Good morning, SEDA colleagues

In response to Helen Thomas & Nicholas Bowskills interesting discussion re gathering student feedback, you might like to check out  Lymn and Mostyn’s 2010 research from Nottingham Uni on using a very straightforward technique to elicit a fast response to classroom issues, see it at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6920-10-73.pdf

It's an interesting way of dealing with non-responders (those who never bother to complete a module evaluation...) with the use of an in-class audience response system (Lymn & Mostyn, 2010). Lymn and Mostyn introduced audience response technology in pharmacology lectures order to find out which parts of each session students found particularly problematic, so that lecturers could adjust their teaching style if needed, or offer a more understandable explanation of a new concept or model:

Students benefit by identifying areas of weakness ...thereby reducing stress and anxiety later in the course which could impact upon exam success. Indeed, reduction in anxiety, use as a revision tool and preparation for examination were themes which were highly cited by the students The use of the (audience response system) not only acted to engage students in the pharmacology teaching thus promoting enthusiasm and understanding, but also acted to develop student confidence in their own ability and capability thus acting as an empowering exercise.... critical for our group of students, many of whom do not have a traditional educational background and lack confidence in their biological science knowledge (Lymn & Mostyn, 2010:8).

It's well worth a read! Has anyone else tried such a system for student evaluation of teaching?

best wishes

Bridget



Bridget Middlemas



Senior Lecturer in Learning & Teaching in Higher Education / Special & Inclusive Education



Learning & Teaching Enhancement Unit



Room 144, Grove House, Froebel  College, Roehampton University, London SW15 5PJ



(t) 0208 392 3000 x 3499


________________________________
From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Nicholas Bowskill [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 10:04 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Student evaluations of teaching: differences between voluntary and compulsory systems

Hi,
I was really struck by the concept of student-centred evaluation in theory as well as in practice.

One way of doing it could be to have students vote for a good tutor. Implicit in that is the potential to have an academic x-factor that might lead to benchmarking and managerialism.

We could also conceptualise student evaluation of teaching as the facilitation of a reflective conversation amongst students. Such a dialogue would seek to help students define the criteria that might constitute good teaching based on their views at that moment in time. That would be 'evaluation for them' rather than evaluation for staff. This has been my approach to defining and working with student evaluation of teaching. It always begs the question as to who is to be the immediate beneficiary of such evaluation.

At the same time, tutors would be able to understand the co-constructed views of quality from a grounded perspective that would be supportive and developmental for all concerned. I think otherwise we might make tutors into winners and losers in a gaming culture's view of quality and a narrow construction overall. Quality is always subjective and always context-sensitive (situated theory etc).

So, my wider point is shether we might usefully re-think theiry and practice of Student Evaluation of Teaching' as something for students by students. Just some thoughts on a Minday morning.

Nick

------------------------------------
Sent while on the move

Nicholas Bowskill,
Faculty of Education,
University of Glasgow
Scotland.

Shared Thinking - Collectivist Pedagogy

http://www.sharedthinking.info



On 23 Mar 2012, at 13:11, Helen Thomas <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote:

Wonder if the insights coming from the Student led teaching awards that are run in many HEIs across the UK fruitful for this work too? We are working with NUS and will be collecting the data from the nominations, gaining insight into how students see excellent teaching/good teachers.
Helen

Helen Thomas
Head of Teacher Excellence

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The Higher Education Academy, Innovation Way, York Science Park, Heslington, York, YO10 5BR
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From: Online forum for SEDA, the Staff & Educational Development Association [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sarah.Moore
Sent: 23 March 2012 12:06
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Student evaluations of teaching: differences between voluntary and compulsory systems

Greetings colleagues
I would be very grateful for insights from the SEDA community of successful SET systems (student evaluations of teaching) and in particular, the differences you have found between voluntary SET systems, initiated only on request by faculty members, and compulsory ones, routinely conducted by institutions. Happy to compile and summarise responses for all.

Many thanks

Sarah

Professor Sarah Moore

Associate Vice President, Academic

Plassey House

University of Limerick

Limerick, Ireland

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