The relationship between students’ evaluations of teaching and academics professional development

ABSTRACT

There is much debate concerning students’ evaluation of teaching and several academics discredit the validity and reliability of student comments. Student feedback would be a good source of information for academics to improve their teaching, while earlier studies indicate that the academics do not always make use of student feedback in their teaching development. Their perception on the applicability of the student feedback can be related to teachers’ attitude towards student feedback and their teaching conceptions. Furthermore, it may influence their motivation and efforts to participate in pedagogical trainings and willingness to improve their teaching. The research question for the current study was: What are the relationships between the academics’ conceptions of teaching and participation in pedagogical courses and their willingness and ability to apply student evaluation of teaching feedback to enhance teaching practice? Forty two academics were interviewed and interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. As the result of the analysis three profiles of academics’ were formed: 1) academics with consistent attitude, 2) ambivalent attitude and 3) arrogant attitude towards student evaluation of teaching feedback. The study revealed how academics respond to such feedback and how they use it to develop their teaching depends on academics’ conceptions of teaching, attitude towards student feedback and participation in pedagogical courses.

KEYWORDS:

• student feedback
• teaching improvement
• pedagogical training
• teaching conceptions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mari Karm

Mari Karm (Ph.D. Educational Sciences) is working as an Associate Professor of Higher Education Pedagogy in Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Education at the University of Tartu, Estonia. Her research interests include teaching and learning in higher education and the formation of professional development of university teaching staff.

Anu Sarv

Anu Sarv (PhD, Semiotics) is working as an Academic Developer in the Medical Faculty, in the University of Tartu, Estonia. Her research interests include the reflection and professional Development of University teachers and the formations of professional identity.

James Groccia

James Groccia (PhD, Psychology) is Professor Emeritus of Higher Education at Auburn University in Alabama, USA and Visiting Professor in the Institute of Educational Sciences at the University of Tartu in Estonia. He is a former President of the Professional and Organizational Development (POD) Network in Higher Education. His research interests include educational productivity and quality, evidence-based teaching, student engagement, cross-cultural perspectives on teaching and learning, and instructor training and development.