Student Experience FAQs

• 1. What is the SES?

  Each semester, we ask students to evaluate the modules they are studying. We do this through an online survey, the ‘Student Experience Survey’ (SES). The SES results will enable the module coordinator to better understand what improvements can be made to enhance the experience of the students in their modules.

• 2. When does the SES take place?

  The SES will be delivered sometime during teaching weeks 7-10 in semesters one and two, in an appropriate session chosen by your module coordinator.

• 3. What does the SES cover?

  The MEQ covers your experiences of a specific module on your course. It is an opportunity to share your views, and help us shape and improve the student experience. The SES has a set of core questions about various aspects of being a student, including:

  • Teaching on my course
  • Learning opportunities 
  • Marking and assessment 
  • Academic support
  • Organisation and management
  • Learning resources
  • Student voice
  • Overall satisfaction

  The module coordinator can also add up to four additional questions which are specific to the module. 

• 4. Why does the University conduct SES?

  The University conducts SES to obtain information to enhance the student experience by making improvements to modules, applying what works well to other modules and improving the learning experience for current and future students.

  The SES provide information as part of the University's quality assurance system and contribute to the public accountability of higher education.

  The four main ways SES feedback is used are:

  1. For the module leader to understand how their teaching and feedback on assessments has contributed to student learning.
  2. To help the module team who designed the module to know how the design and presentation of the module has worked well or not worked well and what can be improved for future students.
  3. For the University overall to review how the module has performed when compared to others in the faculty, at the same level or across the university.
  4. For the University overall as a source of quality enhancement information, so that experts in research into teaching and learning or the design of modules can learn from what worked for you and what could be improved.

   

• 5. How many SESs are there to complete?

  One per module per semester.

• 6. Is filling out SES compulsory?

  No, but in order for staff to have a clear idea of the ways in which modules could improve, the more students who respond, the better.

• 7. How do I take part?

  As well as receiving email communications about the process, teaching staff on your modules will make you aware of exactly when this process will take place.  It will be sometime during teaching weeks 7-10 of semesters one and two.

  Before the Session…

  • Download ApAber from your app store - the SES tile gives you access to the surveys
  • If you prefer, download a QR code reader

  Or 

  • Bring a Laptop or smart device to the session, and your module coordinator will provide a link to the SES
  • Please ensure your chosen device has access to the Eduroam network
  • If you do not own an appropriate device, there will be a small number of tablets available for you to borrow during the session to complete the survey

  During the Session… 

  • Your lecturer will explain to you the purpose of the SES, how to complete it correctly, and answer any questions
  • You will then be asked to connect to the Eduroam network
  • The URL and module PIN will be provided on a PowerPoint slide
  • Smart devices: tap the SES tile in ApAber
  • Laptop or computer: enter the URL in your search bar
  • Enter the pin assigned to your module code
  • Complete the SES
  • When you’re satisfied with your answers click ‘Submit’
  • Once submitted you will not be able to re-enter the SES
  • We anticipate that this whole process will take no more than 15 minutes.

• 8. Why should I take part?

  Your Voice Matters and your feedback helps us to shape your student experience! Your Voice Matters is already highlighting areas of excellence, enabling us to identify issues and implement improvements. Your responses to the SESs are vital to help us enhance the student experience through making changes that will benefit you and other students.  The higher level of responses, the more accurately and efficiently we can improve your time here.

• 9. How are the results used?

  The module coordinator will analyse the results and, where possible, make recommendations for change based on the findings. The module coordinator will then explain the changes (or the reasons why changes can’t be made) during a subsequent lecture and/or on your AberLearn Blackboard Ultra page.

  Some of the findings may prompt further research, allowing us to gain further understanding of how you feel about particular issues.  The results of the SESs will be used for quality enhancement across the University.

• 10. Which modules are being surveyed?

  All modules will be surveyed. Some Postgraduate and Distance Learning modules will be included in the SESs.

• 11. Free text comments - can I write what I like?

   

  Yes, however, feedback should be constructive, professional, courteous and provided for improvement. Helpful comments and ideas from students are fed into programme strategic planning, and help to make real changes that benefit you and future students following in your footsteps.

   

  By reflecting on your own learning experience and evaluating each module you will also build your own understanding of your learning style, your priorities as a learner and response to various types of teaching styles you are experiencing.

   

   If it was an excellent, engaging module, please let your lecturers know what you enjoyed most. If the module has not met your expectations, explain how things could be improved. When giving feedback to academic staff, think about your own experiences of receiving feedback on your own work. Reflect on your full experience and provide constructive suggestions for any changes. Have you heard of unconscious bias? There can be a tendency to provide higher module evaluation scores for academics that might fit previous ideas of what an academic is like. It is important that you explore any unconscious tendency to stereotype.

  Students are informed that Heads of Department and the central survey team reserve the right to remove or redact comments that are deemed to be unacceptable.  Comments may be unacceptable if they are aggressive, abusive threatening, unnecessarily personal or emotionally damaging.  All comments submitted through the SES should be done in accordance with the Student Rules and Regulations.

• 12. Is the SES available in Welsh?

  Yes - ask your module coordinator for details. 

• 13. Is the SES anonymous?

  Yes. The University follows strict guidelines to ensure that all feedback data is anonymous in accordance with the latest General Data Protection Regulations (https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/corporate-information/information-governance/policies/dp/). Please make sure that free-text comments you provide do not reveal any of your personal details – unless you want to be identifiable in your feedback.

