academic compass: learning environments survey learning ...€¦ · executive summary 178 csu staff...

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Academic Compass: Learning Environments Survey Learning Spaces Summary Report

October 2014

Prepared the by Simon Welsh, Senior Learning Analytics Officer, Learning Technologies, Division of

Student Learning

Background Academic Compass is a series of surveys which will regularly explore the needs, expectations and perceptions of CSU’s academic staff. The Compass aims to provide a mapping of current issues related to academic practice, in particular learning and teaching, and point the way forward as CSU charts new directions.

The current edition of the Compass addressed academics’ perceptions and expectations of CSU’s learning environments – both physical and virtual. The survey sough feedback on:

the capacity of our learning and teaching spaces and the online learning environment to support teaching and quality learning for our students; and

how our learning environments need to evolve, so that we can plan and provide direction for the future.

This report contains a summary of key findings in relation to physical learning spaces only, including:

1. Respondent Profile

2. Academics’ Views on Physical Learning Environments

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Executive Summary

178 CSU staff completed the survey, with around 80% being in direct teaching roles. Responses were received from across the institution, but the Faculty of Arts is significantly under-represented in these findings

Physical learning and teaching spaces at CSU are generally seen as “a mixed bag”, with possibly most spaces being seen as effective within that. However, rather than looking for wholesale changes and re-design of physical learning and teaching spaces across our campuses, what academic staff are generally seeking in the first instance are improvements in the very basic aspects of these spaces: climate control, cleanliness, room flexibility and AV/IT systems that work

o Recommendation: staff were asked to list what they saw as the best and worst spaces on the campuses where they teach. It is recommended by DFM that, for all spaces identified, a process be undertaken to formally define where each space in question is physically located along with the timetable code

For the future design of physical learning and teaching spaces, flexibility is the key. We need to provide academic staff with physical spaces that can support a variety of pedagogies – the survey suggests CSU academics want to embrace, and are already embracing, a range of pedagogies that place differing demands on what it means to provide “effective” spaces

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1. Profile Between Monday 29 September and Monday 13 October 2014 inclusive, 178 CSU staff members participated in the Academic Compass survey on learning environments.

The profile of respondents is outlined in the following figures, key points include:

Figures 1.1 to 1.3 show the respondent profile as a percentage of staff who completed the respective question. In all cases, profile questions were only completed by 150 of the total 178 staff who commenced the survey

The majority of survey participants who provided profile information were Lecturers or Senior Lecturers (66% of sample combined). A further 15% were casual/sessional academics or Associate Lecturers. This means that over 80% of the sample was comprised of staff with direct teaching roles. (See Figure 1.1)

Around a quarter of staff did not record their primary Faculty (choosing either the “prefer not to say” option or skipping the question)

Based on estimation of academic staff “head count” in the Faculties (using Office of Planning and Audit data), we see a significant under-representation in the survey of staff from the Faculty of Arts among those who provided profile information. The Faculty of Arts comprised only approx 15% of the survey sample while contributing over 30% of the CSU academic staff head count. The Faculty of Business is also somewhat under-represented (around 11% of survey compared with over 15% of total head count). Conversely, the Faculty of Science is over-represented (around 39% of sample compared with less than 35% of total head count). (See Figure 1.2)

Among those who did complete the profile information, male staff are somewhat under-represented in the survey sample compared with total CSU academic head counts (using Office of Planning and Audit data), comprising around 39% of the sample compared with approximately 44% of head count. (See Figure 1.3)

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Figure 1.1 – Respondent Profile by Current Position (n=150)

Figure 1.2 – Respondent Profile by Faculty (n=150)

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Figure 1.3 – Respondent Profile by Gender (n=150)

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2. Academics’ Views on Physical Learning Environments

Key points:

Figure 2.1 provides a “hit list” of physical learning and teaching spaces that received multiple mentions. The list is headed by the CD Blake theatre and rooms in Albury which was raised by 50% of the Albury-based staff who completed the question. Similarly, rooms in the 1003 Building in Orange were raised by 33% of the 9 Orange-based staff who completed the question

