Review through a student lens
Universities, as with many organisations, are required to pay increasing attention to stakeholder needs, which include the needs and expectations of students. Completing surveys and questionnaires in order to evaluate what is going on in our learning spaces, and how we can improve the effectiveness of our teaching practices is imperative in creating a marketable organisation that is in tune with stakeholder expectations.
Student evaluation and feedback surveys can fulfil a number of purposes such as:
- Provide feedback on and evaluate the teaching practices of individual teaching staff
- Form part of a performance management process
- Provide feedback and/or evaluate on the design and delivery of course content
- Provide useful information for prospective and current students on courses
- A measurement in order to judge the quality of courses and/or programs
Types of feedback
Gathering student feedback can be both formal and informal.
- Formal feedback may be in the form of official University survey’s conducted at the end of the course, or research projects that survey or interview students of their learning experience.
- Informal feedback is conducted by the individual teacher during the teaching period. Examples include a feedback box after class or after trialing a new approach to teaching, or an anonymous online feedback questions via Moodle around specific areas of course content or teaching processes.
University Policy
Student feedback and evaluation of teaching is central to the achievement of the University's purpose, priorities and outcomes. The University strives to create a work environment that attracts, develops and supports outstanding and committed academic employees who add value to a learning and teaching organisation. Student evaluation of teaching is used predominantly in a formative way as part of the Performance Review and Development Program, and may be used for other developmental activities. Student feedback and evaluation processes, however, may be used in a summative way where the performance of an employee is being reviewed, such as under the probation process, or the academic promotions policy.
Need resources?
Policies and guidelines
Text/Articles
- Merry, S., Price, M., Carless, D. & Taras, M. (2013) Reconceptualising Feedback in Higher Education. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group: London.
- Nair, C. & Mertova, P. (2014) Enhancing Learning through student feedback in medical and health Sciences. Chandos Publishing: Oxford
Need assistance?
- Contact your Institute's Learning Designer to discuss informal ways in which to gather feedback from your students on elements of their learning experience or your teaching practices.