Quality development instruments of the Department of Studies and Teaching

What is a course evaluation (LVE) and how can it be used for course development?

Courses in the departments are evaluated at regular intervals. University-wide questionnaires are available for this purpose, which can be adapted to specific departments. The evaluations of the individual courses are made available to the teaching staff and the Dean's Office. In addition, results are included and published in aggregated form, e.g. in the teaching reports of the departments.

The aggregated results can provide indications for the revision of study programs. First and foremost, however, the LVE serves as a feedback tool for lecturers.

What questions can be answered with course evaluations?

• How do students rate the courses on the degree program?
• How has the evaluation of the courses changed over a period of time?

How do I proceed if I want to use LVE for course development?

The aggregated results of the course evaluation can be requested from the dean's offices.

Where are the results incorporated into the degree program concept?

The results can be incorporated into questions 40 and 42 of the degree program concept.

Links:

Further information and contact details for the Quality Development Working Group can be found here.

What is a module evaluation and how can it be used for course development?

Module evaluations include the student assessment of the studyability of the modules of a degree program. Among other things, students assess how the actual time required for a module relates to the information in the module description (workload survey). In addition, they assess the suitability of the various courses in a module and the suitability of the module examination for checking the learning objectives. Module evaluations are usually carried out once per accreditation period. The specific design of the survey is the responsibility of the program directors. The results of the module evaluations are included, for example, in the teaching reports of the departments.

Module evaluations provide important and helpful data for the further development of existing study programs, e.g. in the context of re-accreditation. They provide starting points for revising individual modules or the entire module structure of a degree program.

What questions can be answered with the module evaluation?

• How do students rate the studyability of the modules on a degree program?
• Does the module description match the time students actually spend on this module?

Where do the results flow into the program concept?

The results can be incorporated into questions 39-44 of the degree program concept.

Links:

Further information and contacts for the Quality Development Working Group can be found here.

What are surveys and how can they be used to develop degree programs?

The Bachelor's, Master's and teacher training surveys are carried out centrally on a regular basis. A university-wide evaluation entitled Essentials is published on the website of the Quality Development Group (IIQ). Data tables on the individual degree programs as well as a report (Essentials) are created for the departments. The Essentials each focus on one degree program and also contain the answers to the open questions on strengths, weaknesses and suggestions for improvement. The tables can be used to compare the degree programs of a department with each other. Average values for the entire department are also provided. Further evaluations can be carried out on request.

Students are surveyed on very different topics as part of the surveys. The results for individual degree programs, but also at departmental level, are incorporated into the teaching reports, should be included in the further development of existing degree programs and can provide clues for the development of new degree programs.

What questions can be answered with the surveys?

• How satisfied are students with the various conditions of their studies?
• How did students find out about studying?
• What were the students' motives for starting their studies?
• How do students assess their job market opportunities?

Where do the results flow into the study program concept?

The results can be incorporated into questions 39-44 of the study program concept.

Links:
Further information, the university-wide essentials of the last surveys and contacts of the Quality Development Working Group can be found here.

What are course reviews and how can they be used for course development?

Degree program discussions are a supplement to quantitative evaluation procedures to ensure and improve the quality of studies and teaching. Course discussions are moderated discussions in which all students on a course can participate. In particular, degree programs with few students can use program interviews to replace quantitative procedures.

The course interviews can focus on the entire course as well as on specific content-related or organizational aspects (e.g. the introductory phase). The results of course reviews that have already been carried out can be used for course development and (re-)accreditation. It is also possible to conduct course interviews explicitly for this purpose. The qualitative and partly explorative approach enables a deeper and more comprehensive investigation of the student assessment of relevant aspects (in comparison to or in addition to the quantitative instruments).

Which questions can be answered with the degree program interviews?

• How do students rate their degree program?
• What challenges are associated with studying?
• How do students experience their studies?
• What experiences do students have during their studies?

How do I proceed if I want to use course interviews for course development?

If one or more degree program interviews have already been conducted, you can contact the person responsible (e.g. the person in charge of the degree program) and ask for the results. Especially in the case of re-accreditation or further development of existing degree programs, you should find out whether talks have already been held.

If you would like to conduct a degree program talk for your degree program or as part of a degree program development, please contact the IIQ group. The procedure and implementation can be coordinated together. Please allow sufficient lead time for this.

Where do the results flow into the study program concept?

The results can be incorporated into questions 40, 42 and 44 of the degree program concept.