There is an interesting in comparison between the suggestions for improving the “hit list” spaces in Figure 2.1 and the results of Figure 2.2 which represents feedback on how spaces generally need to be improved. Some of the key themes emerging from these Figures are:

o temperature control (heating and cool). The “control” statement in Figure 2.2 most commonly related to this point – but also does include some responses around control of AV/IT equipment;

o flexibility and maintenance of furniture – being able to customise the layout of space and ensuring furniture is in good, working condition;

o cleanliness and “look & feel” – basic cleaning and maintenance (eg painting) is an oft raised issue; and

o AV/IT systems – being able to easily access these technologies (in a physical sense) and relevant support, and enhancing particular systems such as microphones, CSU Replay and communication technologies (eg video links)

Figures 2.3 and 2.4 then provide an overall sense the effectiveness of our physical learning and teaching spaces – both general and workplace learning spaces. From this, we can see that our spaces are generally seen as “a mixed bag” and perhaps tending toward most being seen as effective within that. This finding, coupled with the preceding point, might suggest that, rather than looking for wholesale changes and re-design of learning and teaching spaces across our campuses, what academic staff are generally seeking in the first instance are improvements in the very basic aspects of these spaces: climate control, cleanliness, flexibility and systems that work

Figure 2.5 and 2.6 show the pedagogies that we need to be able to support with the design of our physical learning spaces, future and current (with Figure 2.6 referring specifically to classrooms). What we see here is that flexibility is the key. We need to provide academic staff with spaces that can support a variety of pedagogies – CSU academics want to embrace, and are already embracing, a range of pedagogies.

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Figure 2.1 – “Hit List” of Most Commonly Cited Poor Learning and Teaching Spaces

Hit List of Top Learning & Teaching Spaces to be Improved

Space

Number of

Mentions How to ImproveSylla b us Plus

Ho st Ke y

FMCe ntra l

Lo ca tio n Co d e Build ing

Sylla b us Plus Ro o m

De scrip tio n Ca p a c ity

Le a rning a nd T e a ching

Sp a ce Ca te g o ry

Albury - CD Blake Theatre

and Tutorial Rooms 10 A-751-104 AW02075101104 C.D. Blake Lecture Theatre BVT Thurgoona Rm 104-CD Blake 200 Lecture Theatre

A-751-110 AW02075101110 C.D. Blake Lecture Theatre Tutorial 1 25 Flat Floor Teaching Space

A-751-111 AW02075101111 C.D. Blake Lecture Theatre Teaching 1 60 Flat Floor Teaching Space

A-751-112 AW02075101112 C.D. Blake Lecture Theatre Tutorial 2 25 Flat Floor Teaching Space

A-751-202 AW02075102202 C.D. Blake Lecture Theatre IVS Thurgooma rm 202 80 Lecture Theatre

A-751-205 AW02075102205 C.D. Blake Lecture Theatre IVS Thurgoona rm 205 50 Flat Floor Teaching Space

Wagga - Wal Fife Theatre and

Rooms (esp: 101, 102, 107,

115, 116, 117 and 212)

8 W-14-101 WW01001401101 Wal Fife Theatre Wal Fife Theatre 20 Flat Floor Teaching Space

W-14-102 WW01001401102 Wal Fife Theatre Wal Fife Theatre 20 Flat Floor Teaching Space

W-14-115 WW01001402115 Wal Fife Theatre Wal Fife Theatre 400 Lecture Theatre





Wagga - Engineering (263)

Theatres and Rooms (esp:

132)

6 W-263-113 WW01026301113 Engineering Building Bldg 263, Room 113 50 Lecture Theatre

W-263-115 WW01026301115 Engineering Building Bldg 263, Room 115 15 Flat Floor Teaching Space

W-263-129 WW01026301129 Engineering Building Engineering 30 Specialist Laboratory

W-263-132 WW01026301132 Engineering Building Bldg 263, Room 132 50 Flat Floor Teaching Space

Orange - Building 1003,

Room 102

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IT issues - need CSU

Replay, relibale video

links to other campuses

and projector screens

that don't cover

whiteboards OA-1003-102 OA01100301102 Pharmacy Bld 1003; Room 102 55 Flat Floor Teaching Space

Wagga - Building 12 (esp:

103 and 136)

3 W-12-103 WW01001201103 Keith Swan Theatre Swan Theatre 269 Lecture Theatre

W-12-120 WW01001201120 Keith Swan Theatre Swan Theatre 25 Flat Floor Teaching Space




