C/7.7 Evaluation of courses, units, teaching and student experience

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7.7.1 Principles
7.7.2 Evaluation of courses, units, teaching and student experience
7.7.3 Roles and responsibilities of faculty management and teaching staff
7.7.4 Roles and responsibilities of support services
Related Documents
Modification History

7.7.1 Principles

QUT is committed to the achievement of outstanding learning environments and programs that lead to excellent outcomes for graduates based on effective learning and teaching informed by the following principles:

• input and feedback from key stakeholders
• the need to involve and empower all staff and students
• systematic evaluation and use of qualitative and quantitative feedback as a basis for identifying, prioritising and reporting on improvement opportunities and outcomes
• universal student evaluation of courses, units, teaching and student experience
• performance planning and review for academic staff.

This policy describes the approach to the evaluation of units, teaching and student experience including the current University approved student evaluation surveys. The policy also sets out the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders in evaluation processes. This policy should be read in conjunction with MOPP B/9.7 Evaluating Teaching Quality.

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7.7.2 Evaluation of courses, units, teaching and student experience

Evaluation feedback can be collected using a range of methods including University approved student evaluation surveys and other supplementary, but not substituted, methods of evaluation (eg customised surveys, focus groups, peer review, moderation of student learning outcomes with tutors).

University approved evaluation instruments are approved jointly by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Technology, Information and Learning Support).

The current University approved evaluation surveys are as follows:

1. The Learning Experience Survey (LEX)

Universal student evaluation of teaching, learning and units occurs via the Learning Experience Survey (LEX), administered each teaching period for all units offered and the associated QUT staff who are identified as teachers in the units. (Executive deans may, in special circumstances, exempt individual teachers from the evaluation process, for example an invited guest speaker giving a lecture or lectures, or a practitioner in an off-campus clinical setting.)

2. Course and student experience surveys

Cyclical evaluations of courses and student experience will be conducted via three related instruments – the First Year Experience Survey (FYES), the Mid Year Experience Survey (MYES) and the Exit Year Experience Survey (EYES). Each of these surveys is administered once every three years within a three-year cycle.

3. The QUT Pulse

Ongoing gathering of student feedback about their experience of learning and other experiences at QUT will occur via the universal instrument “QUT Pulse”, an online option open to students throughout the semester. This instrument allows students to provide open-ended comments on issues they consider of significance.

Results of the evaluations of a unit are provided to the unit coordinator, their supervisor, relevant course coordinators, the head of school and the executive dean of faculty, and other University and faculty managers as appropriate.

Results of the evaluation of teaching are provided to the relevant academic staff member, their supervisor, relevant unit and course coordinators, the head of school, the executive dean of faculty and other University and faculty managers as appropriate.

The University recognises that a substantial portion of QUT’s learning environment comprises joint, double or cross-faculty initiatives and that evaluation practices and relevant roles and responsibilities will take account of such offerings.

Students will be informed, through the Week One Unit Information document and other appropriate unit and course information, what actions, if any, were taken as a result of prior student feedback. This information should be updated at least annually.

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7.7.3 Roles and responsibilities of faculty management and teaching staff

All staff involved in teaching and learning share the responsibility for a successful evaluation cycle. Ongoing cooperation, consultation, discussion and feedback to students on both the process and the results is required in order to achieve continuous improvement of the teaching and learning environment at QUT. Responsibilities for a successful evaluation cycle are shared among staff as described below (where applicable) in relation to:

• the use of the QUT Evaluation Framework including the University approved evaluation surveys, to collect feedback on units, courses, teaching and student experience
• confidentiality protocols that work to protect the anonymity of students and to support staff performance planning and management
• improvements made in response to evaluation feedback and the outcomes of improvements
• reporting of improvements to students and other members of the University community.

(a) Executive deans

Executive deans will ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of teaching, courses and units in their faculty by:

1. coordinating with assistant deans (teaching and learning), heads of school and course coordinators a systematic and timely evaluation of units and teaching across the faculty in accordance with the provisions of policy on Evaluating Teaching Quality (MOPP B/9.7)
2. managing the faculty evaluation processes and protocols through the evaluation survey system and monitoring faculty evaluation reports  
3. reflecting on evaluation feedback with assistant deans (teaching and learning), heads of school and course coordinators, and others involved in course delivery and teaching quality, in order to determine continuous improvements for faculty courses, units and teaching within QUT's quality assurance processes
4. monitoring planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching and learning within the faculty
5. verifying that improvements are reported to students and relevant staff members
6. reporting in the faculty academic board's annual Faculty Academic Program Report to University Teaching and Learning Committee and University Academic Board:
1. an analysis of feedback collected through University approved evaluation instruments and other evaluations
2. a discussion of responses to feedback, planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching and learning within the faculty
3. the ways in which improvements are reported to students and relevant staff members
4. compliance by faculty staff with the provisions in MOPP B/9.7
7. including in Performance Planning and Review for Academic Staff (PPR-AS) for discussion with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), as a minimum requirement:
1. the results and an analysis of feedback collected through University approved evaluation instruments
2. a discussion of planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching quality
3. the ways in which improvements are reported to students
4. compliance by relevant faculty staff with the provisions in MOPP B/9.7.

(b) Assistant deans (teaching and learning)

Assistant deans (teaching and learning) will have substantial authority within their faculties as determined by the executive deans in the above responsibilities within the limits of recognising the executive deans retain overall responsibility.

(c) Heads of school

Heads of school will have substantial authority within their faculties as determined by the executive deans in the above responsibilities within the limits of recognising the executive deans retain overall responsibility.

