Survey to quiz 300,000 on engagement with learning

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release 23 July 2010
Survey to quiz 300,000 on engagement with learning

In August around 300,000 students and over 10,000 teaching staff will be invited to report on their engagement with learning and many of the broader, more enriching aspects of higher education by taking part in the 2010 Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE).

The survey will involve students and staff from 54 higher education institutions – 32 Australian universities, seven New Zealand universities, and 15 other higher education providers.

The 2010 administration of AUSSE is the largest, most comprehensive and well validated survey yet conducted of whether students and institutions are engaging in effective educational practices.

“Participation in the survey is beneficial for learners, teachers and institutions, as it exposes people to lists of effective educational practices,” said ACER Principal Research Fellow Associate Professor Hamish Coates.

“The survey presents an opportunity for students and teachers to provide honest feedback that has the potential to improve the higher education experience.”

Students will answer questions about their studies on campus and at home, their commute to their institution and their future plans as well as questions about how they like to spend their free time.

Teachers will provide further information on how much time they spend teaching, whether they teach on or off-campus and their delivery methods, such as lectures, tutorials or online formats.

Institutions use the information gathered to identify areas where improvement in student engagement can be achieved, to plan improvements to the quality of education they provide, and to monitor their progress.

This is the fourth annual administration of the AUSSE, a study funded by participating institutions, which began in 2007.

Further information about AUSSE is available from http://ausse.acer.edu.au

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