What is this project about?

This survey asks course leaders about their experience and perception of the benefits and challenges associated with the National Student Survey (NSS), which is used here as an example of a major external survey. This project aims to answer the following research question: "Does the University of Portsmouth’s involvement in the National Student Survey have any major disadvantages, the significance of which is not apparent due to the focus on the clear benefits that this involvement brings?". Within this study the following three further questions will be answered: (i) In what ways does the NSS benefit or cause difficulties for UoP course leaders?, (ii) Are there correlations between the benefits and difficulties associated with the NSS? If so, to what extent?, and (iii) Does the NSS encourage ethical strategic-management practices?

Who is being surveyed?

UoP staff members who are or recently were undergraduate course leaders are being surveyed. The intention of the project is to encourage all undergraduate course leaders to complete the online questionnaire, and therefore the sample will hopefully be highly representative of the population for the University of Portsmouth. Participation is voluntary but is highly encouraged in order to gather the most accurate results.

Why should I take part?

This Survey is your chance to tell us your thoughts about NSS benefits and challenges. The results will help understand the experience and feelings course leaders like you towards surveys such as NSS. The responses will be part of a Master's level research project which is aiming to: (a) gain insight into the benefits, pressures, and challenges that programme leaders experience in relation to student experience surveys; (b) identify whether or not the benefits of the NSS outweigh the costs associated with the related challenges; and (c) evaluate whether there is an ethical balance between the aims of education (at either the institutional or national level) and the strategies at the University of Portsmouth (UoP) when student experience surveys, such as the NSS, are used.

Is it anonymous?

This survey does not ask for any names or e-mail addresses from respondents and will not ask for any other identifying information. You will be asked which department you work for, for demographic data from a broad range. None of this data will be specific enough to identify individual participant and will only be used to analyse responses.Your survey response is confidential to the team processing the results and no reporting outside of this team will identify any individual. The survey asks that any comments you make should not identify yourself or any specific members of staff or students. A priivacy statement for this project can be found here

How long will this survey take?

This survey will take a maximum of 10 minutes to complete.

Where can I find out more?

If you are unsure about anything to do with the survey, or have any difficulty, please contact Dr Melita Panagiota Sidiropoulou in DCQE on 02392843155 or by e-mail: melita@myport.ac.uk.

Can I find out the results of the survey?

All data will be collected by Monday 16th March 2020 and the analysis and writing up of the research project report will be completed by May 2020. If you would like a copy of the final report from the survey, please send an e-mail to melita@myport.ac.uk. Any findings may be disseminated in public research papers in the UK or other academic journals.