The School of Geographical Sciences at the University of Bristol achieved a perfect student satisfaction score on the UK's National Student Survey (NSS) in 2009. However, they were unable to maintain this level of satisfaction in subsequent years. A follow-up internal student survey revealed that while most students found feedback useful, nearly half did not understand how their marks were determined. The school aims to improve feedback and better manage student expectations through ongoing dialogue between students and staff.

1. Living up to expectations? The NSS and the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol. Rich Harriswww.social-statistic.org@socstatistics Giles Brown

2. The marketing The School of Geographical Sciences offers innovative degree programmes that give a professional education in contemporary human and physical geography, and provides a supportive and stimulating study environment. The school is consistently ranked highly for both its teaching and research […] Undergraduate prospective, 2012 We aim to give you the best student experience possible by continually investing in new and existing facilities, training, technology and services. We aim to provide you with an education of the highest quality that is research-led and fulfills your needs and expectations. www.bris.ac.uk/prospectus/undergraduate/2012/studying/

3. NSS: the survey we love to loathe! In 2009 the School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, achieved a 100% overall satisfaction score

4. How did we do it? Haven’t a clue! But had spent a lot of time on the professionalisation of student-facing services Raises interesting questions about the relationships between ‘administrators’ and ‘academics’ May be putting greater distance between students and academic staff (?)

5. The only way is down In 2010 Human and Social Geography (75%) Or, 7 students were either neutral or negative about their overall satisfaction Physical Geography and Environmental Science (96%)

6. The Guardian University Rankings Human geography Ranked 4th for 2009/10 Ranked 3rd for 2010/11 Ranked 5th for 2011/12 Though, of course, the NSS is not designed for comparative analysis!

7. Overall: broadly rosy

8. Achilles heel

9. Which is a problem

10. Student survey 2011 Survey of students in years 1 to 3 of their degrees in Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, run as a tutorial exercise within tutorial groups. The response rate was approx. 60% (n = 182)

13. What did it reveal? 79% of students agree that the feedback they receive is useful to them with 15% neutral This neutrality is basically interpreted as disagreement in the NSS 50% of students agree there are many opportunities for feedback in the School 29% are neutral, 21% disagree 31% agree that there is too little feedback given in the School 28% are neutral, 40% disagree

14. What did it reveal? 62% of students agree that lecturers are willing to meet and discuss a marked assessment 35% are neutral, 4% disagree

15. A realistic view of feedback At least, when prompted 73% agree that feedback is a process: it is something that takes places over the course of a degree 78% agree that feedback is a conversation – an on-going dialogue between staff and students And honest, too 58% say they make good use of feedback in the School (15% disagree) but only 26% say they take the opportunities to meet with lecturers and discuss marked work (50% say they don’t)

16. Yet… Almost one half of students say they do not understand how they get the mark they do This remains true amongst the third year There is a notable split between those who agree (44%) and those who disagree (41%) that there should be a model answer for a piece of work Physical geography students are slightly less like to agree

17. Most useful types of feedback Written annotation made on assessed work Meeting with a tutor individually to discuss progress or to collect exam results Written comments given on an assessment feedback sheet Support received from a dissertation advisor Meeting with a tutor to discuss comments written on the previous year’s exam scripts Tutorial discussions and activities

18. Key issues Students prefer individual attention and feedback but how to maintain this in a mass education system but with increased fees and expectations. How to manage expectations – not only of students but of staff To build on students’ understanding of feedback as a conversation and process Better study skills in year 1 Use of ASKe booklets (Assessment Standards Knowledge exchange) Assessment: Doing better! Advice for students Feedback: Make it work for you! www.brookes.ac.uk/aske

19. Key issues “We want there to be a renewed focus on high-quality teaching in universities so that it has the same prestige as research. So we will empower prospective students by ensuring much better information on different courses. We will deliver a new focus on student charters, student feedback and graduate outcomes. We will oversee a new regulatory framework with the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) taking on a major new role as a consumer champion.” Foreward to Students at the Heart of the System (Higher Education White Paper, June 2011) And we await the 2011 NSS results!