Beatrice Tucker

eVALUate: An Evaluation Instrument for Measuring Students' Perceptions of Their Engagement and Learning Outcomes.

In the current climate in Australian higher education, quality assurance in university teaching is a priority. In particular, the introduction of the Learning and Teaching Performance Fund (LTPF) has refocused attention on universities’ internal student evaluation survey instruments. This paper reports the development, validation and implementation of a new unit survey instrument which prompts students to reflect on what helps their achievement of unit learning outcomes, and to report their levels of motivation, engagement and overall satisfaction with a semester‐long course or unit of study. The instrument (eVALUate) was created from precepts reported in the research literature, current practices in evaluating teaching, and sound quality assurance practices appropriate to a university outcomes‐focused education paradigm.

Online student evaluation improves Course Experience Questionnaire results in a physiotherapy program

This paper reports the use of an online student evaluation system, Course Experience on the Web (CEW), in a physiotherapy program to improve their Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) results. CEW comprises a course survey instrument modelled on the CEQ and a tailored unit survey instrument. Closure of the feedback loop is integral in the CEW system. Analysis of the data shows that the students’ evaluation in their final year of the program is closely correlated with their CEQ results. Increases in the CEQ scores from 2001–04 included an increase in the Good Teaching Scale (27.5), Generic Skills Scale (10.3) and Overall Satisfaction Index (29.3). By using CEW, academics at the School of Physiotherapy were able to determine students’ perceptions during the course, make changes to teaching and learning, where appropriate, in a timely manner and, as a result, the CEQ scores were improved markedly.

Student Evaluation to Improve the Student Learning Experience: An Australian University Case Study.

Universities have been collecting student feedback on their experiences in teaching and learning for decades. Their voice is usually captured in surveys, and quantitative and qualitative data are used for quality improvement. Quantitative data are often used to monitor the student experience and used as a key performance measure in universities. This paper describes key drivers influencing the implementation of student evaluation systems in Australia. The case of one universitys approach is used to describe how the student voice, in addition to those of other key stakeholders, is used to analyse and improve the student experience in teaching and learning.

Learning styles of entry-level physiotherapy students

This research was conducted to identify the learning styles of Australian physiotherapy students. The subject sample consisted of 206 students from the entry-level physiotherapy programs (Bachelor of Science [Physiotherapy] and Master of Physiotherapy) at Curtin University of Technology. Subjects were recruited from the first and fourth year of the Bachelor of Science (BSc) (Physiotherapy) program and first and second year of the Master of Physiotherapy (MPhysio) program. Three subject groups included: (i) first-year BSc students, (ii) fourth-year BSc students, and (iii) MPhysio students. All subjects completed the Honey & Mumford Learning Style Questionnaire (LSQ) and were classified as having one or more learning styles. The most frequently preferred learning styles were Reflector (26%), followed by Reflector/Theorist (17.2%), then Activist (16.7%). There were no differences in the preferred learning style in the three groups, or between genders. Most physiotherapy students in the entry-level programs preferred a learning style in which they combine reviewing and thinking skills, rather than experiencing or planning skills. Based on the findings of this study, educators in entry-level programs need to develop learning experiences that will enhance students’ experiencing and planning skills.

Validating a teaching survey which drives increased response rates in a unit survey

At Curtin University, student perceptions of teaching and learning are gathered and reported online through eVALUate, a system that includes separate unit and teaching surveys. This article reports the development and validation of one of those surveys, the eVALUate teaching survey, which was developed based on the research literature on excellent teaching and evaluation. Since its development in 2006, repeated statistical testing using progressively larger samples has shown that the survey is valid and reliable. Moreover, the way in which the teaching survey is deployed within eVALUate, appended to the unit survey, which provides crucial institutional data, has significantly increased university response rates. This validated instrument is used for self-reflection, professional development, and rewarding staff.

Student feedback: a learning and teaching performance indicator

Purpose – The paper aims to disseminate solutions to common problems in student evaluation processes. It proposes that student evaluation can be applied to quality assurance and improving learning and teaching. The paper presents solutions in the areas of: presenting outcomes as performance indicators, constructing appropriate surveys, improving response rates, reporting student feedback to students and student engagement as a feature of university quality assurance. Design/methodology/approach – The research approach of this paper is comparative case study, allowing in-depth exploration of multiple perspectives and practices at seven Australian universities. Process and outcome data were rigorously collected, analysed, compared and contrasted. Findings – The paper provides empirical evidence for student evaluation as an instrument of learning and teaching data analysis for quality improvement. It suggests that collecting data about student engagement and the student experience will yield more useful data...

The Evolution of Faculty-wide Interprofessional Education Workshops

The need for leadership at all levels of the academic setting has been espoused by many, including Schmitt and colleagues (2013). Academic leaders need to be informed, recognize the value of interprofessional education (IPE), and provide the resources and mechanisms required for successful sustainable IPE.