Distinctions for units and lecturers (but concerns, too)
Brenton Stacey
Public relations officer
Avondale College of Higher Education
Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia
Avondale College of Higher Education students gave their units and lecturers a distinction grade in 2010, according to data from the Student Evaluation Questionnaire.
Satisfied: The data from the Student Evaluation Questionnaire in 2010 shows students at Avondale College of Higher Education gave their units and lecturers an average grade of 81 per cent in both semesters.
Students praised lecturers for their preparation and for their engaging and friendly manner, reports Dr Philip Brown, the vice-president (learning and teaching). However, they expressed concern about the helpfulness and timeliness of feedback, particularly about assessment tasks, and intellectual challenge and stimulation.
Philip, who shared the data with staff members during their professional development this past month, encourages staff members to use the data as one source of evaluating their teaching. “We may need to rethink how we deliver content in class as students increasingly question the relevance of attending lectures, increase their hours at work and access content online. For example, students may find tutorials more helpful than lectures in some instances.”
The data will increase accountability, says Avondale Students’ Association president Jared Benard, who serves as a member of the Academic Board. “Avondale holds students accountable for class attendance, so holding lecturers accountable for making those classes as entertaining and informative as possible seems fair.”
Dr Maria Northcote, a senior lecturer in the School of Education who serves as a member of the Learning and Teaching Committee, admits to mixed feelings about receiving data from student evaluation questionnaires. “If the data’s not positive, your first reaction is to feel a little insulted, and then a few days later you think, This is really helpful.” She says it is also important for staff members to remind students they have a role in ensuring the relationship is mutually beneficial. “It’s a partnership.”
The Student Evaluation Questionnaire asked students to indicate the extent of their agreement or disagreement with 24 statements about their unit, their lecturer and the frequency of their own behaviours in the unit.
The data shows students gave their units and lecturers an average grade of 81 per cent in both semesters.
Contact the dean of your faculty to access discipline- or unit-specific summary analyses of the data.