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Reconceptualizing student ratings of teaching to support quality discourse on student learning : a systems perspective

Roxå, Torgny LU ; Ahmad, Arshad ; Barrington, Janette ; Van Maaren, John and Cassidy, Robert (2022) In Higher Education 83(1). p.35-55
Abstract

This paper summarizes the discourse on student ratings of teaching in higher education. It reconceptualizes student ratings within a larger process of promoting quality in teaching and student learning. As students engage in productive dialogue with teachers and administrators, metrics drawn from decontextualized surveys are admittedly a vital resource. Our paper contends, however, that student ratings can only become a tool for enhancement when they feed reflective conversations about improving the learning process and when these conversations are informed by the scholarship of teaching and learning. We illustrate this view with a case study of an Engineering Faculty that uses three interconnected initiatives to support an evolving... (More)

This paper summarizes the discourse on student ratings of teaching in higher education. It reconceptualizes student ratings within a larger process of promoting quality in teaching and student learning. As students engage in productive dialogue with teachers and administrators, metrics drawn from decontextualized surveys are admittedly a vital resource. Our paper contends, however, that student ratings can only become a tool for enhancement when they feed reflective conversations about improving the learning process and when these conversations are informed by the scholarship of teaching and learning. We illustrate this view with a case study of an Engineering Faculty that uses three interconnected initiatives to support an evolving conversation on quality among teachers in partnership with students. The role of student engagement in enhancement efforts is discussed as well as potential challenges to implementation. Our purpose is to spark wider discussion of a systems perspective on student ratings that supports a coherent discourse towards positive change.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Approaches to learning, Course evaluations, Higher education, Practice-based research, Quality enhancement, Students as partners, Systems perspective
in
Higher Education
volume
83
issue
1
pages
35 - 55
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85100093726
ISSN
0018-1560
DOI
10.1007/s10734-020-00615-1
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
69e41faf-1f39-4f69-9d15-a6ef4078abe3
date added to LUP
2021-12-17 09:57:35
date last changed
2022-06-29 11:18:52
@article{69e41faf-1f39-4f69-9d15-a6ef4078abe3,
  abstract     = {{<p>This paper summarizes the discourse on student ratings of teaching in higher education. It reconceptualizes student ratings within a larger process of promoting quality in teaching and student learning. As students engage in productive dialogue with teachers and administrators, metrics drawn from decontextualized surveys are admittedly a vital resource. Our paper contends, however, that student ratings can only become a tool for enhancement when they feed reflective conversations about improving the learning process and when these conversations are informed by the scholarship of teaching and learning. We illustrate this view with a case study of an Engineering Faculty that uses three interconnected initiatives to support an evolving conversation on quality among teachers in partnership with students. The role of student engagement in enhancement efforts is discussed as well as potential challenges to implementation. Our purpose is to spark wider discussion of a systems perspective on student ratings that supports a coherent discourse towards positive change.</p>}},
  author       = {{Roxå, Torgny and Ahmad, Arshad and Barrington, Janette and Van Maaren, John and Cassidy, Robert}},
  issn         = {{0018-1560}},
  keywords     = {{Approaches to learning; Course evaluations; Higher education; Practice-based research; Quality enhancement; Students as partners; Systems perspective}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{35--55}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Higher Education}},
  title        = {{Reconceptualizing student ratings of teaching to support quality discourse on student learning : a systems perspective}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00615-1}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10734-020-00615-1}},
  volume       = {{83}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}