Page 246 - DEDU504_EDUCATIONAL_MEASUREMENT_AND_EVALUATION_ENGLISH

Educational Measurement and Evaluation

Notes • Questionnaires
• Student representation on local and institutional committees
• Staff student liaison committees (or their equivalent)
• The lecture or seminar
• The tutorial
• Discussion groups (for example, focus groups, structured group discussions, nominal group
technique and so on)
• Other informal mechanisms.
20.4.1 A combination of mechanisms
Any single mechanism has its drawbacks. Feedback through questionnaires is generally considered
to be relative or indicative rather than absolute. It may for example be affected by factors such as the
timing of the distribution of the questionnaire and whether it is distributed ‘in-class’ or by some
other means. Student representation on the other hand cannot be relied upon to be truly representative
of the student body. In recognition of the limitations of any single mechanism, all institutions use
a range of mechanisms, generally ensuring a mix of qualitative and quantitative feedback.
Quantitative feedback (for example, through questionnaires) can be used to provide ‘evidence’ that
something is going well or not so well and such evidence will normally be required for quality
assurance purposes. Qualitative information (for example, through open-ended response sections
of questionnaires and from student representatives) can help explain why something is going well
or not so well.
Thus, while questionnaires are by far the most commonly used mechanism, we found few situations
where complete reliance was placed upon them, or indeed upon any one mechanism. Most institutions
use a combination of formal mechanisms normally questionnaires, student representation and staff
student liaison committees - although informal channels of feedback are also highly valued.
Indeed, a number of institutions require or encourage departments to use a combination of
mechanisms.
Pack on student feedback provides details of a number of techniques, including the following :
• Structured feedback sessions
• Focus groups
• Self research
• Log books
• Tutorials
• Questionnaires and surveys
• Shadowing
• Course representatives
• Informal chats
• One minute methods
• Student diaries
• Suggestion boxes/books.
In addition to outlining the purpose, structure and outcomes of each technique, including the ideal
group size, it describes the pros and cons of each mechanism.
20.4.2 Additional mechanisms
A combination of questionnaires, student representation and staff student liaison committees
represents common practice in most institutions. Many individual teachers will employ additional
mechanisms, for example by holding class discussions mid-way through a module.
Some institutions supplement the main mechanisms of gathering student feedback by using

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