Development of the Australasian survey of student engagement (AUSSE)

Abstract

Student learning and development are the core business of the academy, yet until recently Australian and New Zealand universities lacked data on students' engagement in effective educational practices. This paper reports the foundations and development of the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE)-the largest educationally focused cross-institutional collection from current students in Australasia. Results from the 2008 AUSSE are analyzed to elucidate the focus and significance of the collection. A review is undertaken of the AUSSE's approach to stimulating each institution's continuous improvement. The analysis is expanded, by way of conclusion, to consider the role of the collection as a general agent for encouraging the expansion of evidence-based quality management in higher education.

Student Engagement in a Team-Based Capstone Course: A Comparison of What Students Do and What Instructors Value

“…The NSSE instrument, based on a research foundation concerning student engagement (Coates, 2009;Kuh, 2004), provides a holistic view of an institutions level of student engagement.…”

IEngage: Using Technology to Enhance Students’ Engagement in a Large Classroom

“…In other words, it can help make "Robert learn like Susan (deep learning approach)", when Robert adopts surface learning approach while Susan uses deep learning approach (Biggs & Tang, 2007). This is especially important because active learning (which comes through student engagement) determines the effectiveness of education (Coates, 2010). It is also important to note that active learning depends on how effectively KeyPads are used in lectures.…”

“…Although a direct interaction between staff and students is incredibly important to achieve a high level of student engagement, this becomes very challenging to achieve in large classrooms. The 2008 Australian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE), the largest data collection from students in Australasia, indicates that 43.5-54.7 per cent of students never discuss ideas with their teaching staff outside of class (Coates, 2010). To these students, KeyPads offer an alternative to participate in class discussion and interact with their lecturers.…”

“…If a large proportion of the students did not understand an important part of the lecture, the lecturer can go back and further explain those concepts. Providing this type of feedback to students on their learning is especially important because, as noted in the 2008 AUSSE, 61.4 per cent of students either never receive feedback or only sometimes receive feedback on their understanding/performance (Coates, 2010). …”

Issues of Constructs, Contexts, and Continuity: Commentary on Learning in Higher Education

“…A perusal of those benchmarks reveals that many are just as pertinent to elementary or secondary education as they are to higher education (e.g., active and collaborative learning; quantity and quality of student/[teacher] interactions; enriching educational experiences). Interestingly, in the Australasian version of this survey (Coates, 2010), there was an added benchmark dealing with the integration of employment-focused work experiences into students' course of study. This one program benchmark appears to be the most higher education specific in the entire list.…”