Learning in the Arts Student Questionnaire
The Learning in the Arts Student Questionnaire [LASQ] was the main focus of Artswork’s longitudinal research into the areas of creativity, technology, employability and student learning, 2006-2009. The LASQ findings enables us to learn about creative industry students, their pre-disposition to creative traits, their expectation of their course and their motivation for studying, and their career aspirations.
The research tracked change from Entry to Exit over three years, so that the LASQ data reveals much about students’ experience of their course compared to their expectations and any shifts in their perceptions, attitudes and aspirations.
The LASQ findings enable us to reflect upon our teaching and our course delivery, and finally evaluate the impact of Artswork on the student learning experience, over time. The LASQ findings were shared with Bath Spa University teaching staff as means to reflect on curriculum development from the student perspective. The LASQ is not however a course satisfaction or monitoring tool.
The Questionnaire:
The LASQ is an on-line questionnaire divided in five main parts: demographics, self rated ability, learning development & course focus, career aspirations & work experience, attitudes towards creativity and impact of new technologies learning. The data is essentially quantitative with the majority of the 66 questions tick box, multiple choice (Likert scale), whilst 4 open questions provide further qualitative data. SNAP is used for the analysis, using standard t-tests, mean scores and chi tests for significance and Atlas Ti is used for qualitative coding.
Response Numbers and Rates:
The LASQ was completed on-line by first years on entry and by third years just before they graduated. The response rates remained above 50%, with the majority of the individual subject areas also meeting a 50% response rate. Exit data was compared to entry data to indicate general patterns in first year and third year student responses and in the third year of the project, 2009, comparisons between Entry 2006 and Exit 2009 were made.
Analysis was drawn from a total of 1,761 entry students and 1,051 exit students. Response rates were as follows:
- Entry 1: 543 responses 57% [2006-7] arts students
- Entry 2: 646 responses 67% [2007-8]
- Entry 3: 572 responses 53% [2008-9]
- Exit 1: 353 responses 54% [2007 graduating]
- Exit 2: 326 responses 44% [2008 graduating]
- Exit 3: 355 responses 52% [2009 graduating]
The Students and the Subjects:
The LASQ data reveals patterns of disciplinary similiarities and differences. All students from across three schools, English & Creative Studies, Music & Performing Arts and Bath School of Art & Design, from over 25 courses, [including foundation degrees and combined subject awards] were asked to complete the LASQ. Courses were grouped into ten subject areas for disciplinary comparison
Research Findings
Key findings related to the areas which arts students value most highly in their course, with a particular focus on ‘professional aspects’, (such as working with professionals and real life projects). How students perceive their own abilities and how confidence may relate to other factors within their learning experience was also a revealing area. The research also shows arts students’ career focus as predominantly freelance focused.
Please contact Paul Hyland, Head of Learning and Teaching at Bath Spa University for further information about the Learning in the Arts research.
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