Evaluation of teaching and courses
At the end of each semester the students (incl. external students, exchange and visiting students, etc.) are given a possibility to give feedback on the courses they have registered for.
The objectives of the feedback questionnaire on teaching and courses are
The student is notified of the possibility to give feedback on courses by the following link on the front page of the Study Information System: Teaching and Course Feedback . In general, feedback can be given on a course two weeks prior to the class in which the exam or the pass-fail test is taken (in the absence of such a class, two weeks prior to the last class of that course) entered in the Study Information System and until the end of the following semester. Although it is possible to give feedback already earlier, it is recommended that it be given after the student has received an evaluation in the respective course. If feedback is given before that, it may happen that some questions are difficult to answer.
The courses are open for feedback on an ongoing basis during the semester. Two weeks prior to the end of the semester the student will receive an e-mail if he/she has un-evaluated courses in the amount prescribed. This is also the best time to decide which courses to evaluate during the semester in question.
FILLING IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Each student must evaluate at least four courses (in case of a PhD student, at least one course) on the list received . If the student registered for fewer than four courses in the semester in question, he/she will have to choose all the courses from the given list for evaluation.The questionnaire consists of 12 questions of which it is obligatory to answer the multiple-choice questions. All answers given to multiple-choice questions can be complemented with a comment or a justification.
The questionnaire has three course-related parts: the student’s self-analysis, teacher-related questions and course-related questions. The questionnaire is deemed as filled in if all the mandatory questions of the three parts have been answered.
In case of each subject syllabus the student has to choose at least one teacher for evaluation. It is also possible to evaluate several teachers.
NB! If the student wishes to evaluate several teachers under one subject syllabus, it must be done before clicking the button “Confirm” at the end of the questionnaire. If this button is clicked, it will mean that the student has finished filling in the respective questionnaire and does not wish to change it.
NB! It is not possible to discontinue filling in the questionnaire and carry on filling it later.
The courses already evaluated are removed from the list. If all courses have been evaluated during the evaluation period, the link Teaching and Course Feedback on the front page of the Study Information System will disappear.
It is not possible to evaluate practical training courses, graduation theses and final exam subjects, and complex subjects in case of the Faculty of Medicine. In case of the latter it is possible to evaluate the sub-courses of the complex course.
The questionnaire is anonymous. All answers are recorded anonymously and hence the teachers/heads of structural units have no possibility to link an answer to its author.
GOOD PRACTICES OF GIVING FEEDBACK
When giving feedback, try to be guided by the following good practices
If the previous semester’s courses have not been evaluated in the amount prescribed by the beginning of the third week of the new semester, the user rights of the student in the Study Information System will be restricted (except external students, exchange and visiting students, resident physicians). It means that the student is only able to give feedback on teaching and courses in the Study Information System and all other activities are suspended until the required number of courses has been evaluated.
FEEDBACK RESULTS
The answers to multiple-choice questions and the recommendations to future students can, in a generalised form, be seen by all members of the University of Tartu starting from the next semester in the Study Information System, on the page of the respective course in the syllabus in question. The Faculty Council or College Council discusses the results each semester and submits the results of the discussions in the form of a report to the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs. The report is also made available in the Study Information System.
The results of the questionnaire (also the answers entered in text fields) are available to the respective teacher and his/her direct superior (head of department/institute/clinic, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Vice Dean, Dean/College Director).
The results of the feedback questionnaire on teaching and courses are taken into account
Information/questions/suggestions: tagasiside [ät] ut [dot] ee
The objectives of the feedback questionnaire on teaching and courses are
- to develop students’ ability of self-analysis;
- to provide feedback for the teacher based on which he/she can improve the course;
- to identify problem areas and make the planning of curriculum and study-related development activities more expedient;
- to mould and develop the students’ and teachers’ idea of good teaching;
- to obtain information for teaching and personnel work-related decisions.
The student is notified of the possibility to give feedback on courses by the following link on the front page of the Study Information System: Teaching and Course Feedback . In general, feedback can be given on a course two weeks prior to the class in which the exam or the pass-fail test is taken (in the absence of such a class, two weeks prior to the last class of that course) entered in the Study Information System and until the end of the following semester. Although it is possible to give feedback already earlier, it is recommended that it be given after the student has received an evaluation in the respective course. If feedback is given before that, it may happen that some questions are difficult to answer.
