Senate

Subject: Student Feedback - Revised Code of Practice

Origin: Teaching and Learning Committee, unconfirmed Minutes of 16 November 1999

The Committee considered a further revised version of Code of Practice for Student Feedback. This incorporated a procedure for the return of forms that was at arm's length from the module organiser, as requested by Senate. It was RECOMMENDED to Senate that the revised Code of Practice be adopted.

Annex A

Subject: Student Feedback

Origin: PDQ Team; Teaching and Learning Committee

1. At its meeting on 23 June 1999, Senate considered a revised Code of Practice, revised feedback forms and accompanying Notes of Guidance which had been brought forward by Teaching and Learning Committee following a review of the University student feedback system by the TLC Steering Group and subsequently the PDQ Team.

2. Senate agreed that revised feedback forms should be introduced [this] session, subject to

• a University question about computing facilities being added to the module feedback form
• the blocking of the questions reverting to the previous order.

Senate accepted a rubric recommended by TLC for inclusion on the feedback forms concerning anonymity and offensive comments, but referred back the revised Code of Practice for further consideration. Senate was seeking a procedure for the return and collection of completed forms that would be at arm’s length from the module organiser: so that the HOD’s nominee co-ordinating student feedback would be the first to see the forms and take responsibility for removing any containing offensive comments before the rest of the batch was sent to the OMR. The HOD’s nominee would refer the offending forms to the HOD and, with the HOD’s agreement, destroy them. Other procedures would be unchanged.

Senate also approved the Notes of Guidance.

The Senate Minute referring to the item can be found at:

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/admin/committees/sen/328/sen99-m5.html

3. This matter has been discussed again by the PDQ Team on two occasions. The further revised Code of Practice below is now recommended to Senate for adoption. The new paragraph added to the Code indicates the procedure proposed to meet Senate's wishes.

4. Revised feedback forms incorporating TLC and Senate's earlier amendments have been printed and are being circulated to departments for use this session.

1. Departments are required to elicit feedback from students by, inter alia, the use of the machine readable questionnaires. Questionnaires are processed by Computing Services on behalf of the Quality Assessment Unit, in accordance with a Service Level Agreement which ensures the maintenance of appropriate confidentiality.
2. All modules shall be the subject of student feedback questionnaires at least once every three years, and all programmes annually. Compliance with this requirement will be monitored by the Quality Assessment Unit.
3. A number of statements will be standard to all questionnaires, and the responses to these will be analysed by the Quality Assessment Unit on behalf of the University, with results being reported to the Teaching and Learning Committee, and Academic Services Network Group (ASNG) for consideration. Outcomes will be reported back to the departments concerned by the AD(T)s.
4. Departments may also design their own questions, giving the opportunity to invite feedback on particular aspects of modules. Responses to these questions will be reported by Computing Services to the Head of Department or his/her nominee, and will not be received by the Quality Assessment Unit.
   
   
   
   
5. Students are also invited to write additional comments on the rear of the questionnaire.

[ADD:

6. Upon completion, ALL forms will be placed in an envelope, sealed and returned to the Head of Department or the Head of Department's nominee for inspection. S/HE WILL REMOVE AND DESTROY ANY FORMS CONTAINING OFFENSIVE COMMENTS. Such forms will not form part of the statistical survey. All other forms will be sent to Computing Services, with a completed batch header sheet, for OMR processing.]

USE OF FEEDBACK QUESTIONNAIRES

7. Student feedback questionnaires are part of the University's continuing process of evaluating and improving the quality of its programmes. Feedback is used in programme reviews in accordance with the University's Academic Quality Procedures.
8. The responses to University-level questions will be used to monitor and enhance the provision of central services, in conjunction with other data derived from such sources as ESR visits and External Examiners' reports.
9. Departmental questions will be used by the Head of Department to monitor and enhance programme structures, curriculum content, teaching and assessment. Feedback which relates to individual members of staff will be used as part of the underpinning of their personal career development programmes: to facilitate this, the statistical data will be made available, via the Head of Department, to appraisers and to probationary supervisors.
10. Members of staff may themselves, if they wish, use student feedback in Teaching folders/Portfolios as part of their submission for confirmation of probation, for progression from Lecturer A to Lecturer B, and for promotion from Lecturer to Senior Lecturer.
11. Written comments on the back of the questionnaire form will be available to the individual member of staff concerned, and the Head of Department. Students writing comments on the back of the form are invited to enter their student I.D. number or name in the box provided. Any offensive comments will be disregarded and the form destroyed .
12. Heads of Department will report to the appropriate Staff-Student Committee on the quantitative outcome of student feedback questionnaires.