Yes it was a fairly small marketing survey - so not very representative in scope or purpose.
There are a number of other reasons why this appeared to have been a biased process (by BIS I mean - it would be unfair to suggest any intended collusion by Endsleigh). At the time many people commented on the fact that it was an online survey so more likely to exclude those who didn't already have their own computer.
However for me the biggest flaw in choosing to use this data was that Endsleigh surveyed students in April and May 2013. These were students already in HE i.e. already having completed at least nine months of higher education study. So the figures for computer ownership actually INCLUDED those who got their computer funded through DSAs. It wasn't a measurement of the percentage of students who had equipment at the beginning of their course or could afford to buy their own during their studies.
Tony Stevens
|