Surveys
Five surveys measure student engagement among undergraduate students and lecturers at South African higher education institutions:
What do we use the data for?
Student engagement surveys promote institutional self-reflection and accountability. The data also have a diagnostic use by shedding light on where interventions might be necessary.
Data from student engagement surveys are also used to promote quality teaching and learning, which in turn maximises opportunities for student success. In essence, the surveys provide actionable data:
- For improving student retention and progress;
- To identify constraints in the teaching and learning environment;
- For encouraging creative pedagogic practices;
- For innovation in curriculum design;
- To develop systematic approaches to the monitoring of teaching and learning; and
- To facilitate staff capacity development.
We provide participating institutions with detailed analyses and information tools, including:
- An institution-specific data file containing raw data from the survey items;
- An institutional report that includes responses by first-year and senior students compared to that of other institutions and the overall SASSE sample;
- Other services, such as workshops, staff development and training.
By using the data gathered at South African institutions to compile a picture of the South African student, we believe we can contribute to national efforts to improve the quality of teaching and learning, especially for undergraduates, and to creating conditions that are more conducive to student success countrywide.