(d) Course coordinators (and, where appropriate, study area coordinators and others with equivalent coordination responsibilities)

Course coordinators will ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of teaching and units in their courses by:

1. coordinating with assistant deans (teaching and learning), heads of school, and unit coordinators a systematic and timely evaluation of units and teaching across the course in accordance with the provisions of policy on Evaluating Teaching Quality (MOPP B/9.7)
2. reflecting on evaluation feedback with assistant deans (teaching and learning), heads of school and unit coordinators and others involved in course delivery and teaching quality in order to determine continuous improvements for their course and its units and teaching within QUT's quality assurance processes
3. monitoring planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching and learning within the course
4. verifying that improvements are reported to students and relevant staff members
5. reporting in the annual Course Report to faculty / school advisory committees:
1. an analysis of feedback collected through University approved evaluation instruments and other evaluations
2. a discussion of responses to feedback, planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching and learning within the course
3. the ways in which improvements are reported to students and relevant staff members
4. compliance by relevant faculty staff with the provisions in MOPP B/9.7.

(e) Unit coordinators

Unit coordinators will ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of the teaching and the learning in their units by:

1. coordinating with assistant deans (teaching and learning), heads of school and course coordinators a systematic and timely evaluation of the performance of their unit and the quality of teaching within their unit in accordance with the provisions of policy on Evaluating Teaching Quality (MOPP B/9.7)
2. reflecting on evaluation feedback with heads of school, course coordinators, the unit’s teaching staff and others involved in course delivery and teaching quality in order to determine continuous improvements for their units and the teaching within their unit within QUT's quality assurance processes
3. monitoring planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching and learning within the unit
4. ensuring that improvements are reported in the Week One Unit Information document provided for students (and to other relevant staff members)
5. reporting to course coordinators:
1. an analysis of feedback collected through University approved evaluation instruments and other evaluations
2. a discussion of responses to feedback, planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching and learning within the unit
3. the ways in which improvements are reported to students and relevant staff members
4. compliance by relevant faculty staff with the provisions in MOPP B/9.7.

(f) Supervisors of teaching staff (Normally heads of school are supervisors of teaching staff  and usually have overall authority as delegated within their faculty for oversight of sessional staff resources. Heads of school may delegate authority to particular staff to supervise other teaching staff, including sessional staff. For example, in relation to this policy, heads of school  may delegate authority to unit coordinators to reflect on teaching evaluation feedback for their unit with individual teachers.)

Supervisors of teaching staff will ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of their teaching staff by:

1. coordinating with assistant deans (teaching and learning), heads of school and course coordinators a systematic and timely evaluation of the quality of their teaching staff in accordance with the provisions of policy on Evaluating Teaching Quality (MOPP B/9.7)
2. reflecting on evaluation feedback with the teacher, as a part of PPR-AS discussions  and with unit or course coordinators and others involved in course delivery and teaching quality in units and courses. This may include identifying and planning appropriate professional development activities.
3. monitoring planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to the quality of their teaching staff
4. ensuring that improvements are reported in PPR processes
5. including in PPR-AS for discussion with supervisors, as a minimum requirement:
1. the results and an analysis of feedback collected through the University approved evaluation instruments
2. a discussion of responses to feedback, planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching quality
3. the ways in which improvements are reported to students
4. compliance by relevant faculty staff with the provisions in MOPP B/9.7.

(g) Teaching staff

All teaching staff as defined in MOPP B/9.7 are required to ensure the continuous improvement of the quality of their teaching by:

1. participating in a systematic and timely evaluation of the quality of their teaching in accordance with the provisions of policy on Evaluating Teaching Quality (MOPP B/9.7).
2. reflecting on evaluation feedback with their supervisor, as a part of PPR-AS discussions and with unit or course coordinators and others involved in course delivery and teaching quality in units and courses. This may include identifying and planning appropriate professional development activities.
3. monitoring planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to the quality of their teaching
4. ensuring that improvements are reported in PPR-AS processes
5. including in PPR-AS for discussion with supervisors, as a minimum requirement:
1. the results and an analysis of feedback collected through University approved evaluation instruments
2. a discussion of responses to feedback, planned improvements and/or the outcomes of enacted improvements to teaching quality
3. the ways in which improvements are reported to students
4. compliance with the provisions in MOPP B/9.7.

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7.7.4 Roles and responsibilities of support services

The following areas support faculties and staff in managing their roles and responsibilities in ensuring an effective evaluation of teaching quality:

(a) Teaching and Learning Support Services

• initiating, managing and assisting interpretation of LEX surveys
• teaching leadership and capability development
• professional development on enhancing teaching and course quality

(b) Student Support Services

• initiating and managing University approved student evaluation surveys (eg FYES, MYES, EYES and QUT Pulse)

(c) Academic Policy and Programs Unit (APPU)

• Course approvals
• Course review

(d) Human Resources Department

• PPR-AS administration and training

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Related Documents

MOPP A/2.4 University Quality Framework

MOPP B/3.5 Academic leadership roles in teaching and learning

MOPP B/9 Performance Planning and Review

MOPP B/9.7 Evaluating teaching quality

MOPP C/4.10 Course quality assurance

MOPP C/7.10 Unit outlines

MOPP E/2.2 QUT Student Charter

Faculty Academic Program Report template

Course Report template

Annual QUT Learning and Teaching Plans

Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (Academic Staff)

Guidelines for ensuring teaching and course quality at QUT

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Modification History

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