University of the Future Transforming learning and improving value THOUGHT LEADERSHIP REPORT

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1 University of the Future Transforming learning and improving value THOUGHT LEADERSHIP REPORT 1

2 2 ABOUT KORTEXT

3 About Kortext Kortext is the UK s leading provider of digital textbook and learning solutions and is one of the fastest growing education technology businesses in the country. Kortext is working with more than 40 universities to provide a comprehensive digital learning platform, which gives students access to the textbooks they need anytime, anywhere and on any device. The platform enables access to etextbooks from more than 650 academic publishers including Pearson, McGraw Hill, Wiley and Cengage as well as course packs and library resources. Smart Tools Combining access to a huge range of content with intuitive learning tools such as referencing, note taking and group collaboration, places Kortext at the forefront of the transition from print based learning to digital. Analytics The Kortext platform includes detailed student engagement analytics to allow lecturers to see in real-time how students are engaging with their learning materials and progressing through the course. This unprecedented insight helps universities to improve student engagement and focus on progression, retention, and most importantly, learning outcomes. Integrated Learning Ecosystem The Kortext system integrates seamlessly with a university s existing virtual learning environment as well as student records systems and Microsoft Office 365, which is used by millions of students across the world to make studying more efficient. 3

4 Foreword Kortext is passionate about making learning accessible to everyone wherever they are in the world and helping students from all walks of life achieve more. Our first report, University of the Future, examines how universities can provide greater value for money and introduce new teaching and learning tools that are tailored to support the individual in achieving success. To compile this report, we commissioned independent research by 3GEM, which spoke to current students and recent graduates to examine the changing landscape of higher education in Britain today. We hope it opens up a conversation about how universities could best meet the changing needs of students to provide the best value for money and the most fulfilling student experience. James Gray Founder, Kortext Methodology 3GEM conducted this independent research on behalf of Kortext with data collected using an online survey. 1,000 unique responses were generated from current university students, those who have recently graduated and 4 prospective students intending to study at university in the next two years.

5 69% Four in 10 students (43%) say university fees don t represent value for money 55% Over half of students said more contact time with lecturers would represent better value for money say that getting core textbooks included in course fees would represent greater value for money 42% felt better routes into employment after university would improve value for money Almost half (47%) felt their course would be better value for money if a tablet device was provided at the start of the degree 91% of students would be happy for their lecturer to track their progress if it helped them achieve better grades 76% of students believe dropout rates would improve if lecturers could use analytics to see how they were engaging with course materials Students reveal how they prefer to read textbooks Laptop - 33% Smart phones and tablet devices 29% Hard copy - 33% Audiobooks - 5% Nearly two thirds of students (58%) believe their grades would improve if they had access to the latest course materials and textbooks online 82% 92% students believe more people from disadvantaged backgrounds could go to university if a tablet preloaded with all required textbooks was included in course fees believe universities should provide tech to students with additional learning needs to provide fair access to learning materials 5

6 Introduction The next generation of university students is facing higher fees. In July 2016, we saw tuition fee prices break through the 9,000 per year barrier for the first time, with both new and current students in England paying up to 9,250 per year. Crucially though, Universities Minister Jo Johnson made clear that fee rises must be linked to high quality teaching to encourage more competition and better value for money for students. We wanted to hear from current students and recent graduates to understand their expectations, getting first hand insight into study habits and what determines perceptions of value for money. Universities are focusing not only on their academic track record, but also on overall student experience. According to the Times Higher Education s Student Experience Survey 2016, the teaching environment is what students value most when deciding on a university, with high quality lecturers, well-structured courses and small group tuition all contributing to perceptions around quality. So how can universities provide the best experience and a learning environment which is fit for the discerning digital native? Will universities need to consider how today s students prefer to learn and embrace technology to improve student satisfaction? Nearly two thirds of students (60%) felt their grades would be boosted if they had access to the latest course materials and textbooks online, while the vast majority (91%) would be happy to have their progress tracked weekly by their lecturer if it meant their grades would be boosted, revealing how the student of today is open to the use of big data and learning analytics to help them achieve their best. Widening participation is also hugely important, with universities under pressure to increase the population of learners from under-represented and disadvantaged groups to uphold the Office of Fair Access (OFFA) commitment. This report will also touch on how universities can learn from best practice and make higher education an attainable prospect for more people. 6

7 Great Experience. Great Value Respected as a world leading country in higher education, tens of thousands of people still aspire to go to university in the UK every year. However, with the cost of a three year degree in England standing at nearly 30,000 in fees alone, it is understandable that students are doing their research to understand whether these fees plus additional living costs represent good value for money. Our research found that four in 10 students (43%) don t think they do, but that there are opportunities universities can embrace to improve this perception. Four in 10 students don t think university fees are value for money Over half of students (55%) stated that more contact time with lecturers would represent better value for money while 42% felt better routes into employment post university would deliver value. While the quality of teaching is a key factor, the majority of students are looking for more financial support, with over two thirds (69%) suggesting that providing required textbooks as part of their course fees would represent better value for money. Half (47%) felt their course would be better value for money if their university offered a tablet device at the start of the degree. Including textbooks as part of course fees would be better value for money, say 69% of students. 7

