Role of students in quality assurance

UPQUAL- Kraków 15.02.2007

Students:

as the primary users of higher education, students are an important category of customer

Students as “experience experts”

1. curriculum

2. organisation

3. teachers

4. institution

Can evaluate:

• sequence of courses• adequate depth of the content• integration between subjects• redundant repetitions• level of difficulty

1. Evaluation of the curriculum (study programme)

2. Evaluation of the organization

• availability of information about the programme• daily / weekly schedule• number and placement of exams• availability of information about the requirements• list of the textbooks• list of practical skills• syllabus / handouts• use of time during classes / seminars

3. Evaluation of teachers

• presentation of the material• general atmosphere of classes• stimulation to critical thinking• encouraging independent learning• demands and fairness• attitude towards students• availability of extra-tutoring

Evaluation of teaching by students

Can be done by:• Direct feed-back • Questionnaires• Group discussions• Monitoring of student progress/success rate• Evaluation by alumni

Evaluation of teaching by students

Should be • understood and accepted by faculty members• transparent• not mandatory• resulting in clear feed-back• leading to visible changes

Evaluation of teaching by students

Can be organized

• on a university level • faculty level• single course level• single class level

• as periodic evaluation• as permanent evaluation (box of suggestions

and complaints)

To increase participation of students in evaluation:

• Confidentionality should be ensured

• Questions should be relevant

• Questioning organised during teaching time

• Evaluation spread over time

• “Samples” of students used

Student satisfaction test (students Barometer)

• student as a “client”• comprehensive overview of

the entire studies• indication of strength and

weaknesses• results plotted on matrix for

decision makers

Student satisfaction test (SST):

Designed (by Lee Harvey) as• institution – wide survey of student

satisfaction• uses student’s criteria of the quality of

educational experience• results used for management• outcomes linked into a process of continuous

quality improvement

SST: cont.

• Is not directed at a particular module or programme

• It is not about specific performance of individual teacher

• The questions derive from student perception• It is an ongoing longitudinal study with a clear,

centralized annual reposting and action• Outcomes are published on annual basis

SST has 3 types of questions:

• satisfaction ratings• importance ratings• patterns of use of facilities or preferences

SST

Library services Computer services Refectories Accommodation Course organization and assessment Learning and teaching Social life Self-development Financial circumstances School environment

Typical topic areas

Very unsatis-factory

E

Unsatis-factory

D

OK.

C

Satisfactory

B

Very

satisfactory

A

Very

important Urgent need for immediate

action

Action in these areas

has high priority

This area to be targeted for future

improvement

Ensure no slippage, improve where

possible

Maintain excellent standards

7

Important Action to substantially improve this

area

Target this area for

improvement

Ensure no slippage

Maintain standards

Avoid overkill

5.5

No so impotrant

Improve where

resources permit

Ensure no further

slippage

Restrict attention

Maintain standards

where possible

No need for action here

5.0

1 2.75 3.75 4.25 5.25 7

SST:

Is unique due to:• student determined questions• satisfaction and importance rating• management information for action• feedback to stake holders

Advantages resulting from using Student Satisfaction

• It demonstrates commitment to students• It focuses on the whole student learning

experience• It provides a clear set of procedures for quality

improvement• It ensures that strategic management decisions

are based on reliable and valid data• It provides benchmarking against which

progress can be assessed