The shift in higher education towards emphasis in quality processes and practices triggered universities to question their existing quality mechanisms to meet the demands of globalisation. Within the scope, despite extensive controversy on their implementation, student evaluations of teaching quality were initiated or the existing evaluation…

In this article, Hartley notes the difficulties of using questionnaires to assess the efficiency of new instructional methods and highlights nine issues that researchers must consider. Hartley continues the discussion about the use of questionnaires and suggests that psychology teachers can help improve the teaching of psychology by drawing…

The article explores the challenges of assessment in open distance learning (ODL). The authors argue that ultimately assessment should be about improving the quality of teaching and effective learning. It should be based on making expectations explicit and public, setting appropriate criteria and high standards for learning quality, systematically…

Distance writing programs still struggle with assessment strategies that can evaluate student writing as well as their ability to communicate about that writing with peers at a distance. This article uses Kim, Smith and Maeng's 2008 distance education program assessment scheme to evaluate a single distance writing program at Old Dominion…

We analyse the origin and development of an Experimental Design course which has been taught in several faculties of the Universidad de la Republica and other institutions in Uruguay, over a 10-year period. At the end of the course, students were assessed by carrying out individual work projects on real-life problems, which was innovative for…

The collection of student feedback is seen as a central strategy to monitor the quality and standards of teaching and learning in higher education institutions. The increasing use of technology to support face-to-face, blended and distance courses has led managers as well as practitioners to become increasingly concerned to identify appropriate…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate a possible favourable response pattern on scaled forms used as a means of evaluating training courses. Design/methodology/approach: In part one of the study evaluation forms were examined referring to courses were completed by 879 students attending 15 university level courses and 531 students…

Course evaluation is integral to medical education. We discuss (1) distinctive features of medical education that impact on course evaluation, (2) a framework for course evaluations, (3) details that shape the evaluation process, (4) key measurement issues important to data gathering and interpretation, and (5) opportunities for expanding the…

Traditionally the measures used to evaluate the impact of an educational programme on student outcomes and the extent to which students change is a comparison of the student's pre-test scores with his/her post-test scores. However, this method of evaluating change may be problematic due to the confounding factor of response shift bias when student…

Purpose--The purpose of this research is to examine participants' response rate on dual style training course evaluation forms. These combine structured and open-ended formats. Pencil and paper forms have a long history of use by trainers in business and commerce and more recently in education. Research methods texts tend to have neglected the…

Described is a rationale and process that can be used for the evaluation of environmental education programs. Expectations, planning, results, and using results are all discussed as steps in the evaluation process. (CW)

Identifies a series of questions asked by language program personnel in the early stages of planning an evaluation of a language program. Answers to the questions offer working definitions of language programs and components, audience, evaluation purposes and priorities, evaluators and their roles, internal and external evaluation, and evaluation…

In November 1984, the Rand Corporation was asked by the Annenberg/Corporation for Public Broadcasting (A/CPB) Project to conduct a study during the spring 1985 school semester on the feasibility of evaluating student outcomes from A/CPB telecourses. This report documents the findings of that study, which had three goals: (1) to examine alternative…

Course evaluations are used by many institutions in promotion, tenure, and merit decisions. This article discusses the influences on those evaluations and how faculty can combat those biases to ensure accurate portrayal of their teaching effectiveness. Alternative evaluation methods are reviewed, including portfolios, peer feedback sessions, and…

Describes experiences with student evaluation of teacher performance in higher education at four universities. Recommends peer evaluation through a system of rotating seminars in which faculty members demonstrate teaching by discussing their professional activities. (CFR)