8 Case Study One university pioneering this approach is Middlesex University, which became the first in the UK to provide each of its 18,000 students with a free core textbook for each module of their course. The vision for the project was simple; that students have the essential books provided for each module, saving them time and money and giving them personal access to key academic resources. Middlesex University partnered with Kortext, the UK s leading digital textbook provider, to make this a reality. Kortext is a learning platform providing etextbooks on a student s own device, but also allows users to keep digital notes, highlight text, do searches and create collaborative groups for sharing notes and working. In an initial pilot scheme with the business and law schools 20,496 free etextbooks were provided to students. This saved each student an estimated 450 each over the course of a three-year degree. Over 85% of students were using the service by the end of the first term. BA Marketing Student Inayat Patel is a student who s benefitted from the scheme. He said The free etextbooks have made a huge difference to me both financially and academically. Each of my textbooks would have cost and I saved around 250 in the last year alone. It also made studying easier. With etexts I had less to carry around and could study on the move, and annotating was easier because I could do it electronically rather than use fiddly post-it notes or scribbling in margins. Each of my textbooks would have cost and I saved around 250 in the last year alone. It also made studying easier. Research shows that six in 10 students (60%) think that access to the latest course materials and textbooks online would improve their grades. The survey data also revealed that despite living in a 24/7 online society, one in five students (22%) say their university doesn t provide access to either their textbooks or course materials online. Universities need to ensure they are responding to the changing needs of digital natives. Research shows that six in 10 students (60%) think that access to the latest course materials and textbooks online would improve their grades. 8

9 Achieving Academic Success While we know students are researching all aspects of university life from accommodation to health and wellbeing, research from Which? University suggests that after course content, the academic reputation of a university is the factor students most consider when choosing which one is right for them. With more at stake financially than ever before and a fiercely competitive jobs market, students are focused on achieving the best possible grades at university. The onus is on universities to do everything in their power to support students in gaining the best results. So, how can online learning help? According to 40% of students, virtual learning from any location would help improve grades. Of the ways students prefer to read, on screen is the overwhelming choice (62%) with a third (33%) preferring a laptop and a further quarter (29%) choosing smart phones and tablet devices. Just as millennials turn to Netflix for all their viewing needs and Spotify for their listening demands, there is now the need for universities to make course content available in similar ways. prefer hard copy printed materials and around 5% use audio. University classes are now filled with digital native students who have no memory of a time when access to the internet was not readily available, meaning universities have a responsibility to meet the changing needs of these learners. Just as millennials turn to Netflix for all their viewing needs and Spotify for their listening demands, there is now the need for universities to make course content available in similar ways and introduce more flexible ways of working. With this in mind, we asked students about how they prefer to consume academic materials. The data shows that of all the ways students prefer to read their key textbooks and journal articles on screen is the overwhelming choice (62%) with a third (33%) preferring a laptop and a further quarter (29%) choosing smart phones and tablet devices. A further 33% still Interestingly, the statistics show that a quarter (25%) of men prefer to use their smartphone to read books and articles compared to less than one in five (17%) of women. Only one in twenty (5%) of mature students over 55 like to use mobile phones but this rises to one in four (25%) for year olds. This is actually higher than other age groups, including millennials, where one in five stated mobile phones as their top method of consuming content. 9

10 The Analytics Debate More universities are harnessing the benefits of learning analytics to gain invaluable insight into academic performance, learning habits and students engagement with course materials. Universities have access to a huge amount of big data from sources like the library and virtual learning environments like Moodle and Blackboard. By cross correlating this information and using it in the right way, universities have the opportunity to respond to the needs of students and use the information as an early warning sign, enabling them to identify those who may be struggling and offer extra support before they drop out. We found that the vast majority (91%) would be happy for their lecturer to track their progress week by week if it helped them to achieve better grades Millennials are used to their data being used to track health and fitness and get personalised shopping recommendations, so we wanted to understand whether students are comfortable with a similar approach being taken in their education. We found that the vast majority (91%) would be happy for their lecturer to track their progress week by week if it helped them to achieve better grades, while 47% felt their grades would improve if lecturers had the ability to see how well they were doing throughout the course. According to a report by the Social Market Foundation, 6% of university students drop out after their first year and retention rates have not improved since While many universities have been tackling this directly, three quarters of students (76%) believe better use of learning analytics could be the key to improving this, believing fewer students would drop out if lecturers were able to use analytics to see how they were engaging with their course materials. 76% of students believe better use of learning analytics could be key to improving retention. 10

