Institutional facilitation for learning improvement with consideration of students' voices

Abstract

This study investigates the students' perceptions regarding their voices towards improvement in learning at public and private sector universities in Pakistan. These voices are collected by the Quality Enhancement Cells of the varsities through either technological tools or other ways. To understand how this data is utilized, a self-constructed and validated tool was utilized to get information about four categories; understanding of the term student voices, inquiry of learning process; university facilitation for best learning and implementation of student voices. Using purposive sampling technique, a survey of 112 under graduate students from four fields of studies (social sciences, natural sciences, business administrations and languages) from a Public and Private Sector University each from District Lahore was conducted. Data was analyzed by using SPSS version 22, and t-test and chi-square was performed to measure the difference in institutional facilitation of public and private sector universities. One-way ANOVA was applied to check the effects of student's status in the class on the inquiry of learning process. The study indicated statistically significant effect of public and private sector on students' perceptions regarding institutional facilitations for learning improvement. The study also reported the significant effects of student's status on the inquiry of learning process. It is suggested that further studies need to explore how and where the students' voices are being used for planning, assessment and course development.

Keywords: Institutional facilitation, students' voice, Higher Education, Pakistan