There seems to be a worldwide interest in enhancing the student learning
experience, particularly through interactive learning - an educational
philosophy that places the student at the centre of the learning process.
Even more important is the fact that the learning facilitator is supposed to
monitor studentsâ progress towards achieving specific and generic objectives
much more progressively. However, to achieve these goals and to ensure that
learning is maximised, it is imperative for higher education institutions to
regularly receive feedback about the quality of the learning process and
experience. Consequently, student evaluation of teaching and module content
has been instituted by almost all higher education quality assurance agencies
around the world. The responsibilities of the Higher Education Quality
Committee in South Africa and its engagement in institutional audits, its
support for institutionalising a culture of self-managed evaluation that builds
on and surpasses minimum standards, and its endeavours to develop and
implement accredited programmes in higher education institutions are
examples in this regard.
For many years, the impact of student evaluation on the South African higher
education system has been limited. As governmental demands for educational
accountability grow, the teaching profession finds itself under pressure to
demonstrate its value with solid, credible data/evidence. However, in an
environment in which there are so many emerging and competing demands,
there is a danger that the essential focus on the teaching and learning
function could be lost. Universities, therefore, need to quantify their value to
provide hard evidence that they have succeeded in promoting learning among
students. The most direct source of information about the quality of the
learning experience in higher education is the students themselves.
Accordingly, the purpose of student feedback is to meet quality assurance
requirements and to demonstrate to internal and external stakeholders that
students are receiving an adequate educational service. To make an effective contribution to internal improvement processes, the views of students need to
be integrated into a regular and continuous cycle of analysis, reporting, action
and feedback.
The primary purpose of the study was to undertake research that would lead
to the development of a model for student evaluation in order to enhance
teaching and learning quality at the Central University of Technology, Free
State (CUT). This research falls primarily within the qualitative research
paradigm, although some of the data were gathered by utilising quantitative
techniques. A qualitative approach was adopted since the experiences of and
feedback from the various stakeholders were interpreted and described in a
qualitative way. A variety of qualitative research methods were applied in this
study. For example, an exploratory literature study was done, interviews with
international and national experts/authorities were conducted and focus group
discussions were organised. All of these techniques are applicable and
appropriate when a case study is conducted, since case study methods
involve an in-depth, longitudinal examination of a single event (Flyvjerg,
2006). It provides a systematic way of looking at events, collecting data,
analysing information, and reporting the results.
In the first place, the researcher explored the international and national driving
forces behind the renewed interest in the enhancement of quality teaching
and learning. Secondly, the researcher investigated student evaluation
practices, both internationally and nationally, and thirdly, he determined which
student evaluation measuring instruments are applied, internationally and
nationally. Given the complexity of the student evaluation process, the unique
and distinctive manner in which each of the various systems and measuring
instruments in the United States of America, England, Australia, New Zealand
and South Africa is managed, was found to be truly remarkable.
The knowledge gained during the development and implementation of the
paper-based student evaluation system at the CUT since 2001, has provided
valuable insight into the development of an online student evaluation system.
The researcher looked at the rationale behind the implementation of an online student evaluation system, traditional paper-based evaluations versus online
student evaluation surveys, the outcomes of recently conducted studies on
online surveys in the USA and Australia, the advantages of online student
evaluation practices, and the challenges associated with online student
evaluation surveys. The knowledge and insight obtained in this regard led to
the development of a model for online student evaluation of teaching and
module content at the CUT. The researcher argued that the ultimate challenge
of online evaluations is to convince students that their active participation will
enhance the quality of teaching and learning practices. He foresees that it is
inevitable that online evaluations will eventually match and replace the
traditional paper-based student evaluation system.
The inclusion of signposts at the end of each section in Chapters 2, 3 and 4,
which refers to the implications a specific section has for the whole student
evaluation system, adds further value to the study. This single case study
provides a detailed description of the student evaluation process at the CUT
and the researcherâs interpretation of the case. It promotes a better
understanding of student evaluation of teaching and module content at the
CUT and facilitates informed decision-making.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-01252008-085121 |
| Date | 25 January 2008 |
| Creators | van der Merwe, Barend Christoffel |
| Contributors | Prof HR Hay, Prof AC Wilkinson |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-01252008-085121/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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