Providing a Discipline-Based Higher Education Qualification

This paper highlights the growing need for the provision of discipline-based flexible online courses for teachers in Higher Education as well as acknowledging the significance of interdisciplinary cooperation in this endeavour. It describes the approaches taken in designing and delivering these courses and discusses some of the challenges inherent in developing, implementing and evaluating such discipline-based Higher Education courses, through examining the Graduate Certificate in Law Teaching (GCLT) Course in the Faculty of Law at Monash University, Australia

Issues concerning the Delivery of Surveys: An Institutional View

This article presents a case study that investigates several issues concerning the delivery of evaluation surveys in a large research-intensive university in Australia. The article touches on the issue of ‘survey fatigue’, which has been highlighted in relation to the conduct of an increased number and frequency of surveys in tertiary institutions. Despite these warnings, the university described in this case study has recently increased the number and frequency of evaluation surveys, while its survey response rates have been gradually decreasing since the late 1990s. The case study further outlines two strategies developed in the institution with the aim of engaging students better, subsequently increasing student survey response rates and ultimately improving educational provision in the institution. These strategies were supported further by adopting a more user-friendly platform for submission of online evaluation surveys and by providing students with alternative means of survey submission. The ease and coherence of the evaluation process in the institution was assisted further by the introduction of a new Survey Management System (SMS). All these strategies and initiatives have proved successful in the institution. Therefore, the article aims to provide some suggestions for other tertiary institutions dealing with similar issues. At the same time, it highlights the fact that individual institutional circumstances ought to be considered and such strategies need to be planned carefully according to the needs of the individual institution. </jats:p

Trends, issues and the future of student feedback in engineering

This chapter draws on the earlier chapters in this book about student feedback in engineering education by several international contributors. It summarises the common themes, trends and issues within the discipline with respect to student feedback. It concludes with some thoughts on the future directions of student feedback within the discipline

Enhancing learning and teaching through student feedback in engineering

Student feedback has appeared in the forefront of higher education quality, particularly the issues of effectiveness and the use of student feedback to affect improvement in higher education teaching and learning, and other areas of the students’ tertiary experience. Despite this, there has been a relative lack of academic literature available, especially in a book format. This book focuses on the experiences of academics, higher education leaders and managers with expertise in these areas. Enhancing Learning and Teaching through Student Feedback in Engineering is the first in a series on student feedback focusing on a specific discipline, in this case engineering. It expands on topics covered in the previous book, by the same authors. Valuable contributions have been made from a variety of experts in the area of higher education quality and student feedback in the field of engineering

Enhancing the quality of engineering education by utilising student feedback

This paper reports on the role of the current student experience questionnaire in gaining student views on their educational experiences while studying at a research-intensive university in Australia. In particular, the paper focuses on the experiences of engineering students. The paper goes on to examine the areas of best practice and those identified for improvement by students. A number of areas identified by engineering students as needing improvement fall within the teaching dimension; in particular, issues relating to feedback to students and clarity of explanation. Finally, the paper outlines some of the actions that have been taken by the university and the Faculty of Engineering based on the results