11 92% believed that universities should be providing technology to enable students with additional learning needs to have equal access to learning materials. Widening Participation The Government has an ambitious target to double the proportion of disadvantaged students going to university by Despite figures from UCAS showing that young people from disadvantaged areas are more likely than ever to attend university, institutions are still under increasing pressure to reach the target. Government has now imposed new rules on universities to work more closely with schools in poorer areas, for instance. 8 in ten students believe more people from disadvantaged backgrounds could go to university if a tablet pre-loaded with etextbooks was included in fees According to OFFA (Office for Fair Access) there is still a large gap between university entry rates for students from different backgrounds. Its figures show 18 year-olds from the most advantaged areas are nearly two-and-a-half times more likely to enter higher education than disadvantaged 18 year olds, and just over six times more likely to enter one of the universities with the highest entry requirements. Our research provides some insight into where universities could be focusing their efforts, with 82% of students believing more people from poorer backgrounds would be able to go to university if a tablet or laptop pre-loaded with all required textbooks was included in course fees. In addition, nearly every student (92%) surveyed believed that universities should be providing technology to enable students with additional learning needs to have equal access to learning materials. CASE STUDY - University of East London In 2014 UEL invested 2m in new technology, to become the first university in the UK to give free Samsung Galaxy Note tablets to their first-year undergraduate intake, benefitting around 4000 students. The free tablets, which were pre-loaded with core etextbooks, are part of their commitment to improve student experience and enhance interactive learning in the classroom. This has now been rolled out to all years. 11

12 Conclusion We hope that the findings of University of the Future have provided food for thought on how universities can address the issues of value for money and improving student experience, and how students can consider the options when making the huge decision of choosing the right university. What is clear is that despite the cost of course fees increasing more than three fold since 2010, record numbers are applying for university and are ambitious about achieving the best results. What our findings show is that students are demanding more for their fees and by supporting students financially by including academic resources as part of fees and providing flexible working options, students feel they d be getting better value for money and the springboard they need to achieve academic success. Our figures show 89% of students would be more likely to attend a university that enables online collaboration and note sharing and access to the latest editions of textbooks. Contact Us Universities have an opportunity to embrace technology and integrate it with their existing systems. Students are open to sharing their data if it means they could achieve better grades. Universities have a real opportunity to use this insight as an early warning system to pick up those who are in danger of underperforming or dropping out. info@kortext.com And when it comes to opening up the amazing opportunities of higher education to those from disadvantaged backgrounds, investment in academic technology could be the safety net that sees these learners through to academic success and top career opportunities. Education technology has the power to transform the teaching and learning experience for teachers, lecturers and students alike, and in order for it to work, it should be embedded into an institute s culture. Now is the time for universities to embrace new technology to continue providing the best student experience and highest quality teaching in the world. Tweet Suite B, 6th Floor, Avalon, Oxford Road Bournemouth, BH8 8EZ. UK. +44 (0)

13 Data collected from students at the following universities Aberystwyth University Glasgow Caledonian University Newman University St George's, University of London University of Bath University of the Highlands and Islands Anglia Ruskin University Glasgow School of Art Northumbria University St Mary's University, Twickenham University of Bedfordshire University of West London Arts University Bournemouth Glyndwr University Norwich University of the Arts Staffordshire University University of Birmingham University of Westminster Aston University Goldsmiths, University of London Nottingham Trent University Swansea University University of Bolton University of Wolverhampton Bangor University Harper Adams University Oxford Brookes University Teesside University University of Bradford University of Worcester Bath Spa University Heriot-Watt University Plymouth College of Art The Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London Birkbeck, University of London Heythrop College, University of London Plymouth University The London School of Economics and Political Science Birmingham City University Imperial College London Queen Margaret University The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama University of Brighton University of Bristol University of Cambridge York St John University University of Essex University of Exeter Bishop Grosseteste University Keele University Queen Mary University of London The University of Buckingham University of Liverpool University of Glasgow Bournemouth University King's College London Queen's University Belfast The University of Edinburgh University of London University of Gloucestershire BPP University Kingston University Regent's University London The University of Hull University of Oxford University of Greenwich Brunel University Lancaster University Richmond, The American International University in London The University of Law University of Portsmouth University of Hertfordshire Buckinghamshire New University Leeds Beckett University Robert Gordon University The University of Manchester University of Reading University of Huddersfield Canterbury Christ Church University Leeds College of Art Royal Academy of Music, University of London The University of Northampton University of Roehampton Cardiff Metropolitan University Leeds Trinity University Royal Agricultural University The University of Nottingham University of Salford Cardiff University Liverpool Hope University Royal College of Art The University of Sheffield University of South Wales City University London Liverpool John Moores University Royal College of Music The University of Warwick University of Southampton Coventry University London Business School Royal Conservatoire of Scotland The University of Winchester University of St Andrews Cranfield University London Metropolitan University Royal Holloway, University of London De Montfort University London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London Royal Veterinary College University of London Durham University London South Bank University School of Advanced Study, University of London The University of York Ulster University University College Birmingham University of St Mark and St John University of Stirling University of Strathclyde Edge Hill University Loughborough University Scotland s Rural College University College London University of Sunderland Edinburgh Napier University Manchester Metropolitan University Sheffield Hallam University University for the Creative Arts University of Surrey European School of Economics Middlesex University SOAS, University of London University of Aberdeen University of Sussex Falmouth University Newcastle University Southampton Solent University University of Abertay Dundee University of the Arts London 13

14 14 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP REPORT