Hi Debra,
SLC released one of their SSINs
http://www.practitioners.slc.co.uk/media/5962/ssin_0115_apr2014.pdf (the
link in archives of this list is broken cos things "move location" a lot).
On page 2 of that SSIN SLC say they based the £200 contribution on an
Endsleigh survey carried out by the NUS.
There was a lot of discussion on this list ~9th April 2014: Various
members contacted SLC, Endsleigh and the NUS to try and find out more.
I'll summarise what they posted:
For the survey, students were contacted by email by the NUS and asked if
they would allow marketing materials to be sent to them and asked if
they had a laptop etc.
Only 1704 students responded to it. There were £2,340,275 undergraduates
and postgraduates registered for the 2012/2013 academic year. This means
0.072% of the year's student population responded. One poster said they
were told surveyed students came from HEIs where Endsleigh got most
business (aka more wealthy students!). Some vague info about the survey
is at
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130724005816/en/Endsleigh-Students-%C2%A32000-Worth-Gadgets-Possessions-University#.U0Ul54XV6K0
It seems that Endsleigh only requested this information for marketing,
so it wasn't intended to be used in the way SLC used it. Various other
comments were made about methodological weaknesses of the survey and how
SLC used it. It is likely students with poorer IT access would be less
likely to have responded to it.
Make of that what you will.
I do not know what challenges were made to SLC/BIS/Westminster-Gov at
the time. Others here may know.
Some HEIs offer grants for some/all students for the £200, but there are
differing levels of "hoops" students have to jump through to get that. I
don't know how many students find yet-another-task too much or even
realise money is available! I don't know how many students avoid or
delay taking up DSA computers due to the £200 or struggle to find the
money.
I think in the scheme of DSA changes it has got lost, as other factors
have been perceived as more challenging for HEIs to respond to.
Maybe someone needs to draft some Freedom of Information Act requests to
HEIs and indeed SLC/DfE and post the findings here.
Natalya
On 27/03/17 21:59, Debra Elliott wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> I'm currently researching DSAs and the recent reforms, specifically the £200 contribution that students are required to make when purchasing computers. I would be very grateful if anyone has any thoughts (or pearls of wisdom out there) to help answer the following query that I have:
>
> What evidence/statistics did the government (SLC) draw on to determine, and go ahead with, the £200 personal contribution?
>
> I've read the legislation, BIS reports/etc, grey literature and so on, but I still haven't unearthed any hard evidence to answer this question. I heard on the grapevine that insurance statistics may have been used by SLC to inform the governments decision (?) but I can't find anything to support this - and I have been digging around.
>
> If anyone has any comments they would be very appreciated.
> Many thanks,
> Debra.
>
|