Wellbeing and Remote Education surveys

The Surveys

• SWiRL – Student Wellbeing and Remote Learning
• WHiRRL – Wellbeing of HDR Candidates in Remote Research and Learning
• TWiRL – Teacher Wellbeing and Remote Learning

Thank you to the ANU community for participating in these surveys.

Responses to SWiRL, WHiRRL and TWiRL form a key part of the information helping planners at ANU work out the best ways for our community to come together both during and after the COVID-19 crisis. 

This page tells you about the general outcomes of the surveys and what our ANU community can do to help each other through the COVID-19 crisis. We also include some information on who responded to the surveys. 

If you would like to know more about SWiRL, WHiRRL and TWiRL, please contact us through evaluations@anu.edu.au. 

General survey outcomes

• Approximately 16% of coursework students, 32% of HDR candidates and 10% of teachers responded
• Respondents contributed approximately 7,650 comments totaling 295,000 words
• Students and teachers at ANU expressed just how much harder everyday life was in Semester 1, especially feeling and being isolated from family, friends and the ANU community
• Just under 40% of respondents to each of the surveys considered leaving ANU in S1 2020
• On average, coursework students perceived remote education quality as slightly below ‘satisfactory’
• On average, HDR candidates and teachers perceived remote education quality as slightly above ‘satisfactory’
• Teachers and students need support mechanisms to recover from Semester 1 2020
• The ANU community needs to decide on the role of remote education at ANU
• There is goodwill towards remote education at ANU that needs to be nurtured
• Teachers and students are ready to learn how to teach and learn remotely
• Teachers and students need robust remote education policy to guide practice
• Incorporate lessons from S1 2020 to forward plan ANU responses to future challenges

What ANU is doing in response for Semester 2, 2020

• Increased opportunities for teacher/student interaction
• Increased opportunities for student-to-student interaction
• Developing regular wellbeing focused group activities, tutorials and workshops
• Establishing ANU Study Hub in mainland China to support and provide services for international students
• Extra-curricular English and Wellbeing Enhancement Series (EWES) program available remotely free of charge to international students 
• Providing a Zoom room for students to use for meetings
• Opportunity to request CRS/CRN grades that do not affect GPA to continue into Semester 2
• Student services and support services available remotely, including:
  • Academic skills
  • Employability
  • Peer-mentoring
  • Counselling
  • Scholarly Information Services (ANU Library)
• Ongoing financial support for ANUSA and PARSA hardship bursaries

What students and HDR candidates can do in Semester 2

• Make use of ANU support for your wellbeing and your studies
• Help others get the support they need
• Actively learn how to learn remotely
• Help each other to learn remotely
• Help teachers learn how to teach remotely
• Be the standard of excellence in online interactions
• Call out disrespectful online interactions
• Let teachers know if you are having trouble with technology
• Provide feedback to help build remote education at ANU

What teachers can do in Semester 2

• Contact the Centre for Learning and Teaching for help with remote teaching
• Help each other learn how to teach remotely
• Create opportunities for students to learn how to learn online
• Make online interactions safe for students and teachers
• Tell students what kind of computer and internet access they need to do your course
• Provide feedback to help build remote education policy and procedures

About the surveys

On 7 April 2020, the Teaching Continuity Working Group directed development and deployment of new surveys to inform Semester 2 planning in support of student and teacher wellbeing and improving remote education. SWiRL, WHiRRL and TWiRL were in the field from 21 May to 5 June.  The Initial Report, offering a descriptive ‘quick look’ at responses, became available to stakeholders on 19 June. The Analytic Report, including multivariate analysis and second iteration thematic analysis, was given to stakeholders on 6 July. The Reports were tabled at the Teaching and Learning Development Committee of 30 July by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic).

Who responded

For SWiRL, like the typical coursework student at ANU, the typical respondent was a domestic undergraduate student identifying as female. Likewise, for WHiRRL, the typical HDR candidate at ANU was also the typical respondent – a domestic PhD candidate identifying as female. In both surveys, students and candidates identifying as female were more likely to respond than those identifying as male. 

The typical ANU teacher is a person identifying as male from somewhere other than Australia and New Zealand. The TWiRL typical respondent was an Australian or New Zealander identifying as female, so the responses to TWiRL may better reflect the experiences of members of this group. 

The response rates for SWiRL, WHiRRL and TWiRL are a proportion of the number of e-mail invitations sent. There is a difference between the number of people who responded to any items in the survey, the number of people who provided complete responses and the number of people who provided enough information for statistical analysis. For each survey, the demographic profile of the people who provided enough information for statistical analysis was about the same as those who responded. 

Response rates for SWiRL, WHiRRL and TWiRL

Reports

• Initial Report (PDF, 1 MB)
• Analytic Report (PDF, 368 KB)
   

Wellbeing Support

A theme found in the responses to SWiRL, WHiRRL and TWiRL is that student and teacher wellbeing has been affected by a range of significant events through Semester 1.  If you need support in response to these significant events, please seek support from the contacts below:

Students

If you would like to talk with someone at the ANU about your wellbeing, please consider contacting the following support services:

• ANU Wellbeing and Support Line – T: 1300 050 327 SMS: 0488 884 170 (24/7)
• ANU Counselling – 02 6178 0455 or counselling.centre@anu.edu.au
• ANU Thrive – student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au

If you would like to talk with someone outside the ANU about your wellbeing, please consider contacting the following support services:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/get-help-home
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 or https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support

Staff

If you would like to talk with someone at the ANU about your wellbeing, please consider contacting the following support services:

• ANU Advisers to Staff – 02 6125 3616 / 8283 staff.adviser@anu.edu.au
• ANU Employee Assistance Provider – Assure 1800 808 374 (24/7)
• A member of your local management team
• Dean of Staff – 02 6125 5976 dean.staff@anu.edu.au

If you would like to talk with someone outside the ANU about your wellbeing, please consider contacting the following support services:

• Lifeline – 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/get-help-home
• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636 or https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/get-immediate-support