, skills, and personal development in solving complex real-world problems?”

• Engaging with researchE.g. “How much has your coursework emphasised learning about the results of current research?”

• Creating knowledgeE.g. “How much has your coursework emphasised your active participation in creating knowledge?”