A master programme thesis from Aalborg University
MAKING QUANTITATIVE EVALUATION DATA MORE USEFUL TO TEACHERS: A CASE STUDY AT THE TECHNICAL FACULTY AT LUND UNIVERSITY
Author(s)
Term
4. term
Publication year
2018
Submitted on
2018-05-29
Pages
53 pages
Abstract
Student evaluations at institutions for Higher Education became mandatory in Sweden in 2003 and the Technical Faculty at Lund University (LTH) decided to implement an adapted version of the research-based Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) that focuses upon in-depth learning. The questionnaire at LTH consists of 26 quantitative and two free-text questions. Teachers receive the summarised data in a Work Report, and studies at the Academic Development Institution, Genombrottet, at LTH have revealed that teachers primarily focus on the qualitative replies and neglect the quantitative data. The visualisation of the quantitative data is clear, so it is unlikely that it is a lack of understanding, which prevents teachers from using a comprehensive dataset in order to improve their teaching. Neither a lack of pedagogical interest. The empirical data in this paper is based on focus group interviews with teachers from LTH and they have revealed that they disregard the Work Reports as soon as they can. They feel uncomfortable about the evaluations and especially about the inconsiderate comments that they often receive from students. This paper examines how to stimulate a culture in the organisation that will make teachers increase their use of their quantitative data and pave the way for expansive learning in terms of more openness and knowledge sharing regarding evaluations. Engeström’s Actitivity Theory has been used to analyse the organisational structure and solutions in terms of new tools including short video tutorials aimed at teachers and students respectively. An adjustment of the questionnaire. A revision of the Work Report and End Report and finally an interface that makes it possible for teachers to work with their own quantitative data by comparing them to their previous ones or to selected averages of equivalent data at LTH.
Keywords
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