W-12-136 WW01001201136 Keith Swan Theatre Swan Theatre 30 Studio


Sound, temperature

control, more flexible

seating, modernisation of

look and feel

Natural lighting,

ventilation/temperature

control, AV equipment,

cleanliness

Natural lightining,

ventilation, cleanliness

and general maintenance

More whiteboards, better

lecturn positioning and

rooms too small

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Figure 2.1 Continued – “Hit List” of Most Commonly Cited Poor Learning and Teaching Spaces


Space

Number of

Mentions How to ImproveSylla b us Plus

Ho st Ke y

FMCe ntra l

Lo ca tio n Co d e Build ing

Sylla b us Plus Ro o m

De scrip tio n Ca p a c ity

Le a rning a nd T e a ching

Sp a ce Ca te g o ry


104, 203 and 208) 3 W-11-104 WW01001101104 Lecture Unit Lecture Unit 1 42 Lecture Theatre

W-11-109 WW01001101109 Lecture Unit Lecture Unit 1 61 Lecture Theatre

W-11-202 WW01001102202 Lecture Unit Lecture Unit 1 14 Flat Floor Teaching Space





Bathurst - Building 1411

tutorial rooms

3 B-1411-207 BA01141102207 Mansfield Bld C02; Room 207 20 Flat Floor Teaching Space

B-1411-209 BA01141102209 Mansfield Bld C02; Room 209 20 Flat Floor Teaching Space


B-1411-216 BA01141102216 Mansfield Bld C02; Room 216 14 Computer Laboratory

B-1411-218 BA01141102218 Mansfield Bld C02; Room 218 40 Lecture Theatre

















Cleanliness, AV, general

maintenance

Noise, projector screens

cover whiteboards,

unreliable IT/AV systems

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Figure 2.1 Continued – “Hit List” of Most Commonly Cited Poor Learning and Teaching Spaces


Space

Number of

Mentions How to ImproveSyllabus Plus

Host Key

FMCentra l

Loca tion Code Build ing

Sylla b us Plus Room

De scrip tio n Capa city

Lea rning and T e aching

Sp ace Ca tego ry


284) 2 W-13-210 WW01001302210 William Merrylees Library William Merrylees Library 25 Flat Floor Teaching Space

W-13-278 WW01001302278 William Merrylees Library Bldg 13, Room 278 30 Flat Floor Teaching Space



W-13-285 WW01001302289 William Merrylees Library William Merrylees Library 30 Flat Floor Teaching Space


W-13-287 WW01001302287 William Merrylees Library William Merrylees Library 30 Specialist Laboratory

W-13-288 WW01001302286 William Merrylees Library William Merrylees Library 30 To Be Assessed

W-13-289 WW01001302285 William Merrylees Library William Merrylees Library 30 Specialist Laboratory

Goulburn - demountables

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Fix air-conditioning and

broken furniture

Bathurst - Building 1294,

Room 102

2

Clealiness and and

general

maintenance/modernise

look and feel B-1294-102 BA01129402102 Dobbin Building Bld S01; Room 102 70 Flat Floor Teaching Space

Bathurst - Building 1292

(esp: 205) 2 B-1292-201 BA01129202201 Teaching Facility Bld S15; Room 201 36 Specialist Laboratory

B-1292-204 BA01129202204 Teaching Facility Bld S15; Room 204 36 Specialist Laboratory

B-1292-205 BA01129203205 Teaching Facility Bld S15; Room 205 136 Lecture Theatre

B-1292-223 BA01129202223 Teaching Facility Bld S15; Room 223 386 Lecture Theatre

Not designed for

lecturing, general

maintenance and

cleanliness

Temperature control and

whiteboards hidden by

projector screens

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Figure 2.2 – Most Important Immediate Improvements in Learning and Teaching Spaces

Figure 2.3 – Overall Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Physical Learning and Teaching Spaces

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Figure 2.4 – Overall Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Workplace Learning and Teaching Spaces

Figure 2.5 – Most Important Pedagogies to Consider in Designing Future Physical Spaces

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Figure 2.6 – Uses of Classrooms in Teaching

academic compass: learning environments survey learning ...€¦ · executive summary 178 csu staff...

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