ITL requirements for Unit of Study Evaluation Surveys

The Academic Board Resolution on the Management and Evaluation of Coursework Teaching specifies that units of study be evaluated at least once every three years and that the Head of Department/School shall receive all the student evaluations together with other results of the evaluation process.

The Unit of Study Evaluation (USE) system is designed to support the university community in the implementation of this aspect of the Academic Board resolution. To provide this service within the existing resources of the ITL the following processes have been developed.

The ITL's USE reporting process has been endorsed by the Chair of Academic Board.

Use of the Standard ITL USE survey

"Faculties may choose to use the standard ITL survey". The standard ITL survey has 8 core items and 4 faculty designated items. The 4 faculty designated items are standard across the faculty and are set in advance for each year. The faculty Associate Dean Learning and Teaching are responsible for determining these additional items in consultation with their colleagues in their respective faculties. The ITL supports the Associate Dean Learning and Teaching in this process. The 2008 timeline for USE ordering and reporting can be viewed here (pdf).

The Associate Dean Learning and Teaching advises the ITL of the faculty designated items for the following year and the ITL arranges for these to be added to the 8 core items and printed as the standard USE forms for the faculty. Faculties can choose to use the ITL survey with only the 8 core items if they wish.

As the resolution notes: "Faculties may choose to use their own surveys", however the ITL does not have the resources to provide data entry or analysis for non-ITL unit of study evaluation surveys. In the case of faculties who wish to develop, analyse and report on their own surveys, the ITL will consult with faculties through the Associate Deans Learning and Teaching to support them in the development of such surveys. The ITL will also consult with Associate Deans Learning and Teaching to support them in undertaking their own data entry and analysis.

Scheduling of Evaluation of Units of Study

In faculties using the ITL USE survey, the faculty will identify which units are to be surveyed in each semester of the three-year period of the evaluation cycle. The standard ITL process incorporates surveying all units once in a three-year cycle. Unless otherwise negotiated faculties should ensure that the evaluation load is spread evenly over the three years. The faculties will advise the ITL through the Associate Deans Learning and Teaching of which units will be surveyed each semester and the number of survey forms required.

Heads of Department/School are responsible for bringing to the attention of Unit of Study Coordinators, the requirements for unit of study evaluation set out in the Academic Board resolution on The Management and Evaluation of Coursework Teaching.

The Head of Department is as defined in the Academic Board Resolution and the delegation of Head of Department responsibilities is in accordance with the rules expressed in the University's delegation of Authority documents.

Administration and Processing of USE Surveys

The USE surveys should ideally be administered in the final two weeks of teaching of the unit. Two weeks should be allowed for receipt of forms after placing an order (view timeline for deadlines). During these two weeks your order will be processed and mailed to the unit of study coordinators identified on the order form.

Only scannable forms can be used and data collected on photocopied forms will not be analysed.

The guidelines for survey administration and return should be followed closely. Any forms returned without the pre-printed confidentiality seals or where no order has been placed cannot be processed. Click here to view the USE guidelines.

Survey forms should be returned to the ITL by the end of the formal examination period. Any completed survey forms not received by the ITL by the end of the formal exam period will not be processed until the following semester and will not be included in the Faculty/School combined results.

Results of ITL Unit of Study Evaluation (USE) surveys

• Each semester, the ITL will process USE questionnaires and will provide electronic reports within two weeks of the completion of the formal exam period.
  
• Electronic reports will be returned via email to the Unit of Study Co-ordinator and Heads of Department (if requested) identified on the order form.
  
• The USE hardcopy questionnaire forms will be returned when final processing and examination results have been submitted for all Unit of Study Evaluation surveys.
  
• Surveys returned to the ITL for processing without appropriate documentation, or where the administration guidelines have not been followed, will not be processed.
  
• The ITL will also provide Heads of Department/School with an electronic copy of the statistical reports summarising the students' numerical ratings, for individual unit of study, if requested on the order form.
  
• The ITL provides Deans and Associate Deans Learning and Teaching with summary of statistical data on standard ITL USE survey results as a spreadsheet and by combining numerical data from standard ITL Unit of Study surveys at a Faculty and School level in a summary report.
  
• Student ratings alone do not constitute an evaluation of the unit of study. As such, the Unit of Study Coordinator is encouraged to consider the student ratings together with the students' explanatory comments, as well as data from additional sources such as peer review, and provide an short interpreted summary evaluation report for her/his Head of School. Within the limitations of its resources, the ITL provides support for Unit of Study Coordinators in gathering such additional data and in interpreting and reporting on unit of study evaluation data.
  

Costs

There is no charge to faculties using the ITL's standard Unit of Study Evaluation System as described above. Faculties electing to survey units more than once in a three year cycle (as directed in the Academic Board guidelines) should discuss the resource implications of this additional surveying with the ITL.