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In order of priority, our research shows us that students are looking for their higher education institutions to deliver:
- High-quality teaching, including using digital technology
- Improved career prospects and workplace preparation
- Better support to achieve their learning goals
To meet these expectations, there are a number of actions that university leaders can take. We have looked at these through the eyes of the students that universities serve.
Teach me effectively and in a way that suits me
Quality of teaching is the most-cited reason for both happiness and unhappiness with a student’s choice of university, indicating that some universities are offering better teaching experiences than others. Students also give low satisfaction ratings to the “quality of online learning” — putting it at the bottom of all surveyed aspects of university life. Although, the amount of online versus in-person teaching is of little concern.
What’s missing from the digital learning experience is engagement. Although students rate the availability, quality of production and accessibility of digital learning materials reasonably well, they give low ratings to its ability to engage, enable collaboration or check understanding.
This reflects the fact that many universities are still simply recording lectures and posting lecture notes and reading lists online.
Students asserted that if funds were available for technology-related investments, they would prefer this to be invested in training teachers to deliver digital learning more effectively (45%) and in better digital learning materials (41%), rather than in upgrading the technology.