If you work in higher education, you’ll know that student satisfaction is high up on the agenda for any university. It’s not only important for your reputation, but also for student retention. It’s encouraging that the recent national student survey [1] showed that 84% of UK students are satisfied with their course – a slight increase from 2018.
However, the survey also identifies key areas for improvement. In particular, students report lower satisfaction levels with the assessment and feedback aspects of their courses.
The good news is that with the right examination software, such as Speedwell’s eSystem, it’s not difficult to provide timely exam feedback and improve satisfaction.
Transparency is key, students want confidence that their assessments are fair, with a clear marking criterion. Furthermore, they want timely and detailed exam feedback so they can identify learning gaps and improve performance.
The eSystem has a number of features to assist in ensuring your exams are fair and robust. For example, the blueprinting function. Using this feature you can check you have covered all areas of the syllabus and at the appropriate level of difficulty. Providing assurances that your assessments are comparable to previous years and confidence in your exam processes.
The in-built statistical analysis tools allows you to see a complete history of each question and exam. Reports such as item analysis, question discrimination and exam reliability, all provide meaningful insights that will help improve future examinations.
With eSystem software you can mark MCQ questions automatically – eliminating the potential for human error. And results are available instantly if you require.
In addition, it’s possible to mark short answer and essay questions online. The intuitive format clearly shows the question text, the candidate’s answer and the model answer. This is displayed alongside the maximum score – and all on one screen.
Generate personalised exam feedback reports quickly and easily with the eSystem. At the touch of a button you can create a full report, allowing students to see comprehensive information about their results. Such as performance by question or learning outcome. Furthermore, they can also see how they compare against their peers. Find out more here.
Providing students with detailed exam feedback reports in a timescale that they want them in, enhances their learning experience. And will ultimately improve your student satisfaction levels.
We’ve explored the importance of exam feedback as a crucial element in student development and satisfaction. However, it’s only one facet of educators’ broader responsibility in promoting student growth. This article on Student Growth in Higher Education explores the topic in more detail and reveals many other ways educators contribute to enhancing the student experience.
If you’d like to benefit from simplified marking and detailed feedback reports, plus all the other advantages associated with streamlined exam management, then talk to us.
To find out more or arrange a personal demonstration, call our sales team on +44 (0) 1223 851703 or email info@speedwellsoftware.com
[1]The National Student Survey is carried out by the Office for Students (OfS) and was published in July 2019.