• 14. I don't want to answer that question/complete the SES

  The SES is not compulsory, but we would encourage you to complete it and answer all the questions. This provides your department with the information they need on what is working well, and where changes or improvements may be required. This will benefit both you and other students at Aberystwyth.

• 15. How are the results shared?

  Evaluations are reviewed by Module Coordinators, Programme Leaders and Heads of Department. Module Coordinators are encouraged to discuss the evaluation results with students and make changes if needed. If any changes were made as a result of evaluation, the next cohort of students will be informed about that in the introductory module lecture.

  Look out for the new Your Voice Matters posters in the department, around campus, the Your Voice Matters website, and on social media. We will also make sure that, if you really like something, we celebrate it and share the good practice.

• 16. What do the different responses mean?

  You are asked to rate how much you agree with each statement that is presented, using a 6 or 5-point Likert scale. These scales vary depending on the question. The majority of the question follow the 5-point scale which consists of 2 positive, 2 negative and This does not apply to me. For example; 'Very good; Good; Not very good; Not at all good; This does not apply to me'. The 6-point scale contains the following: 

  6 = Not applicable (N/A)

  5 = Definitely agree

  4 = Mostly agree

  3 = Neither agree nor disagree

  2 = Mostly disagree

  1 = Definitely disagree

  The open comment boxes are your opportunity to express your views in relation to the questions asked and tell us about what worked, what you liked and where improvements could be made.  The time you take to complete the SES is very much appreciated and we value your honest and constructive feedback.  All we ask is that you please use respectful and appropriate language.

• 17. How are the SES results calculated?

  SES are discussed in terms of the % agree score.

  % agree is the combination of responses marked as "4" and "5", divided by the sum of all responses for the statement.

  This does not apply to me responses ("0") are not included and blank responses are treated as N/A, and therefore not included in the calculation.  Any blank response is overwritten with a "0" in % agree calculations, in order that it is treated as N/A. 

  % agree is calculated for each module for each statement individually, as described in the table below:

  Satisfaction Scale	Staff are good at explaining things	Calculation
  (5) Definitely Agree Count	65	Count of responses marked as "5" definitely agree
  (4) Mostly Agree Count	72	Count of responses marked as "4" mostly agree
  (3) Neither Count	10	Count of responses marked as "3" neither agree or disagree. This option is only available in Q25 - the overall satisfaction question.
  (2) Mostly Disagree Count	2	Count of responses marked as "4" mostly disagree
  (1) Definitely Disagree Count	0	Count of responses marked as "1" definitely disagree"
  (0) This does not apply to me Count	2	Count of responses marked as "0" this does not apply to me
  Respondents per question	149	Total count of responses marked as 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5
  Student Satisfaction Rate	91.9%	Count of responses marked as 4 or 5 divided by the count of responses marked as 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. (Please note 3 response option is only available for Q25 - where this is not present it will not be included in the calculation).

   

  In the above example, the calculation is 137 (65 + 72) / 149 (65 + 72 + 10 + 2) so does not include the further 2 responses marked not applicable.  Therefore, the calculation for each of the Likert scale questions will often result in dividing by a different number of responses each time.

• 18. Is the SES and NSS (National Student Survey) the same survey?

  No, the SES is a survey all undergraduate students’ experience on the modules they study during their time at Aberystwyth University.  The SES are solely used to enhance Aberystwyth’s student experience. Whereas the NSS is a national census of nearly half a million students, conducted annually, primarily aimed at final year students, and is used as a source of public information about higher education.

• 19. Who will administer the survey?

  The survey is usually administered by your module coordinator, or one of the teaching staff for the module. However, on occasion it may be necessary or appropriate for the SES to be administered by a member of the Your Voice Matters team or departmental administration staff.

• 20. Who operates the online system?

  The online system is centrally operated and administered by staff in the Your Voice Matters project team.

• 21. How can I find out more about the SES?

  Please email hgm-meq@aber.ac.uk if you have any questions or queries that have not been answered here. 

• 22. What if the survey doesn't work for me?

  First, check you have the correct PIN for the module. Also, make sure you are trying to do the survey during the open time slot. The survey is scheduled for a set session.

  Next, are you trying to access the survey via tablet/phone app or laptop? The tile on the ApAber app is often removed when customising the app to your taste so we suggest trying to use the link. If you're using a browser webpage, make sure the form isn't auto filling in the PIN or that you are not trying to access a version of the form you have done previously.

  Quick Fix - open a new browser and manually type the URL in and input the new pin. You can also try clearing the browser cache and cookies. Make sure you are connected to the internet.

• 23. How do I see what is done as the result of my feedback?

  Students receive a response from the module coordinator in response to my feedback and where appropriate, a detail of the changes which will be made to the module. You will receive this via email, and it will also be uploaded to Blackboard

• 24. Do all students answer the same questions?

  The same SES structure is used across all modules.

• 25. Can I change or withdraw my SES responses?

  Due to SES being anonymous it is not possible to change or withdraw an SES response once this has been submitted.

• 26. Can I complete an SES after the closing date?

  Due to automated processes it is not possible to complete an SES after the closing date.

• 27. How can I be sure that my views expressed in the SES are acted upon?

  Module Coordinators review their SES in order to identify what worked well and what could be improved.  They will use your feedback to make enhancements and changes to the module so that future students will benefit from the views you have expressed. Module feedback is also analysed to identify key themes. 

  Your feedback is an important part of the University's quality processes.