What Would Dick Tuck Make of the NSS? Dr Simon Jones FRGS University of Wales 3 November 2010.

What Would Dick Tuck Make of the NSS?

Dr Simon Jones FRGSUniversity of Wales3 November 2010

The National Student SurveyPart of the HE landscape:• League Tables

– Sunday Times– The Times– Independent (Complete

University Guide)– Guardian

• UCAS Web Pages• News media• University Advertising

– Internal management steer

Damned Lies and Statistics• Joint Academic Coding of

Subjects is the subject classification system used

• Describes subject and content of courses

• UNISTATS – GEES subjects– Human and Social

Geography– Geographical Sciences– Physical Geography and

Environmental Science– Geology– Physical Science

JACS Codes

Code Subject Code Subject

A Medicine and Dentistry L Social studies

B Subjects allied to Medicine PMass Communications and Documentation

C Biological Sciences QLinguistics, Classics and related subjects

DVeterinary Sciences, Agriculture and related subjects R

European Languages, Literature and related subjects

F Physical Sciences T

Eastern, Asiatic, African, American and Australasian Languages, Literature and related subjects

GMathematical and Computer Sciences V Historical and Philosophical studies

H Engineering W Creative Arts and Design

J Technologies X Education

K Architecture, Building and Planning

JACS Codes – F Physical Sciences

Code Subject Code Subject Code Subject Code Subject

F140Environmental Chemistry F611 Industrial Geology F661

Exploration Geophysics F840 Physical Geography

F141 Marine Chemistry F612 Engineering Geology F670 Geochemistry F841 Maritime Geography

F330Environmental Physics F620 Mining Geology F700 Ocean Sciences F850

Environmental Sciences

F331 Atmospheric Physics F621 Exploration Geology F710 Marine Sciences F851

Applied Environmental Sciences

F332 Marine Physics F630 Geotechnology F720 Hydrography F852 Hydrology

F500 Astronomy F631 Marine Geotechnology F810Environmental Geography F853 Pollution Control

F510 Astrophysics F640 Earth Science F811 Biogeography F860 Climatology

F520Space and Planetary Sciences F641 Palaeontology F820 Geomorphology F861 Meteorology

F521 Space Science F642 Geoscience F830 Topography F870 Soil Science

F522 Planetary Science F643 Quaternary studies F831 Cartography F981Geographical Information Systems

F600 Geology F650 Geological Oceanography F832 Remote Sensing

F610 Applied Geology F660 Geophysics F800Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences

JACS Codes – L Social Studies

Code Subject Code SubjectL700 Human and Social Geography L720 Human and Social Geography by topic

L710 Human and Social Geography by area L721 Economic Geography

L711 Human and Social Geography of Europe L722 Urban Geography

L712 Human and Social Geography of Asia L723 Political Geography

L713 Human and Social Geography of Africa L724 Transport Geography

L714 Human and Social Geography of Australasia L725 Historical Geography

L715Human and Social Geography of the Americas L726 Cultural Geography

L716Human and Social Geography of Arctic/Antarctic L727 Agricultural Geography

NSS Influence

• 2009-2010: The Student Experience has always been important to us, but specifically the NSS and league tables are priorities for the University

• 2008-2009: CELT has now undertaken a process of benchmarking against the sector average and has produced a traffic light system which has indicated that Physical Geography and Environmental Science has fallen into the red area for some sections of the NSS

Geography’s Response 2009-2010INTERNAL• Preparation

– Student Rep meetings

• Timing– 3rd Year field course to the Netherlands

• Facilitating– Tutorial time scheduled in PC Lab

• Reporting– Thresholds (23 individuals, 50% cohort)

EXTERNAL• Challenging internal statistics• Challenging external statistics• Challenging JACS code cohorts• Challenging the NSS 2010 results!

NSS QuestionnaireThe teaching on my course • Staff are good at explaining things (96%; 0%)• Staff have made the subject interesting (96%; 8%)• Staff are enthusiastic about what they are teaching (96%; 8%)• The course is intellectually stimulating (92%; 8%)Assessment and feedback• The criteria used in marking have been clear in advance (83%; 19%)• Assessment arrangements and marking have been fair (79%; 0%)• Feedback on my work has been prompt (66%; 38%)• I have received detailed comments on my work (77%; 37%)• Feedback on my work has helped me clarify things I did not

understand (66%; 49%)

NSS QuestionnaireAcademic support• I have received sufficient advice and support with my studies (96%; 12%)• I have been able to contact staff when I needed to (89%; -11%)• Good advice was available when I needed to make study choices (89%; 5%)Organisation and management• The timetable works efficiently as far as my activities are concerned (77%; -3%)• Any changes in the course or teaching have been communicated effectively (83%;

12%)• The course is well organised and is running smoothly (97%; 0%)Learning resources• The library resources and services are good enough for my needs (83%; -5%)• I have been able to access general IT resources when I needed to (79%; -9%)• I have been able to access specialised equipment, facilities or room when I needed

to (79%; -7%)

NSS Questionnaire

Personal development• The course has helped me present myself with

confidence (96%; 16%)• My communication skills have improved (100%;

16%)• As a result of the course, I feel confident in

tackling unfamiliar problems (96%; 20%)Overall satisfaction• Overall, I am satisfied with the quality of the

course (92%; 6%)

NSS Results – League Tables

NSS satisfaction rating 94%• Guardian 1st in Wales (24th nationally)• Sunday Times 2nd in Wales (37th nationally) • Independent 4th in Wales (71st nationally)

Is satisfaction a measure of academic quality?

So Who Was Dick Tuck?!

• Dick Tuck (Democrat), who upon losing the 1966 California State Senate election to Richard Nixon, issued a statement that said:

• The people have spoken ... the bastards

Reference Websites

• http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/committees/jacs.pdf

• http://www.thestudentsurvey.com/• http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/• http://www.ucas.ac.uk/

What Would Dick Truck Make of the NSS?

Dr Simon Jones FRGSUniversity of Wales3 November 2010