1. Purpose and Objectives

These procedures outline the processes and responsibilities for the conduct of surveys involving University of Queensland students.

2. Definitions, Terms, Acronyms

SECaT — Student Evaluation of Course and Teaching

SETutor — Student Evaluation of Tutor

3. Procedures Scope/Coverage

These procedures apply to all staff at The University of Queensland and are limited to surveys that are focused on obtaining feedback on The University of Queensland student experience of teaching and courses.

These procedures do not apply to surveys that might arise from research projects that seek to canvass student opinion on other topics (for example, public transport usage).

4. Procedures Statement

Student surveys conducted at The University of Queensland are undertaken to investigate, report and respond to feedback on the delivery and quality of learning experiences for current students, and the provision of facilities and services used by students at UQ. Surveys may also be undertaken to gather perceptions of future students.

Annual surveys are undertaken of all UQ graduate to gauge the satisfaction of graduates with various aspects of their UQ experience. These surveys provide important data for quality assurance and benchmarking purposes.

Survey instruments approved for delivery to students including Student Evaluation of Course and Teaching (SECaT) surveys are listed in Section 6.

Student survey instruments must be approved through the submission of a Student Survey Proposal to the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation through the Manager, Evaluation Unit. The proposal provides information from applicants wishing to administer a new student survey that relates to the purpose of the survey, the target population, the survey design and intended timing.

The activities involved in developing and gaining approval for a new student survey are listed below:

• identifying the objectives and rationale for the survey;
• determining whether there is an existing survey instrument that can be used;
• determining whether approval from the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation is required;
• confirming timing and commencement of the survey; and
• collating and reporting survey results in accordance with the survey objectives.

5. UQ Student Survey Proposal

Applicants must complete the PPL 3.30.02 UQ Student Survey Proposal - Form and include the following information:

• objectives and rationale;
• survey population;
• survey method;
• method of population sampling;
• data collection methods;
• a copy of the survey instrument; and
• proposed dates of data collection commencement and completion.

Proposals that fall within the scope of the PPL 3.30.02 Course and Teacher Surveys - Policy (refer section 3) must be submitted to the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation through the Manager, Evaluation Unit.

Persons undertaking surveys for the purposes of academic research (except where the surveyed activities span a significant proportion of the student population) must submit the proposal to the Academic Registrar.

6. Student Evaluation Instruments

Internal quality assurance surveys undertaken for the evaluation of student perceptions of aspects of their experience of the University include the following:

• SECAT – for a course taught by a single staff member;
• SECATs – for a course taught by more than one staff member;
• SETutor – for an individual tutor;
• Open Response Questionnaire – for classes with less than 6 possible responses.

6.1 Student Evaluation of Course and Teaching (SECaT)

The SECaT/s survey is administered for every course with 6 enrolments or more each time it is taught and for every teacher with a substantial teaching load on the course. Evaluations are undertaken in the final weeks of each semester including Summer Semester.

Teaching staff who teach solely in the first semester of a year-long course may have a SECaT evaluation administered at the end of their teaching semester.

6.1.1 Applying for exemption from SECaTs

All thesis-based courses which are conducted in a one-to-one supervision mode are automatically exempt from the SECaT process. There may, however, be instances when it is appropriate for courses outside of thesis-based courses to apply for exemption from the SECaT processes. If both the course coordinator and the chair of the school teaching and learning committee are of the view that an exemption is appropriate, the course coordinator is to discuss a request for exemption with the Evaluation Unit.

Where a case for exemption is agreed, a confirmatory email is sent to the Evaluation Unit from the Chair of the School's Teaching and Learning Committee with a copy to the Faculty's Associate Dean (Academic).

A copy of the email is kept on record in the Evaluation Unit database and recorded in standard reporting processes to faculties and schools.

6.1.2 Reporting

Individual summary reports are generated at the questionnaire item level for course and teaching.

Reports are released after the date for the official release of results each semester.

If the number of completed questionnaires is fewer than 6, the numerical analysis is not undertaken. When there are fewer than 6 responses, reports containing open-ended comments are released to relevant staff after student results are released.

