Welcome to the March 2021 digital experience insights blog
Sarah Knight presented our analysis of the Oct-Dec Student data during DigiFest 1:00pm 8th March sharing our early insights into what Students are telling us. A recording of this session will be available soon. This data has generated lots of wider interest such as Blended learning: 8 things students say work | Tes (opens new window)
2020/21 data snapshot:
Listening to the voices of 27,069 students and learners who have shared their experiences of online learning. Our reports show how students, colleges and universities have responded positively in challenging circumstances and highlight areas for improvement. Find out what learners had to say in the summary pulse 1: October– December 2020 briefings below:
• Student digital experience insights survey 2020/21: Findings from UK further education (opens in new window).
• Student digital experience insights survey 2020/21: Findings from UK higher education (opens in new window)
With the continued pandemic, and the requirement of students in further and higher education to continue to learn remotely, it is essential that we have mechanisms in place for gathering feedback on their experiences. It has never been more important to listen to the student voice and to work as partners with students to ensure their digital experience delivers what they need and shapes the digital future of the students that follow.
The digital experience insights surveys allow organisations to collect valid, representative and actionable data from their students and staff about the digital environment they offer and to understand how digital technologies are used in learning and teaching as well as across the organisation.
1. Have you run your student insights surveys yet?
Spring is often the best time for colleges to run the surveys. We strongly encourage you to launch as soon as possible to allow enough time to run your student surveys before they close on 30th April. The Teaching staff survey closes later on 2nd July, to allow you to incorporate it into any staff CPD days.
Here is a link to the Quick guide to using the digital experience insights (DEI) surveys (opens in new window).
Just a few things to note:
• For those that have signed-up and received your ‘getting started’ form, we encourage you to complete and send the form back as soon as possible so that we can release your master copies of the survey and you can get going.
• Naming your insights survey(s). For each survey you create, please follow this naming convention:-
[name of your institution]
[HE/FE/HE online student or teaching/professional services staff/researcher]
[2020/21]
[insights survey]
[Welsh version – if appropriate]
• Creating test / practice surveys: if you create a test survey, once you have finished with it, please delete it. This is because we can see all insight survey copies and we need to find your “real” insights survey(s) in order to put them into the correct benchmarking groups.
2. Tools to help you analyse and present your data:
When you have closed your surveys, you will need to analyse your data, present and publish your results. Our handy tools simplify this task for you. The Excel templates make it easy for you to drop in your data, quickly generating charts and tables. The PowerPoint template will help you present your key findings. We have selected the questions we think will have the greatest relevance and impact at an organisational level. You can add more detail or delete sections you don’t want to use.
Downloadable Excel and PowerPoint templates are on Resources (opens new window) Please contact us if you would like any further advice on how to analyse your data.
3. DEI Events:
Registration (opens new window) now open for our next community of practice event will take place on 19 May 2021
We’re very pleased to announce the date for our 3rd joint building digital capability and digital experience insights community of practice event, in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University, is taking place on the 19 May 2021.
Please consider sharing your approaches to building digital capability or the impact of digital experience insights surveys is having on your institution, as one of our ‘member stories’ sessions – we’ll ask you if you’d like to offer a session when you register for the event.
4. Other events;
a) 8th CAN 2021 conference
1-4 June, hosted by Keele University celebrating student and staff partnerships. Adapting to Change: Student-Centred Success (opens in new window). This is an opportunity for colleges and universities to share how they are working with their students through insights to contribute a session to this online event. Any queries please contact e.a.lancaster@keele.ac.uk
b) ALT-ELESIG The student voice on Active Blended Learning
11th March 1-2pm
• Professor Alejandro Armellini – Dean of Digital and Distributed Learning (University of Portsmouth)
• Virginia Teixeira Antunes – Independent consultant working in the education sector
• Rob Howe – Head of Learning Technology (University of Northampton)
The session focuses on university students’ perceptions of their learning and social experiences in the context of an institution-wide pedagogic shift to Active Blended Learning. This presentation will address 3 key categories emerging from the research (1) learning experiences, (2) social experiences and (3) support provision. Book you place here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-is-the-learner-experience-of-active-blended-learning-tickets-142388446677
c) ALT-ELESIG How are students experiencing learning online? What the data from our digital experience insights 2020-1 student surveys is telling us
24th March, 1-2pm
• Sarah Knight, Head of data and digital capability, Jisc
• Ruth Drysdale, Senior consultant, data and digital capability, Jisc
This year, organisations have the option to run the surveys annually or as pulse surveys and this session will share the findings from the first round of pulse student surveys with the data collected from October to end of December 2020.
Over 27,000 students from further and higher education have shared their views on their online learning experience. The findings offer insights into how students are navigating digital poverty, their digital wellbeing as well as the support for developing their digital skills and what they need in order to become effective online learners. Book your place here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jisc-exploring-the-the-findings-from-the-first-set-of-pulse-dei-data-tickets-142388916081
To learn more about ALT ELESIG and to become a member of our special interest group, please check how to join.
d) Advance HE’s Surveys & Insights Conference 2021: Adapting to challenging times on
28 April 2021 £175.
Ruth Drysdale will be sharing a session on; Gathering students experience of learning online: What the data from Jisc’s digital experience insights 2020-21 student surveys is telling us
Note as well as these monthly blogs, we also offer full guidance on using the service (opens in new window). If you have any questions/need help or would like us to include any items in future blogs, please do contact us at help@jisc.ac.uk (putting ‘insights surveys’ in the subject line).