Student feedback is important in providing evidence-based information that assists the University in improving teaching quality and academics, as part of their professional development, to periodically reflect on their teaching practice.  Quality Promotion and Assurance (QPA) office provides an unbiased and independent University-wide platform for student feedback.  This feedback is an important means of identifying areas of best practice and areas of concern in modules offered within schools. 

 

Lecturers wishing to conduct student evaluations for Semesters 1 & 2 of 2025 may use the questionnaires, as listed below, that are on Learn25 (https://learn2025.ukzn.ac.za).  The questionnaires, listed below, may be used to evaluate modules that include contact, blended and/or online modes of delivery:

 

1.     Student Feedback Questionnaire

2.     Evaluation of Professional Practice Module (programmes that have work-integrated           learning such as workplace-based learning, practicum placements, problem-based           learning, project-based learning, service-learning, virtual or simulated WIL learning)

3.    Evaluation of Professional Practice Supervisor (programmes that have work-integrated               learning such as workplace-based learning, practicum placements, problem-based           learning, project-based learning, service-learning, virtual or simulated WIL learning)

 

The Student Evaluation reports are on the QPA reports site. Lecturers can access their reports using the link QPAReports.ukzn.ac.za. A document on how to access and download Student Feedback Reports is available on the QPA innerweb,

 

Please note that post-graduate supervision evaluations can be done via paper-based only.  The questionnaire can be obtained from Ms Winile Mthembu in the QPA office, Mthembuw@ukzn.ac.za; StudentFeedbackAdmin@ukzn.ac.za.  The evaluation questionnaire should be emailed to the students by the lecturer and copied to Ms Winile Mthembu and StudentFeedbackAdmin@ukzn.ac.za; StudentFeedbackAdmin@ukzn.ac.za. 

 

The guidelines for conducting post-graduate supervision evaluations are listed below:

 

•      Only one email should be sent to all the students, irrespective of the level of supervision.
• The questionnaire should be sent to current students only and not to those who have graduated.
• A student should have received supervision for at least six months before he/she can fill in a questionnaire for the lecturer.
• There should be at least six months between evaluations.
• Completed questionnaires should be emailed to Mthembuw@ukzn.ac.za; StudentFeedbackAdmin@ukzn.ac.za or to an administrator that is identified by the lecturer.

 

Staff that require student feedback reports for performance management, promotion and distinguished teacher award applications or professional body accreditation/validation visits should conduct these evaluations timeously and where applicable forward to QPA to generate the reports.  Reports for post-graduate supervision evaluations are generated manually by QPA.

 

UKZN is committed to excellence in teaching and learning.  The student evaluation system is one of the key institutional quality processes aimed at providing feedback to the lecturers and their line managers and assessing teaching quality to enable improved teaching and learning and the likelihood of student success.

Peer evaluation

Peer evaluation is an essential component in the evaluation of teaching quality assessment for continuous improvement. Peer evaluation is primarily formative, (for developmental purposes)  summative,  and can also be used for developing portfolios for promotion purposes or participating in institutional or national initiatives that recognise excellence.

The peer evaluations complement information gathered from student evaluations of teaching. Together, they provide a more complete picture.  Peer perspectives on one’s teaching are important evidence that could be used to collaborate with other forms of evaluation of teaching and testimonies from peers and supervisors on one’s capabilities in teaching and other spheres that are deemed essential for promotion purposes.

Please note that the QPA office does not generate peer evaluation reports for lecturers.  

Refer to the university’s Principles and guidelines for peer evaluation of teaching quality for further information.