Should civil engineering departments change how teaching staff work with students?

teaching staffcivil engineering

Yes. Students ask departments to prioritise assessment transparency, predictable communication and applied learning. In the National Student Survey (NSS, National Student Survey), comments about teaching staff are strongly positive overall, with 78.3% positive and a sentiment index of +52.8, but technical disciplines sit lower, with Engineering and Technology at +38.3. Within the sector’s subject coding for civil engineering, tone is mixed (≈50.8% Positive) and feedback stands out as the most discussed area with negative sentiment (−23.8). These benchmarks focus attention on what civil engineering cohorts say they need from departments and modules.

Civil engineering, inherently complex due to its technical and practical nature, requires educational approaches that bridge theoretical concepts with real‑world applications. Teaching staff are at the heart of shaping learning that can support or hinder a student’s academic and professional development. Analysing student feedback and text analytics shows how educational methods and staff relations influence experiences and outcomes. Responding to the student voice through regular pulse surveys and direct communication fosters a more adaptive learning environment. Each section below targets aspects students identify as influential, translating insights into actions for civil engineering departments across universities.

What characterises high-quality teaching in civil engineering?

Students emphasise precise explanations, approachability and enthusiasm. Monotony in delivery undermines engagement and comprehension in a demanding field. They report that unclear explanations and slow replies erode motivation. Maintain visible service standards, hold predictable office hours and provide weekly “what to expect” updates. Use worked examples and short demonstrations that map theory to practice. Staff who adapt methods based on student input and current industry practice sustain relevance in a complex curriculum.

How should feedback and communication work?

Feedback drives learning in this discipline, yet students frequently experience inconsistency and delays. Set explicit return timelines, use annotated exemplars and checklist‑style rubrics aligned to the assessment brief and marking criteria, and add short feed‑forward notes so students know how to improve. Provide structured opportunities to discuss grades and comments in timetabled sessions and online spaces, and summarise Q&A so part‑time and commuting students are not disadvantaged. Apply text analysis to assignments and queries to detect recurring misconceptions and target teaching. Consistent, actionable feedback and accessible staff contact underpin progression and confidence in civil engineering modules.

How can coursework and assignments build applied competence?

Assignment design should make objectives and success criteria unambiguous, stage complex tasks, and integrate real‑site constraints, safety considerations and codes. Align assessment methods with authentic tasks and calibrate across markers to ensure fairness. During delivery, provide predictable guidance points and drop‑ins to reduce overload while maintaining challenge. These approaches strengthen problem‑solving and help students translate theory into professional practice.

Where does technology add value in civil engineering teaching?

Students rate digital tools when staff integrate them purposefully. Use simulation software, virtual labs and collaborative platforms to mirror professional workflows, not as add‑ons. Invest in staff development so colleagues can embed technology confidently and equitably. When used well, such tools create interactive learning, support group work and enable students to apply theory to realistic scenarios.

What staff and management issues affect learning?

Turnover and uneven teaching practices disrupt continuity in a cumulative curriculum. Stabilise delivery by naming an owner for timetabling and course organisation, maintaining a single source of truth for changes and issuing short weekly updates. Consistent approaches across teaching teams reduce gaps in learning and help students adapt between modules.

Which university services best support teaching staff?

Targeted support for colleagues lifts student outcomes. Provide ongoing professional development linked to industry practice, share exemplars of effective feedback in technical subjects and ensure reliable technical support for new teaching technologies. Encourage module teams to calibrate marking and to close the loop with “what changed” updates after student feedback.

Where are we seeing success?

Students describe lecturers who mentor, respond quickly and adapt modules based on student voice. They value case studies from recent projects, placements and fieldwork that strengthen the link between theory and application, and they notice higher motivation when course delivery evolves. Programmes that refine assessment design and build structured collaboration into modules report stronger engagement.

How Student Voice Analytics helps you

Student Voice Analytics gives programme and department teams continuous visibility of student comments about teaching staff, with drill‑downs for civil engineering by cohort, mode and year. It benchmarks tone and topics against the sector so you can prioritise where civil engineering differs, typically feedback, marking criteria, workload and organisation. Teams can track sentiment over time, evidence progress with like‑for‑like comparisons, and export concise summaries and tables for quality boards and NSS action planning.

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• All-comment coverage with HE-tuned taxonomy and sentiment.
• Versioned outputs with TEF-ready governance packs.
• Benchmarks and BI-ready exports for boards and Senate.

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