Tools to Support Analysis - Archive

A commonly encountered issue for people working on StudentSurvey.ie data is that the analysis takes a lot of time, and often requires a level of expertise from those doing the analysis on how to interrogate the data and how to interpret the results. 

The StudentSurvey.ie Report Automation Tool is therefore a revelation. 

This tool has two main possibilities:

1. Report Automation Application 1

An immediately available RStudio script that can be used right now. 

Find information on how to download R and RStudio and how to access this code HERE.

Find the R Shiny online application which can generate reports for you without even downloading R HERE.

The beauty of this code, written by Blaž Podobnik (MIC), is that you do not need any experience of R or RStudio whatsoever. You need only follow the short instructions above, and basically just hit go! This will automatically generate a report for you in about a minute, pulling from the Data File you get from i-graduate. You can manipulate the way the report is displayed and the groups included in the report without ever having to edit a single bit of code. 

If you have some familiarity with R and RStudio, the code is available to you to edit, such as by editing the text in the report, adding your institutional logo, or displaying the results differently. 

2. Report Automation Application 2

RStudio script which, combined with your organisational structure, can produce results for any programme, school, department or faculty

Find an example report HERE.

This code, written by Seán Lacey and Linda O'Sullivan (MTU), takes the functionality of report automation in R a step further. You will need:

a) Your institution's population data (the preload student demographic data you send to i-graduate in advance of fieldwork)

b) Your institution's Data File from i-graduate 

c) An Excel file specific to your HEI which maps out the organisational structure of your HEI. You will need to create this. 

Combined using the application designed in R, you can create a report for any programme, department, school, or faculty, including comparison data with any programme, department, school, or faculty for a whole range of results. 

Contact info@studentsurvey.ie to register your interest in this functionality. The level of demand will inform the level of resource the project management function can offer to HEIs in adopting this methodology.

These two R and RStudio report automation methodologies combined mean that, with a little work to get the code set up correctly initially, you can re-create an infinite number of reports with minimal effort. 

The StudentSurvey.ie Practitioners Forum 2022 included a workshop on report automation, facilitated by Dr Lydia Devenney, Teaching and Learning Postdoctoral Researcher, ATU. You can access the presentation she delivered here. 

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The StudentSurvey.ie Steering Group funded five research bursaries in October 2020 to analyse the qualitative data generated by StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie. The aim of the bursary awards was to promote greater ownership and encourage wider use of the StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie data. Proposals for the analysis of the qualitative data were invited from members of the research community within the participating institutions, as well as commercial data analysis companies. The projects were completed in May 2021.

Each project is an independent project undertaken by qualified and experienced researchers on behalf of StudentSurvey.ie. Each project took a unique approach. The commonalities between all five projects are that they all utilised well-grounded methodologies, offer mechanisms for replication of the analysis in future years, and are innovative and authentic.

The StudentSurvey.ie Practitioners Forum 2022 included a workshop on qualitative data analysis, facilitated by Maura McGinn, Director of Institutional Research, UCD. You can access the presentation she delivered here. 

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In 2023 a number of research bursaries for the analysis of qualitative data generated by StudentSurvey.ie and PGR StudentSurvey.ie have been allocated. Five research projects were funded:

Proposal title: A Critical EDI Perspective on Student Engagement
Authors: Dr Frank Houghton & Ms. Daisy Houghton

Proposal title: Combining sentiment analysis with traditional thematic analysis – a student co-research approach
Authors: Dr Johannes Karl & Dr Darragh McCashin

Proposal title: Tender Proposal for the Analysis of Qualitative Data from StudentSurvey.ie (the Irish Survey of Student Engagement)
Authors: Dr. Stephen Erskine & Mr. David Harmon

Proposal title: Application of Machine Learning for Analysis and Visualisation of Student Feedback at StudentSurvey.ie
Authors: Abbirah Ahmed, Dr Arash Joorabchi, Prof Martin Hayes, Dr Natalie Nic an Ghaill, Dr Sinéad O’Sullivan

Proposal title: Application of Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Machine Learning for Bilingual Thematic Analysis of Postgraduate Student Engagement Data
Authors: Ontiretse Ishmael, Ikechukwu Ogbuchi, Donal McGinty, Etain Kiely and Cormac Quigley