As we wrap up the term and head into the holiday season, I am pleased to share with you an update on the Program Experience Survey administered this fall. Student feedback is an essential component of our quality processes and helps us celebrate our successes and identify areas for continuous improvement.
The second annual Program Experience Survey returned positive results for Niagara College. This online survey was fielded from November 1 to 19 by email invitation to students in term two of their program or above.
Once again, a majority of students (over 84%) gave Niagara College high marks on the skills for future careers that academic programs are helping them develop. This year saw the addition of sustainability to the list of skills and competencies, with 77% of student agreeing that their program helps them develop these skills and 10% indicating that the College’s reputation for sustainability is a main reason in their decision to study here.
Within another online and hybrid delivery term due to the pandemic, satisfaction with e-learning increased significantly this year: 78% of students are satisfied with the quality of our virtual delivery. This reflects the dedication of faculty to provide a strong online academic experience and staff in the Centre for Academic Excellence who support them in designing and teaching online courses with resources, webinars, and consultations aligned with research-based best practices.
A related item is the shift in the importance of hybrid and online instruction as a key decision factor for choosing Niagara College, with 17% of first year students indicating hybrid instruction and 18% indicating online instruction as a main reason – compared to 4% and 3% respectively in fall 2020. We will continue to analyze both the qualitative and quantitative data to gain a more fulsome understanding of the shift in perspective on flexible instructional modes. While we know there is still work to be done with regard to flexible delivery modes, quality remote and hybrid instruction is increasingly the norm and expectation for many incoming students.
Please accept my sincere thanks to all of you and your tireless work in support of our students. As we enter another phase of the pandemic and once again move the majority of our instruction online, I thank you for your efforts in ensuring we provide safe and innovative learning environments for our students. I truly appreciate the passion and student-centric approach demonstrated by the entire college community. Thank you for all you contribute to the success of our students and our college community. I wish each of you a healthy, restful and happy holiday season.
Fiona
For more information, please see:
Program Experience Survey
niagaracollege.ca/pair/pes
A calendar of Niagara College surveys can be found here: niagaracollege.ca/pair/surveys/
Questions? Contact Katerina Gonzalez, Director, Planning and Institutional Research
