5.3 Student Module Feedback Questionnaire: Code of Practice

1.      Introduction

The Student Module Feedback Questionnaire process is part of the University's continuing process of evaluating and improving the quality of its programmes.  Responses are used in conjunction with information derived from other sources (e.g. External Examiner reports; the National Student Survey; the outcomes of internal and external reviews) to monitor and enhance programme structures, curriculum content, teaching and assessment.  Schools should also encourage feedback from students throughout the year to ensure that any issues that can be easily resolved are raised early and acted on appropriately.

2.      Student Module Feedback Questionnaire Policy

The operation of the Student Module Feedback Questionnaire is subject to the following principles: 

1. The formal process for seeking feedback from all students registered on a module is via the Student Module Feedback Questionnaire. 
2. All modules should be surveyed every year.
3. Module Feedback consists of quantitative and qualitative module-specific questions and quantitative lecturer-specific questions.
4. Standard question sets should be used according to the teaching style of the module.
5. Module Feedback can take place at any time during the semester, but will normally be conducted once sufficient teaching has taken place to enable useful feedback to be elicited, typically in weeks 8-12. 
6. Time should be allocated within a teaching session for students to complete the questionnaire.
7. Module Feedback is conducted via a bespoke online module feedback system which is designed to ensure that appropriate anonymity and confidentiality is maintained for both students and staff. Module Feedback is an inclusive process and alternative arrangements will be made to ensure that those who are unable to use the online system are able to engage with the process. 
8. The quantitative module-specific outcomes will be made available, alongside a commentary from the Module Leader (or nominated responder), to:

• all students registered on the module at the time of conducting the Questionnaire
• the next appropriate Staff-Student Liaison Committee (SSLC).  Scores at or below 3.5 for any single question will require specific action and/or comment in the report to the SSLC
• the Students’ Union Education Executive Officer

9. The quantitative lecturer-specific outcomes and the quantitative and qualitative module-specific outcomes will be made available to the staff member to whom they relate and to the Dean of School or their nominee/s*, Module Leader, PDR Reviewers and/or to probationary supervisors. 
10. At the start of a module, staff should outline to students how previous outcomes from Module Feedback have helped shape the module.
11. The outcomes should be used by the Module Leader to monitor and enhance the learning experience and by the Dean of School or their nominee/s* to monitor and enhance provision across the School. 

3.      The process for conducting the Student Module Feedback Questionnaire

Guidance on how to operate the online Student Module Feedback Questionnaire process is provided by the Centre for Academic Practice.

Schools should select the appropriate question set for the teaching style of the module, e.g. Standard (lectures with tutorials/seminars), Project/Dissertation, Practical/Laboratory/Fieldwork.  There is an option to include one additional question for each module, giving the opportunity to invite feedback on a particular aspect of the module, for example where a new element has been included.  There are also a set of questions that relate to individual members of staff teaching on the module.  In addition, students are invited to enter free-text comments in the boxes provided on the questionnaire form.

When conducting Module Feedback, students should be advised that:

• Participating in Module Feedback is a valuable opportunity for them to provide feedback, which is listened to, valued and acted upon as appropriate in order that a consistently high quality of teaching and learning can be assured for all students. 
• Their responses are treated anonymously.
• Any responses containing offensive comments will be removed by the School and as such these responses will not form part of the analysis and reporting.

Course Reps and School Presidents should encourage engagement with Module Feedback, the outcomes of which can be used constructively by them at future SSLC meetings.

4.     Sharing the outcomes of Student Module Feedback Questionnaires

1. Sharing the outcomes with staff:

• The quantitative lecturer-specific outcomes and the quantitative and qualitative module-specific outcomes will be made available to the staff member to whom they relate and to the Dean of School or their nominee/s*, Module Leader, PDR Reviewers and/or to probationary supervisors.  Where appropriate, it will be used to identify continuing professional development needs and inform the planning of provision to meet those needs.
• Members of staff teaching on a module should draw on the outcomes of Module Feedback as part of the evidence-base to inform reflections for PDR or probation, and where appropriate to support applications for promotion, reward review and fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
• Schools should share any responses relating to central services with the appropriate Professional Service for follow-up and action.
• The data for the questions relating to the module overall and the responses from the Module Leaders/nominated responders are used to inform Annual Programme Reviews and Quadrennial Reviews.  The data from the free text comments (not relating to individual members of staff) will be analysed to inform the University overall and more specifically to support the enhancement of services for students and staff.

2. Sharing the outcomes with students:

• The quantitative data for the questions relating to the module overall will be made available to all students registered on the module at the time of conducting the Questionnaire by the end of the semester in which the survey has been conducted, once comments from the Module Leader or nominated responder have been added to the Online Module Feedback system.  These comments should take into account the qualitative free text responses.  All comments should be reviewed within the School prior to publication. 
• Deans of School or their nominee/s* will collate the data for the questions relating to the module overall and the responses from the Module Leaders/nominated responders and make these available to the appropriate Staff-Student Liaison Committee (SSLC).  Reports should be submitted in the semester following the completion of the Module Feedback and will present the scores per module for questions relating to the module overall and any actions taken in response to low scores.  In particular, scores at or below 3.5 for any single question will require specific action and/or comment in the report to the SSLC.  Where no actions have been taken in response to student feedback, for example where the response rate is too low to be statistically meaningful, this should be made clear in the report. It is inappropriate to share with students the scores for questions relating to individual staff; however open and constructive dialogue about programmes and modules should be a central feature of SSLCs in order that the maintenance and enhancement of quality in teaching and learning can be assured. Deans of School or their nominee/s* will make the written report available to Associate Deans (Teaching)/Directors of Study/Programme Directors as appropriate from other Schools that take the module.
• It is expected that at the start of a module staff should outline how previous outcomes from Module Feedback have helped shape the module, demonstrating that the student voice is valued and acted upon appropriately.

  

* Nominees will include:

• the defined Feedback Administrators in each School
• Associate Dean (Teaching)
• Director of Studies
• Programme Directors

 

Approved by LTC 20 September 2018