Understanding student satisfaction during major curriculum reform: implications from a transition to immersive block learning

Major curriculum reform presents substantial implementation challenges, including how to best support positive student experiences during periods of transition. To provide insights into drivers for student satisfaction during reform, this paper explores student perspectives on a university-wide shift from semesters to immersive block learning. Satisfaction among students (N = 52,017) who commenced in the new model was compared with those who transitioned mid-program, and focus groups were conducted with students across health and education (N = 69). Although transitioned students were initially less satisfied than new students, significant improvements occurred for both groups over time, ultimately exceeding pre-reform levels. However, satisfaction was shaped by how unit progressions, practical learning and curriculum redesign were managed. Findings indicate that student satisfaction should be treated as a dynamic indicator of major reform, and that evaluation strategies should be longitudinal and designed to capture nuances in how different cohorts respond to change.