Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE)

USQ collects data on students and their interactions with the university through the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE), which is administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

The AUSSE collects information about students' learning journeys. The data provides opportunities for universities to assess students' experiences of university services and university life anf to fine-tune services to students.

Key areas of student engagement measurement:

Academic Challenge - Extent to which expectations and assessments challenge students to learn
Active Learning - Students' efforts to actively construct their knowledge
Student and Staff Interactions - Level and nature of students' contact with teaching staff
Enriching Educational Experiences - Participation in broadening educational activities
Supportive Learning Environment - Feelings of legitimation within the university community
Work Integrated Learning - Integration of employment-focused work experiences into study

Key outcome measures obtained:

Higher-order thinking - Participation in higher-order forms of thinking
General Learning Outcomes - Development of general competencies
General Development Outcomes - Development of general forms of individual and social development
Average Overall Grade - Average overall grade so far in course
Departure Intention - Non-graduating students' intentions on not returning to study in the following year
Overall satisfaction - Students' overall satisfaction with their educational experience

AUSSE 2008

AUSSE was implemented at USQ for the first time in 2008.

A total of 1,006 students responded to the survey, giving an overall response rate of 29%.
Engagement varies across the groups of student – 24% were female, 5% were international, 3% were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin and 3% were Maori or Pacific Islander, 6% spoke a language other than English at home
75% were first in their immediate family to attend university

Quick snapshot of USQ students' responses

78% rated their overall educational experience in USQ as either ‘good' or ‘excellent', which is on par with a national response of 80%
40% rated their relationship with USQ administrative personnel and services as helpful, considerate, flexible (6 & 7 rating score), compared to the national figure of 29%
55% responded ‘often' or ‘very often' on exploring how to apply their learning in the workplace, compared to the national 44%
46% evaluated ‘often' or ‘very often' to encouraging contact among students from different backgrounds, compared to national 37%
61% of USQ students do not have time for relaxing and socialising (those who responded to 0 to 10 hours spent on this activity in a typical seven-day week) compared to 48% nationally
61% responded ‘often' or ‘very often' to using library resources on campus or online, compared to 74% students nationally