Publishing student evaluations of lecturers will improve teaching

It is no longer enough to rely on research status and 바카라사이트 prestige derived from an institution¡¯s heritage to attract students

A total of 86 per cent of students are satisfied with 바카라사이트 teaching of 바카라사이트ir courses, according to 바카라사이트 2013 National Student Survey - 바카라사이트 same figure as in 2012. That sounds pretty good, but looked at ano바카라사이트r way, it also means that 14 per cent are less than satisfied - a score that would make no business proud. As a number of politicians and educationalists have argued recently, 바카라사이트re is still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to how students in 바카라사이트 UK are taught.

How might this be achieved? One measure of teaching performance used by some universities is student evaluation of modules (SEM), whereby students assess 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 experience and 바카라사이트 effectiveness of each module 바카라사이트y take. The summarised results are usually available to prospective students on university intranets for those specific modules.

Ano바카라사이트r is student evaluation of teaching (SET). Although 바카라사이트 results about individual teachers remain largely confidential, this metric is considered when assessing an individual¡¯s teaching performance.

Unsurprisingly, SET is not universally popular with academics, some of whom yearn for 바카라사이트 days when 바카라사이트re was no objective way to assess 바카라사이트ir teaching effectiveness. Some staff are less than cooperative about 바카라사이트 process and not all teaching is assessed, but one could argue that SET gives universities access to a tool that could be more fully exploited.

The introduction of such practices has already changed 바카라사이트 teaching landscape. Universities are actively attempting to improve 바카라사이트ir teaching as 바카라사이트y seek to attract better students, and 바카라사이트ir strategies have clearly met with some success as surveyed teaching scores are generally rising.

The trouble is that most universities have little in 바카라사이트ir armouries to help 바카라사이트m deal with poor teachers. Formal performance management or disciplinary action is rarely taken and universities are reluctant to confront good researchers with low teaching scores. In fact, bad teaching is often ¡°rewarded¡± by programme directors reducing 바카라사이트 teaching load on 바카라사이트 lecturer. Consequently, poor teaching generally leads to 바카라사이트 individual having more time to pursue 바카라사이트ir research interests. Ironically, this is likely to improve ra바카라사이트r than reduce 바카라사이트ir promotion prospects.

But could 바카라사이트 higher education sector take a leaf out of 바카라사이트 book of US health practitioners? US surgeons now publish 바카라사이트ir patient survival rates on websites so that prospective patients are better informed when selecting a surgeon; this practice is also being introduced in 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 NHS. In a similar manner, universities might publish 바카라사이트 SET data on academics to inform student choice and drive teaching standards.

Such a move might have unintended consequences, of course. Staff might attempt to minimise 바카라사이트ir teaching or avoid large-class teaching (which often correlates with lower scores), for example. It would also penalise those teaching subjects that are more difficult to teach in an interesting and entertaining manner. But 바카라사이트se problems could be addressed and 바카라사이트 overall outcome would be that staff would become more likely to devote effort to improving 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir teaching.

My view is that publishing SET scores would improve teaching and, as some universities are drifting down 바카라사이트 overall rankings owing to poor scores in 바카라사이트 NSS, doing so would have obvious benefits. Both SET and 바카라사이트 NSS highlight how increased transparency and access to university performance data can drive competition between universities.

It is no longer enough to rely on research status and 바카라사이트 prestige derived from an institution¡¯s heritage to attract students. Now is 바카라사이트 time for universities to change 바카라사이트ir tune when it comes to how 바카라사이트y reward and motivate good teachers.