Understanding Student Feedback in the Quality Assurance Process

In recent years, the role of the student in the quality assurance process of higher education has become recognised as being both necessary and desirable. Students have become increasing involved in the enhancement of their learning environment. Ensuring the full participation of students in the quality assurance process, gathering their feedback, listening to it and acting on it, is central to improving and enhancing both the learning and teaching environment. This presentation poses a number of questions, what does Quality Assurance mean to the average students? How can we get more students involved in the QA process? And how do we ensure that the student voice is accepted as a full and equal partner in the Quality assurance process. The mantra of the modern academic institution is to be “student centred”, however it is important to distinguish between those institutions that have “token” students and those which not only encourage student participation, but see it as a necessity to enhance both the learning and teaching environment. If we accept that in order to have the most successful learning environment and robust quality assurance processes possible, student participation and feedback are essential. However, how do we gather adequate feedback? And how do we ensure that such feedback is first, understood, and second, is taken on board and acted upon? The challenge for those involved in the quality assurance process is how we ensure that student participation happens at all levels.