Three Course Evaluation Considerations for Universities in 2022

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Synopsis: Our latest blog authored by Explorance GM – Europe and Africa John Atherton, focuses on three key challenges that Higher Education institutions are engaging with as the new year gets underway – including broadening the kind of persona that is accessing insightful data, taking a deeper look at demographics, and combining the best of new and old approaches for best effect. 

As we begin the New Year as we started the last one – concerned by COVID (especially the new Omicron variant) – university leaders will surely be as mindful as ever about how the student voice is being listened to.

Institutions have certainly ramped up their approaches to student engagement and student feedback throughout the pandemic, and module evaluation surveys remain integral.

What we are seeing is end-of-semester summative evaluation surveys (providing standardisation on questions which enables comparisons between courses or cohorts) being complemented with formative feedback, which gives lecturers the opportunity to seek feedback through bespoke, non-standard questions during a module.

There has also been a rise in informal, ad-hoc, approaches being taken to capturing feedback about modules, courses, and wider issues that impact the student experience.

Explorance’s Blue is ideal for supporting course evaluation. It is generally used for end-of-term and mid-term evaluations, providing a huge amount of valuable quantitative, qualitative, and demographic data. Through Explorance’s ‘always-on’ Bluepulse student voice platform, we engage in feedback and the evaluation of teaching during a module – not just at the end of it.

These proven tools can also help to address three underlying challenges for universities that I expect to come into greater focus during 2022.

1. Making Data Less Daunting

Universities can have all the data in the world, but what they do with it is at the heart of its effectiveness. Too often we see high-quality data vanishing into a black hole because it is not getting to the decision-makers. Ask yourself, ‘What does the Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor or Dean need to know?’ Simplicity of reporting – top-level reports for those who need them – can provide relatable and highly valuable data. More in-depth reports for those who require a deeper level of intelligence can, and should, be produced. Through data you have written the story – just don’t forget the all-important headline that comes via reporting.

2. Understanding Demographics

For a long time universities have talked about the need to better understand how different groups of students view their course. This could involve analysis of feedback based on the characteristics such as age, race and gender. Certainly, delving deeper into who is satisfied or dissatisfied with their university experience can support student progression, satisfaction and (for those who may be unhappy) retention. This, I feel, has fallen off the radar during the pandemic, but what we are seeing now is a number of universities picking up projects to better understand demographic data. Institutions may also begin challenging themselves to think about how they are capturing the views of students on different modes of deliver – degree apprenticeships for example.

3. A Re-Think of Student Voice Strategy

Whatever course the pandemic takes over the next 12 months and its ultimate impact on teaching and learning, module evaluation surveys are a proven approach to informing quality assurance and enhancement within universities. Given the rich data they provide, they will remain the primary channel for student feedback on the educational experience. However, ‘Pulse’ surveys – providing quick and light-touch feedback – have risen in prominence, helping universities to better understand how students are feeling at any given time. Now, institutions may be questioning where to concentrate their efforts. Any new beginning post-COVID should include the best of ‘old’ and ‘new’ approaches.

John Atherton, General Manager (Europe and Africa), Explorance

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