3. Student feedback and evaluation
Research shows that students’ experience of learning is a valid indicator of the quality of learning outcomes.
Students engage more seriously in future evaluations when they see that their feedback matters. In order to increase student’s understanding of how their feedback is used, the Unit of Study Outline contains the following three sections:
- Feedback received from previous students
- Improvements made
- Collection of feedback from current students
All three sections need to be completed, to show how feedback is taken on or to explain more clearly to students the rationale for retaining important features of the unit.
3.1 Feedback received from previous students
Summarise feedback from previous students where available. Such a summary provides students with an idea how this semester’s course is different from the previous one’s.
Example 3.1
Student feedback is valued in this unit. Last semester student representatives were elected in week 2 and met twice during the semester with the coordinator and tutors. The end-of-semester Unit of Study Evaluation includes both ratings and opportunity for qualitative comments. As a teaching team we reviewed all the ratings and comments at the end of the semester to plan changes for this semester. The same feedback approaches will be incorporated this semester.
Last semester students liked the weekly optional Blackboard quizzes and commented favourably about the quick turnaround and feedback on the case studies. The major concerns raised related to the amount of content covered in lectures, some 'free-riders' in groups and the slow response rate to questions posted in the online discussion board about the assessments.
3.2 Improvements made
Describe improvements initiated as a result of this feedback. In conjunction with the previous part, this section demonstrates to students that their feedback is taken seriously. In addition, it helps student understand why some things are done in the course in a particular manner.
Example 3.2
Several changes have been incorporated this semester to improve the student experience including:
-
posting lecture notes onto Blackboard 3 days before the timetabled lecture
-
various resources and activities have been incorporated to prepare students for groupwork such as the team building activity in week 5 tutorials and self and peer assessment in week 10
-
questions posted on the Blackboard discussion board are now addressed every second day by the development of a relevant FAQ and answer
3.3 Collection of feedback from current students
Indicate here how students’ feedback will be sought for this unit of study in this semester. This is typically undertaken through the Unit of Study Evaluation (USE) instrument. Previous sections should convince the students that providing feedback on teaching is important, however it is still necessary to clarify forms and methods in which feedback can be given. Using a variety of methods, such as mid-semester feedback, tutor feedback, USE allows for a broader perspective on the student experience.
Seeking feedback from students early in a semester is valuable in making improvements that students can see immediately as well as clarifying for students why the units is designed in a particular way.
For example, students will readily provide feedback in response to a simple set of questions from a lecturer who asks them to take a sheet of paper and write:
- what I like about this unit
- what I don’t like about this unit
- how this unit could be improved.
Example 3.3.1
A unit of study evaluation will be conducted at the end of the semester during lectures. Feedback will be used to make changes to improve the unit of study.
Example 3.3.2
Student feedback will be sought for this unit in two ways:
a) through an informal questionnaire in the middle of the semester
b) through the Unit of Study Evaluation (USE) instrument conducted by the University’s Institute for Teaching and Learning at the end of semester.
The USE will allow the teaching team to review the overall ratings given by students to plan changes for next semester. The USE will be conducted at the end of the semester during lectures.
The mid-semester questionnaire will provide the teaching team with feedback on what things are going well and where we can improve our performance. This questionnaire will be conducted in tutorials during Week 6 of the semester.
There is more information on using feedback available if you would like to find out more about how you can act on the feedback for individual USE items.