Teaching style, the quality of teaching and technology are the significant factors current undergraduates’ are advising sixth formers’ to consider when selecting their university choices, according to new research commissioned by Canvas, the Learning Management System (LMS).

Speaking to sixth formers’ about factors influencing their choice of university – as well as undergraduates’ about what they find actually enhances their university experience – although teaching quality (57 per cent), location (50 per cent) and campus facilities (46 per cent) are among some of the top priorities for sixth formers filling out their UCAS applications before the deadline in approximately three months’ time, undergrads now say that they would think more about quality of teaching (51 per cent), university’s teaching methods (47 per cent) and technology (34 per cent).
Table 1: Top considerations when choosing a university: Current sixth formers versus undergraduates if choosing again (by percentage point change)

Director of Higher Education at Canvas, Kenny Nicholl said: “It’s clear that the current crop of sixth formers value teaching and learning that adapts to their needs. Being increasingly technological and comfortable with independent learning using online resources, students expect that universities will support this. However, many schools and colleges currently don’t seem to meet these expectations, which may be leaving students either frustrated or not fully prepared to transition to teaching styles in higher education.”