Course evaluations
Lund University School of Economics and Management, LUSEM, have common routines and terms for course evaluations on first and second cycle studies.
The course directors are responsible for the activities that are within the course evaluation work for their courses. The administrator assists the course director with the activities that are within the course evaluation work for the courses, such as creating surveys and compiling replies, making a basis for course analysis, and publishing and archiving course evaluation summaries.
A course evaluation is a documented compilation of students' and teachers' experiences of and views on a course. A course evaluation is normally done on an entire course, but can also be carried out on modules.
The following terms are used in the course evaluation work at LUSEM:
- Course evaluation – the entire process
- Course valuation (student survey) – the students' experiences and views
- Course analysis – the course director's experiences, views and reflections
- Course evaluation summary – the final report that is archived and published to the students
Student survey
If possible, set aside time in the schedule to give the students the opportunity to answer the survey during a lecture. Ask the scheduler to leave a comment about this on the current occasion in the schedule (do this well in advance – preferably in connection with the scheduling of the course).
The course director receives a proposal from the administrator regarding which questions should be included in the survey in addition LUSEM’s standard questions, and between which dates the survey should be open. The administrator sets a deadline for when the course director must have submitted any changes. After the deadline, the work continues (regardless of whether the course director has answered or not).
The administrator creates the student survey in Canvas Survey. The survey is created in the language of instruction and is conducted completely anonymously.
The student survey is sent out to the students with an email via Canvas as the survey opens. Reminders are sent automatically by the system. The survey is also shown in the student's calendar and under "to do" in Canvas.
When the survey is closed, compilations are automatically created in Canvas Survey – one with just the quantitative answers and one with all of the answers. It is only the administrator who created the survey, who have access to the compilations.
The compilation will be available to the course director in connection with the course analysis.
Canvas Survey Guide – canvas.education.lu.se
Course analysis (course director)
The course analysis is a documentation of the course director's reflections and conclusions of the course evaluation and must describe what is to be carried out to further develop the course and to ensure quality.
The course analysis must contain:
- Summary of:
- the changes that may have been implemented since the course was last given
- students’ valuation of the course (based on the student survey and other feedback received during the course)
- teachers’ overall assessment
- The course director’s reflections on the course implementation and results
- The course director’s conclusions and any proposals for changes to e.g.:
- goals
- content
- literature
- forms for teaching and examination
- schedule
In the course analysis you, as the course director, should reflect on:
- the results from the student valuation
- pedagogical processes
- goal completion
- course conditions
- the views and experiences of the course director and teachers involved in the course
- students' examination results
The administrator creates the course analysis basis in SUNET Survey. The course director receives an email with a link to the course analysis and gets access to the compilation of the student survey. The course analysis must be written in the course's language of instruction and submitted as soon as possible (if necessary, the course director gets up to six weeks). Reminders are sent until the course analysis is completed.
What is written in the course analysis will be communicated to the students and LundaEkonomerna through the course evaluation summary.
Course evaluation summary
The course evaluation summary is the final report of the course evaluation work. The course evaluation summary is created by the administrator by combining the course analysis and the compilation of the student survey's quantitative questions, into one document.
The administrator publishes the course evaluation summary and archives it in LUSEM’s e-archive.
Publish and communicate the result
The course evaluation summary (kursbokslut) is communicated as soon as possible by the administrator to the students on the course (the respondents), the subsequent student group and to LundaEkonomerna.
The students on the course (the respondents) – The administrator publishes the course evaluation summary to the student group who have completed the survey, via the course in Canvas.
The subsequent student group – The administrator publishes the most recent course evaluation summary on the upcoming course in Canvas. At the start of a course, for example on the introduction meeting, it is recommended that you as the course director spend a few minutes informing the students about the process of course evaluations – such as the results from previous student surveys, what changes or improvements have been made since the last time the course was given, and the importance of participating as a student in this work by answering future student surveys.
LundaEkonomerna – The administrator publishes the course evaluation summary in LU Box for LundaEkonomerna’s education committee.
In cases where LundaEkonomerna want more information from the student survey for a course, they can also request answers to the open questions in the survey. Requests are made to the department where the course is given. For instructions, refer to the administrator. The answers to the open questions in the survey are tested for confidentiality and examined on the basis of teachers' and students' integrity before they are released.
Archiving, (administrator)
The documents regarding course evaluations are archieved as follows:
- Preserve the course evaluation summaries in LUSEM’S e-archive.
- Preserve compilations of surveys in SUNET Survey.
- Retain survey results in SUNET Survey for two years.
- Retain the course analysis in SUNET Survey for two years.
After two years, delete documents when applicable.
Your responsibility as course director within the course evaluation work
- Participate in the design of the survey (at the request of the administrator).
- Give students the opportunity to answer the survey at a scheduled lecture (if possible).
- Conduct a course analysis within the given timeframe.
- Carry out changes and course development well in advance before the next time the course will be given.
- Inform the new student group (e.g. at the introductory meeting) about the importance of, and what role the students' feedback plays, in the quality work. Provide information about the changes and course development that has taken place based on the previous course evaluation.
Course evaluations – guide for course directors
Course evaluations – guide for administrators
Guide for disclosure of open question replies
Guide for the student union
Survey questions
The LUSEM standard questions for student surveys are divided into two templates – one for regular courses and one for thesis courses.
The standard questions:
Rules and regulations
Your find more in-depth information and rules and regulations concering course evaluations in the following:
Guidelines for course evaluations on first and second cycle studies at LUSEM
Riktlinjer för kursutvärdering på grund- och avancerad nivå vid Ekonomihögskolan (STYR 2022/449) – (pdf, in Swedish)
General guidelines on course evaluations and course evaluation reports at Lund University
In Swedish
In English
Evaluation of ongoing courses and study programmes
Lund University Students’ Rights and Responsibilities
The Higher Education Ordinance
In Swedish
In English
Contact
Viktoria Svenby
Academic advisor, programme coordinator
viktoria [dot] svenby [at] ics [dot] lu [dot] se (viktoria[dot]svenby[at]ics[dot]lu[dot]se)
Phone: +46 46 222 80 25
Room: EC2-279