The impact of increasing course enrolment on student evaluation of teaching in engineering education

ABSTRACT

Student evaluation of teaching (SET) is important, commonplace and may be used in staff performance management. The SET literature suggests that class size is a negative systematic influence on SET ratings. In this paper we investigate time-series SET data from a large first-year engineering class where a decline in SET ratings was observed over time as course enrolment increased. We observe a negative halo effect of increasing class size on mean SET ratings and conclude that increasing course enrolment leads to a significant reduction in all mean SET ratings, even when the course learning design remains essentially unchanged. We also find an additional differential effect of increasing course enrolment on mean SET ratings. We observe that the marginal reduction in mean SET ratings for each additional student in the course enrolment is greater for those aspects of the student learning experience that are likely to be most directly impacted by increasing class size. We provide implications for practice from these findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Engineering education
• large classes
• student evaluation of teaching

Additional information

Notes on contributors

S Palmer

Dr Stuart Palmer is Associate Professor of Integrated Learning in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment at Deakin University. He completed his undergraduate degree with distinction in electronics engineering. During nearly a decade of professional practice in consulting engineering he completed an MBA in technology management. In 1995 he joined the School of Engineering at Deakin University and lectured in the management of technology for 12 years. During that time he was awarded the Australasian Association for Engineering Education McGraw-Hill New Engineering Educator Award, completed his doctoral studies in engineering management education, and completed a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education. In 2011 he was awarded an ALTC Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning. His research interests include frequency domain image analysis and the effective use of digital/online technologies in learning and teaching. More recently he has taken a role in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment at Deakin University. He maintains a strong interest, and active involvement, in engineering education.

W Hall

Dr Wayne Hall holds a PhD from the University of Warwick and a PGCert in Learning and Teaching from the University of Plymouth. He is a Corporate Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (MIMechE) and a Chartered Engineer (CEng). He has held teaching and research appointments at the University of Warwick, University of Nottingham and University of Plymouth in the UK, and at Deakin University and Griffith University in Australia. He is currently a Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at Griffith University. Wayne's research interests lie in the design and manufacture of lightweight and fibre-reinforced plastics, and in engineering education related research. Most recently, his technical research has focused on the role of natural fibres as a sustainable alternative to man-made reinforcements in structural composites. His interest in engineering education is focused on the development and implementation of successful teaching and learning strategies for on- and off-campus (distance education) students, and on the implementation of project-based learning in the engineering curriculum.