New results from the annual student survey
Practice work scores highest on student satisfaction: students report that practical training in their field helps them learn. But few get to benefit from it. Most students experience only a limited range of teaching methods in their study programs.
Every year in February, NOKUT releases new results from the annual student survey (Studiebarometeret), which examines how students perceive the quality of Norwegian higher education.
NOKUT’s director, Terje Mørland, emphasises that the survey contains important information for all universities and university colleges in Norway:
– Norwegian students as a whole express satisfaction with their study programs. However, there are notable differences among the programs. This needs more attention.
He continues:
– One of the great benefits of Studiebarometeret is how it allows institutions to compare study programs. They can learn from each other by exchanging experiences. The institutions can also use this information to make changes to programs that receive low scores.
The main results from the student survey
- Traditional lectures are the most common teaching method
Norwegian students report that traditional lectures are the most common teaching method. Traditional lectures seem to contribute more strongly to learning when used alongside other methods. - Best learning outcomes from practice work
Students attending study programs that include practice work report that this has a major impact on how they learn. However, the students express dissatisfaction with how the teaching institution prepares them for practice, and with communication between their institution and the practice work site. - The students report dissatisfaction with their ability to influence the study programs’ content and design
- Satisfaction with the career relevance of study programs
More than 85 % of the students express satisfaction with the study programs’ relevance to their future careers. - Big differences from program to program in time spent on studying
Norwegian students report that on average they spend 35.5 hours a week on their studies. This number varies between different study programs. Students of dentistry, architecture and police spend the most amount of time on their studies, while students of sociology, anthropology and history spend the least.
About Studiebarometeret
Studiebarometeret was launched in 2013. Every year undergraduate and postgraduate students in Norway are invited to take part in the survey, meaning that close to 60 000 students from all institutions have the opportunity to give their opinion on the quality of their degree programmes.
This year, approximately 29 000 students participated in the survey. Results are published on the website www.studiebarometeret.no. The website aims to make it easy for students, teaching institutions and the government to compare different study programmes offered at universities and university colleges in Norway.