The courses are open for feedback on an ongoing basis during the semester. Two weeks prior to the end of the semester the student will receive an e-mail if he/she has un-evaluated courses in the amount prescribed. This is also the best time to decide which courses to evaluate during the semester in question.
FILLING IN THE QUESTIONNAIRE
Each student must evaluate at least four courses (in case of a PhD student, at least one course) on the list received . If the student registered for fewer than four courses in the semester in question, he/she will have to choose all the courses from the given list for evaluation.The questionnaire consists of 12 questions of which it is obligatory to answer the multiple-choice questions. All answers given to multiple-choice questions can be complemented with a comment or a justification.
The questionnaire has three course-related parts: the student’s self-analysis, teacher-related questions and course-related questions. The questionnaire is deemed as filled in if all the mandatory questions of the three parts have been answered.
In case of each subject syllabus the student has to choose at least one teacher for evaluation. It is also possible to evaluate several teachers.
NB! If the student wishes to evaluate several teachers under one subject syllabus, it must be done before clicking the button “Confirm” at the end of the questionnaire. If this button is clicked, it will mean that the student has finished filling in the respective questionnaire and does not wish to change it.
NB! It is not possible to discontinue filling in the questionnaire and carry on filling it later.
The courses already evaluated are removed from the list. If all courses have been evaluated during the evaluation period, the link Teaching and Course Feedback on the front page of the Study Information System will disappear.
It is not possible to evaluate practical training courses, graduation theses and final exam subjects, and complex subjects in case of the Faculty of Medicine. In case of the latter it is possible to evaluate the sub-courses of the complex course.
The questionnaire is anonymous. All answers are recorded anonymously and hence the teachers/heads of structural units have no possibility to link an answer to its author.
GOOD PRACTICES OF GIVING FEEDBACK
When giving feedback, try to be guided by the following good practices
- If possible, justify your evaluations in the text fields.
- Try to be as specific and constructive as possible when writing comments and justifications. Longer answers are of great use to the teacher if these draw attention to specific aspects that need changing and give recommendations as to what could be done differently in your opinion.
- Feedback does not only mean being critical. Feedback is also a possibility to acknowledge and praise the teacher!
- Feedback does not only involve evaluation the teacher and the course. It is also an evaluation of the student’s own contribution. Be as honest as possible and make your own conclusions. This way it is of great use to you in your future studies.
- Do not let yourself be affected by emotions and try to give an objective evaluation. If possible, do not give feedback until some time has passed from the time of the final evaluation in the course.
- Thank you for being polite when giving feedback! Disparagement and rudeness will not help the lecturer or the programme manager to improve the teaching of the course and the syllabus.
If the previous semester’s courses have not been evaluated in the amount prescribed by the beginning of the third week of the new semester, the user rights of the student in the Study Information System will be restricted (except external students, exchange and visiting students, resident physicians). It means that the student is only able to give feedback on teaching and courses in the Study Information System and all other activities are suspended until the required number of courses has been evaluated.
FEEDBACK RESULTS
The answers to multiple-choice questions and the recommendations to future students can, in a generalised form, be seen by all members of the University of Tartu starting from the next semester in the Study Information System, on the page of the respective course in the syllabus in question. The Faculty Council or College Council discusses the results each semester and submits the results of the discussions in the form of a report to the Vice Rector of Academic Affairs. The report is also made available in the Study Information System.
The results of the questionnaire (also the answers entered in text fields) are available to the respective teacher and his/her direct superior (head of department/institute/clinic, Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Vice Dean, Dean/College Director).
The results of the feedback questionnaire on teaching and courses are taken into account
- by the teacher in order to improve the quality of teaching of the course;
- by the programme manager and programme council in internal evaluation and syllabus development;
- by the head of the academic unit to evaluate the effectiveness of the work of a teacher, including in the assessment of his/her suitability for the position of a researcher or a teacher, in carrying out performance evaluations, in planning in-service training for the teaching staff and in the acknowledgement of the teaching staff;
- by the office of academic affairs to nominate the members of academic staff who will receive the award of the Teacher of the Year.
Information/questions/suggestions: tagasiside [ät] ut [dot] ee