Sub sections:
The UNE Evaluation Survey Instruments and Guidelines for Use
Index
General Information
There are two student evaluation instruments used at UNE:
- the student evaluation of units using the Student Feedback on Unit survey form and
- the student evaluation of teaching using the Student Evaluation of Lecturer Teaching Performance Survey.
Student Feedback on Unit
UNE's Quality Assurance Policy specifies that each unit be reviewed on a four yearly basis. Unit reviews use a wide range of input data, including a Student Feedback on Unit survey. To provide this data, each unit needs to be surveyed at least once within the four year period, and in the case of smaller units two or more times. Very small units may be surveyed every time they are run in order to accumulate longitudinal data sufficient to obtain a statistically significant number of responses.
To ensure there is student feedback to contribute to a unit review, each school is responsible for maintaining a schedule of units to be surveyed in any given year. It is possible that a survey will not return sufficient responses to obtain a statistically valid report, so we recommend units are scheduled two years prior to the review. This allows time for the survey to be re-run if necessary.
A list of units to be surveyed in the following year must be supplied to Evaluation and Review by 31 August. This allows time for administration tasks to be completed before unit materials are processed by Learning Materials Officers at the TLC. Unit Coordinators may request a Student Feedback on Unit evaluation supplemental to the School's list of units by using the online nomination form.
The Student Feedback on Unit survey (downloadable Adobe© Acrobat file of a sample survey) consists of 11 questions - nine rating statements and two open ended questions. The rating statements are designed to gain responses about the unit overall to allow comparisons across the university.
Student Evaluation of Teaching
Individual academics can nominate their unit for the Lecturer Teaching Performance survey by completing a nomination page by the designated closing date. It is open to all academic staff for internal and external units, residential schools and summer schools offered by UNE. Nominations for internal units can generally occur up to a month before the end of semester. In the case of external units, the nomination must be completed at the same time as or before learning materials are forwarded to the TLC Learning Material Officers (approximately 3 months before the start of semester) as the form is included with the learning materials. Closing dates are advertised on the une-official mailing list.
The Evaluation of Lecturer Teaching Performance survey (downloadable Adobe© Acrobat file of a sample survey) consists of 15 statements. These questions seek to elicit responses pertaining to a lecturers ability to: organise unit content effectively; present material in a variety of ways to assist learning; demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the subject area; select appropriate texts and readings; outline the unit requirements clearly; provide timely and constructive feedback; answer questions unambiguously; treat all students fairly; encourage class participation; exhibit a positive attitude to students; provide a solid learning foundation for future studies; use teaching aids and media; provide individual assistance where needed; and, effectively facilitate learning.
Trial Instruments
Confidentiality
All instruments listed in this section are in the trial and testing phase, so results remain confidential to the individual requesting them. Testing of the instruments involves analysis of results, but no unit coordinator or teacher will be identified as part of that analysis.
Optional Question Sets
Optional question sets are designed to be added to the standard instruments. During 2007 we will be developing a wide range of optional question sets. We would appreciate your input on sets to develop and what questions may be included in each. Please contact us with your suggestions.
Currently available:
Residential School
The Residential School trial instrument is designed to provide feedback on the overall structure and organisation of the residential school, and can be used in conjunction with a general teaching evaluation.
Guidelines for placing a Nomination
- Please do not request an evaluation unless you are certain that the unit will run, and that you will be teaching that unit.
- Only the lecturer wishing to have an Evaluation of Lecturer Teaching Performance may nominate for this to occur. No one is authorised to complete a nomination on another lecturers behalf. Similarly, a Student Feedback on Unit survey supplemental to the School's list may only be requested by the unit coordinator.
- When nominating an EXTERNAL unit or teaching evaluation by MAIL, please make sure that you PUT A NOTICE IN YOUR EXTERNAL UNIT STUDY GUIDE to remind students to return the evaluation survey. An example of what you may like to include is written below:
EXAMPLE:
ASSIGNMENT SUMMARY PAGE
1. Assignment 1 - due 26 April 2006
2. Assignment 2 - Due 7 June 2006
3. Student Survey - Due 7 June 2006
NB. Please complete and forward your student evaluation survey with your final assignment. Your anonymity will be maintained as the survey will be separated from your assignment by the Distance Education staff and sent to the Evaluation and Review Officer for processing.
After unit grading is complete, a summary of survey results will be sent to me along with all the forms so I can read your comments. I will use the information to review and improve my teaching practices and unit structure.
How often should I evaluate my units and teaching?
The TLC does not encourage over-surveying of students. It is recommended that student feedback be collected only with the clear intention of acting upon such feedback.
Each unit will generally be evaluated only once every four years as nominated by the relevant Head of School using the Student Feedback on Unit survey instrument.
Units can be nominated for evaluation supplemental to the School's list if:
- it is a new unit
- you are seeking to make improvements in a unit and would like to use the evaluation results to help guide this process
- you are seeking promotion and wish to use the survey results in this process
- it is a small unit
- a statistically invalid number of responses were received for the previous evaluation
You may like to request an Evaluation of Lecturer Teaching Performance survey be undertaken if:
- you are seeking to make improvements in your teaching, and would use the results to help guide change in teaching practice
- you have never had your teaching evaluated in this way before
- you are seeking promotion and wish to utilise the survey results in this process
Both internal and external students can be asked to complete both unit and teaching surveys, however your discretion as to the value of an external student who has only attended a short residential school evaluating your teaching needs to be exercised.
Guidelines on reporting response rates
Evaluation reports include a response rate percentage. It is included to indicate to the reader the statistical significance of the report data.
The response rate is calculated by dividing the number of responses by the number of students in the survey group. In most cases the survey is conducted over the entire student cohort, so the number of students in the survey group is taken as the number of students enrolled at the time the report is created.
Where the survey group is not the entire student cohort, eg tutorial group, residential school group, the number of students in the group must be supplied. This can be supplied when the request is placed using the nomination form, or if this is not known at the time by clearly writing the number on the survey envelope. If this number is not supplied the response rate will be calculated based on the number of students enrolled.