What do students expect from us?
Hekyung Kim
Dongseo University
#703 GSI building, 47 Jurye-ro, Sasang-gu, 47011
Busan, South Korea
hekkim@gdsu.dongseo.ac.kr
Abstract
This paper discusses what students expect from their teachers during their course work based on their feedback in Student Course Evaluation conducted at the end of the semester before they receive their final grades from their teachers. The study involved Chinese undergraduate students completing their one year course in the dual degree program in the fields of Animation and Visual Effects at Dongseo University, Busan, Korea. Based on the students' feedback, the effectiveness of students' course evaluation will also be discussed along with the students' characteristics reflected in their feedback on lectures.
Keyword: motivation, student ratings, teaching
1. Introduction
For the higher education institutions to prepare the 4th Industrial Revolution Era, the relevant skills and knowledge which the 21st Century students must possess are continuously discussed in learning and teaching environment. The administrators in higher education institutions, national education departments, and/or university educators have(has) been determining course contents and teaching methods to help students build competencies required for the 4th Industrial Revolution, the cyber physical systems. However, students' feedback on their teachers or educators must be considered in learning and teaching as they are another active agent in education.
Education actors are both teachers and students. Learning and teaching environment is a living organism that changes and develops through the interactions of both actors. This study involves 270 Chinese undergraduate animation and visual effect major students who are completing their one year course at Dongseo University under the dual degree program between Zongnam University of Economics and Law, China and Dongseo University, South Korea. Based on the students' written qualitative feedback, the study will discuss what students expect from their teachers along with their reflected characteristics. Also, the study will discuss whether the quantitative course evaluation questionnaire in 5 point Likert scale fully extracts students' straightforward views on their lectures.
2. Student Course Evaluation Questionnaire
Dongseo University conducts student course evaluation questionnaire at the end of the semesters before students receive their final grades from their teachers. Student course evaluation questionnaire examines six factors in 5 point Likert scale: Organization and Sincerity of the lecture, the lecturer's role as a facilitator, the lecturer's teaching skills and communication ability, the lecturer's use of educational materials, assignments and appropriateness of tests, and overall evaluation. Students are also asked to write freely about the lectures. Table 1 shows the student course evaluation questionnaire in Dongseo University.
Table 1. Student Course Evaluation Questionnaire in Dongseo University
|
Factors |
Questions |
Types
|
|
Organization& Sincerity of the lecture |
The lecturer led the lessons according to the syllabus. The lecturer was punctual and never missed the classes. The lecturer managed the lessons with passion. |
Quantitative |
|
The lecturer's role as a facilitator |
The lecturer provided Q&A and discussion opportunities. The lecturer provided clear and specific answers to students' questions. The lecturer allowed the time for questions or counselling after classes. |
Quantitative |
|
The lecturer's teaching skills and communication ability |
The lecturer explained the lectures clearly so that the students were able to understand the lectures easily. The lecturer provided clear examples for the students to understand the lectures with ease. The textbook and the references helped the students understand the lectures easily. |
Quantitative |
|
The lecturer's use of educational materials |
The lecturer employed various teaching skills according to the lectures: discussion, presentations, video clips or presentation files. The lecturer employed e-class, e-learning, personal website to communicate with the students. |
Quantitative |
|
Assignments and appropriateness of tests |
The lectures gave clear instructions on evaluations. The lecturer evaluated students' skills and knowledge relevant with lectures. The lecturer provided feedback on assignments. |
Quantitative |
|
Overall evaluation |
Overall, I am satisfied with the lectures. |
Quantitative |
|
Free Writing |
Write freely to the lecturer about the lectures. Suggest any improvement on the lectures if any.
|
Qualitative |
3. Findings and Discussion
The students' responses to quantitative questions are categorized into six factors: orientation, structuring, application, interactive classroom, teaching skills, and assignments.
Orientation
The students wanted their teachers to provide the clear objectives for their lessons. Students expect the orientation process to have their lessons meaningful. They want to know the reasons of their lesson designed by their teachers. This expectation indicates that students are no longer passive followers. They want to have interactive communication with their teachers in learning process in in class.
Structuring
These students suggested that they need to have lesson parts to structured: overview, review, and preview.
They wanted their lessons to be uploaded online ahead for both the preview and review. Students' expectation on structuring shows that the difficulty level of their lessons be delivered gradually and implies again that they want to have interactions in class with the lecturers.
Application
The students required practice and application opportunities in class. They commented that they did not just want to follow teacher-centered lectures. Students' expectation on application implies that students are more eager for the industry-related activities in class. They want active participation in class.
Interactive Classroom
The students indicated that the difficulty level of lessons should be controlled by asking students lesson-relevant questions to check the students' understanding of the lessons.
Teaching skills
The students requested various teaching skills depending on lesson types. Students' request show that the students have capabilities of assessing teachers' teaching skills and dependence of their motivation to learn. They are no longer passive learners.
Assignments
The students indicated the amount of assignments to be controlled and the assignment dates be scheduled evenly during the whole semester. They also commented that the complexity of assignments are not linked with the lessons.
4.
Conclusion
The findings from the student course evaluation questionnaire clearly shows what students expect from their teachers in six different categories. Their expectations in six different categories indicate that they basically want clear and active communication or interactions with their teachers in class. For higher Education institutions to understand student needs, data analysis is essential. Education is increasingly becoming “just in time” rather than “just in case”; it is more about what you need to know for a certain time than compiling knowledge that may never be needed[2]. Therefore, data regarding student performance, behavior, development, and interaction inside classrooms must be gathered from student course evaluations or ratings. Data analysis would help the lectures design their courses that would reinforce students' motivation in the classroom and thus enhances students' active engagement in class.
References
[1] Ann Poulos & Mary Jane Mahony, “Effectiveness of feedback: the students’ perspective,” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, vol. 33:2, pp. 143-154, March 2009.
[2] Asmaa AbuMezied. “What role will education play in the fourth industrial revolution?,” https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2016/01/what-role-will-education-play-in-the-fourth-industrial-revolution/, January 2016.To
[3] Leonidas Kyriakides, Bert P.M. Creemers, Anastasia Panayiotou, Gudrun Vanlaar, Michael Pfeifer, Gašper Cankar & Léan McMahon, “Using student ratings to measure quality of teaching in six European countries,” European Journal of Teacher Education, vol. 37:2, pp. 125-143, January 2014.