Course quantitative results are publically accessible through the Reportal and other UQ dashboards and reports, such as the student dashboard, and the CTQRA dashboard and reports. Individual teaching results are available via the Reportal and the QIndex.

In addition to the release of the Course quantitative results, the results of all quantitative, qualitative, past, and present SECaT evaluations, are released according to the following roles and rules:

1. Individual teachers – All their own individual teaching results.
2. Course Coordinators – All quantitative, qualitative, past and present results related to the specific course, including the teaching results of all members of teaching staff involved in the course delivery.
3. Head of School – All quantitative, qualitative, past and present results of all teaching and course evaluations for the School.
4. Executive Deans and Associate Deans (Academic) – All quantitative, qualitative, past and present results of all teaching and course evaluations for the Faculty.
5. University Executives (VC, DVCs, PVCs, and Directors of Administrative Units/Divisions) – All quantitative, qualitative, past and present results of all teaching and course evaluations for the University.
6. Heads of School, Executive Deans, Associate Deans (Academic) and University Executives may delegate their authority of access to other UQ staff as required. Any delegation of authority must be provided to the Evaluation Unit in writing.
7. Students via the ECP – To provide students with feedback on the evaluation process, the ECP has a field that requires course coordinators to provide a brief summary as to how they have responded to previous course evaluations.
8. Course and teaching results can also be released to UQ Staff in raw data format (linking quantitative and qualitative responses), upon request, and according to their role and data release rules.

6.1.3 Data Confidentiality

The University will ensure that student confidentiality is protected according to the Information Privacy Act 2009.

Academic staff will not be provided with information that will identify a student who has made a comment about them on the survey unless the University is required to provide that information to meet legal compliance obligations. However, when comments collected through the SECaTs identify behaviours or actions which compromise the University’s Duty of Care obligations to students or staff, information about the identity of students and staff may be accessed by the University so appropriate action can be taken. For example, comments that appear to contain threats to students or staff, or that are perceived to be abusive, vilifying or otherwise offensive to the extent they may constitute misconduct or serious misconduct, will be handled according to the provisions within the Information Privacy Act 2009, relevant UQ policies relating to student and staff misconduct, and the Staff Enterprise Agreement.

Comments containing allegations about serious student or staff misconduct will be referred to the appropriate University Officer for confidential investigation:

• Students may be contacted by the relevant University Officer to investigate whether or not further actions must be taken by the University to meet our Duty of Care obligations.
• Staff may be contacted by the relevant University Officer to investigate whether or not further actions must be taken by the University to meet our Duty of Care obligations and according to the provisions under the Enterprise Agreement and Staff Code of Conduct.

Relevant University Officers include Student Services, Student Complaints and Grievance Resolution, Employee Relations, School/Faculty-based Executives, and University Executives (VC, DVCs, PVCs and Directors of Administrative Units/Divisions).

6.2 Student Evaluation of Tutors (SETutor)

SETutor is a mechanism for students to evaluate tutors of a course. Administration of the SETutor instrument is currently not compulsory, but is actively encouraged.

• Tutors and Course Coordinators are able to request a SETutor questionnaire via the Institute for Teaching and Learning Innovation website.
• Requests for SETutor questionnaires must be placed by week 8 of semester.
• SETutor evaluations should be administered according to the standard administration instructions published with the questionnaire before week 11.

6.2.1 Reporting

• Individual tutors will receive a summary report of all results when:
  • the number of completed questionnaires contains 5 or more responses.
  • there are fewer than 5 responses, the numerical analysis is not undertaken. If there are fewer than 5 responses, reports containing open-ended comments are released to relevant staff after results are posted.
• The quantitative, qualitative, past and present results of all SETutors conducted for each course can be requested by the Course Coordinator, Heads of Schools, Executive Deans and Associate Deans (Academic).
• Heads of School, Executive Deans and Associate Deans (Academic) may also delegate their authority of access to other UQ staff as required. The delegation of authority must be provided to the Evaluation Unit in writing.