student feedback and leadership - Office for Learning and Teaching

Part A: Developing a Distributed Leadership Model - Secton 4: Outcomes and Critical Sucess Factors
IV.
Multi-level approaches to leadership in curricula improvement strategies
for assessment of learning practices, teaching large classes and teaching
capabilities were identified in the ART Case Studies. However in so doing
it was also recognised that single point-in-time improvements in student
feedback are not sufficient and there is need for a process of benchmarking
over time that will enable longer-term trends. This led the
DVC(A) to establish a special project in which staff from the School
of Mathematics and Geospatial Sciences undertook a statistical study
to identify the key indicators of teaching quality. This study found that
good teaching is the primary factor for 6 out of the 9 subject areas in the
College of Business, 3 out of 12 subject areas in the College of Design
and Social Context, and 13 out of 25 subject areas in the College of
Science, Engineering and Technology. There was also a strong correlation
between GTS and overall course satisfaction scores at a university level,
among the three Colleges, and for most subject areas 4 .
The study confirmed the findings of the ARTs in terms of the key indicators
of student satisfaction. For the College of Business the top five indicators were
(in order of importance) Good Teaching; course enjoyment, organisation of the
course, the provision of good course materials, facilities (environment). For the
College of Design and Social Context the top five indicators were (in order
of importance) course enjoyment, Good Teaching, organisation of the course,
the provision of good course materials and facilities (environment). For the
College of Science, Engineering and Technology the top five indicators were
(in order of importance) Good Teaching, organisation of the course, course
enjoyment, the provision of good course materials and facilities (environment).
In addition to the quantitative study, a qualitative study identified commonalities
in positive student responses to teachers that are enthusiastic, engage the
students, actively listen to student needs, implement changes for students,
establish clear structure and objectives in courses, clearly communicate
feedback and are motivated by CES results.
While a direct causal link between the action taken to improve student
feedback by the three ARTs cannot be proved, both the School of Economics,
Finance and Marketing and the School of Mathematics and Geospatial
Sciences recorded an increase in the Overall Student Satisfaction Rate
of around 7% between 2007 and 2008 (from 60% to 67.1% and from 69%
to 76.4% respectively), although the School of Property and Construction
recorded a slight decrease in overall student satisfaction over the same period.
Over the same period all Schools recorded an increase in the Good Teaching
Score (GTS) of between 1-10%.
4 Bedford, A; Romagnano, S; Da Costa, C; Bedford, M.(2007) ‘CES Performance Analysis:
Quantitative and Qualitative Investigation of CES Data: What Drives Good Teaching, RMIT School of
Mathematical & Geospatial Sciences
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