QAA explores student engagement and performance during the shift to digital teaching, learning and assessment
| Date: | February 22 - 2022 |
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Following the publication of our headline findings last month, we have published the full report of our Made Digital research, exploring how the shift to digital teaching, learning and assessment has affected student engagement and performance.
To understand how, and which forms of digital delivery and assessment have impacted student engagement and achievement, QAA ran a survey of its members during November and December 2021. This survey was completed by 322 individuals from more than 90 different institutions and was complemented by 17 in-depth interviews with QAA Members.
Our research finds that the impact of the shift to digital delivery has been positive for some student groups and negative for others. There are notes of caution too about staff workload and the sustainability of the current pace as staff manage in person and online activity. While individual pedagogical approaches can be impactful for students, they are most successful when part of a wider institutional strategy. We also heard about the importance of getting the basics right – ensuring classes start on time, timetables minimise overload with too many sequential online sessions and students know who they can contact for help.
QAA’s Director of Membership, Quality Enhancement and Standards, Dr Ailsa Crum said: ‘This is a useful contribution to what needs to be an ongoing discussion about future delivery and assessment practice. I look forward to continued explorations to get a better understanding of approaches that work for all student groups. We are supporting a number of collaborative enhancement projects that will provide insights in that space.’
The Made Digital report is available to QAA Members via our Membership Resources Site. All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can access the site using their log in details or first-time users can sign up with our short registration form.
QAA funded the Made Digital research in our capacity as a membership organisation.
To understand how, and which forms of digital delivery and assessment have impacted student engagement and achievement, QAA ran a survey of its members during November and December 2021. This survey was completed by 322 individuals from more than 90 different institutions and was complemented by 17 in-depth interviews with QAA Members.
Our research finds that the impact of the shift to digital delivery has been positive for some student groups and negative for others. There are notes of caution too about staff workload and the sustainability of the current pace as staff manage in person and online activity. While individual pedagogical approaches can be impactful for students, they are most successful when part of a wider institutional strategy. We also heard about the importance of getting the basics right – ensuring classes start on time, timetables minimise overload with too many sequential online sessions and students know who they can contact for help.
QAA’s Director of Membership, Quality Enhancement and Standards, Dr Ailsa Crum said: ‘This is a useful contribution to what needs to be an ongoing discussion about future delivery and assessment practice. I look forward to continued explorations to get a better understanding of approaches that work for all student groups. We are supporting a number of collaborative enhancement projects that will provide insights in that space.’
The Made Digital report is available to QAA Members via our Membership Resources Site. All staff and students from QAA Member institutions can access the site using their log in details or first-time users can sign up with our short registration form.
QAA funded the Made Digital research in our capacity as a membership organisation.