Links:

You can find further information and contacts for the contact persons here.

What is progression monitoring and how can it be used for course development?

The aim of course monitoring is to identify successful and problematic courses of study and to recognize critical points in the course of study. For example, the order and speed in which modules are completed can be analyzed.

For the further development and reaccreditation of study programs, course progression monitoring provides important information on the studyability of the current study program. Based on the results, measures can be developed, for example, to prevent students dropping out and delays in their studies and implemented in the further development of the degree program.

The extent to which data from course progression monitoring can be used for the development of new study programs must be examined on a case-by-case basis.

Which questions can be answered with the course progression monitoring?

• What do typical study progressions in a degree program look like?
• Where are any critical points in the current study plan?

How do I proceed if I want to use course monitoring for course development?

Study progress monitoring is anchored in Akademis, the academic management information system of the University of Kassel. There you will find standardized report formats with current data in the area of study progress monitoring.

There are a few people at each department who are authorized to use the system. If you do not have access to Akademis yourself, please contact your colleagues.

If you cannot answer your questions with the available reports, please get in touch with the responsible contact person in the Quality Development working group.

Where are the results incorporated into the study program concept?

The results can be included in questions 40, 42 and 44 of the study program concept.

Links:

Further information and the contact details of the Quality Development Group can be found here.

What is the graduate study and how can it be used to develop study programs?

All graduates of the University of Kassel are invited to take part in the regular graduate studies. About a year and a half after graduation, former students are asked about their professional situation. After explicit consent, graduates are invited to a follow-up survey after another three years. In addition to the content, organizational and financial structure of the workplace, the aim is to assess the fit between the professional situation and the skills acquired during the course. Various questions are also aimed at a retrospective assessment of the degree course at the University of Kassel.

The results of the graduate studies provide important information on the employability and retention of students. The retrospective assessment of the study program can be a point of reference for the further or new development of study programs.

The graduate study is carried out centrally. A results report is published and various report formats are made available to the departments and central institutions.

What questions can be answered with the graduate study?

• How do graduates assess their studies retrospectively?
• How do graduates rate the courses on offer and the study conditions?
• What are the graduates' career prospects?
• Why did they exceed the standard period of study?
• To what extent are skills acquired during the degree program used in the current profession?

Where do the results flow into the degree program concept?

The results can be incorporated into questions 20, 40, 42 and 44 of the degree program concept.

Links:

Further information, results of the graduate study and contacts of the contact persons can be found here.

What is the alumni survey and how can it be used for course development?

The alumni survey is an online survey of exmatriculated students who have left the University of Kassel without a degree. The aim is to find out more about the composition of this group and the reasons for exmatriculation (university changers, drop-outs, etc.). In terms of content, the alumni survey is interlinked with the graduate survey.

Like the graduate survey, the alumni survey is conducted centrally in cooperation with the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT).

The results of the alumni survey provide important information on the whereabouts of former students. The information on (degree program-related) reasons for exmatriculation can provide helpful information for the further development of degree programs.

Which questions can be answered with the alumni survey?

• What was the reason for exmatriculation?
• Why did they change universities, if applicable?
• What are the graduates' professional circumstances?
• To what extent has the education received at the University of Kassel been beneficial for their career to date?

Where do the results flow into the study program concept?

The results can be incorporated into questions 40, 42 and 44 of the degree program concept.

Links:

Further information on the alumni survey can be found here.

What is a teaching report and how can it be used for course development?

The departments prepare a teaching report at regular intervals. The report covers the main results of the evaluations carried out, a thorough analysis, options for action derived from this analysis and current topics from the areas of study and teaching. In addition, the processes and established control loops for quality development are described. However, the teaching report does not only serve to ensure continuous results. The teaching report should also be used as an opportunity for discussion in the departments. At the end of the reporting process, a discussion with the university management on the submitted report is planned.

The teaching reports can also be an important resource for revising and redesigning degree programs in the departments.

The teaching reports are compiled in the departments and are available in the dean's offices. They are not intended for publication.

What questions can be answered with the teaching report?

• What is the teaching and study situation in the department?
• How has it developed?
• What options for action and development perspectives (for the (further) development of degree programs) are derived?

Where do the results flow into the study program concept?

The contents of the teaching report can be incorporated into questions 18 and 39-44 of the degree program concept.

Links:

Current information on the teaching reports of the departments as well as contact options for the contact person in the Quality Development working group.