Continuous Improvement approach to Teaching and Learning.

KAUST undertakes regular course evaluations to evaluate all the teaching per semester. This is a two stage process. We  undertake a formative mid-semester evaluations and summative end of semester evaluations. Both evaluations are shared with the teaching faculty and includes Divisional and course level analysis. KAUST recognizes that student feedback on the quality of teaching, curriculum and assessment is integral to the quality of assurance of courses. Students are required to provide feedback for all courses taught, in each semester, and their responses are anonymous from faculty. 

The KAUST course evaluations cover many aspects of teaching and learning. For example, the course evaluation includes: the structure of the course, curriculum, teaching, assessment, and self assessment. The course evaluations, and associated student feedback, provides a valuable resource to support continuous improvement.  The feedback highlights to faculty ‘best practice’, and areas for improvement, with a specific focus on curriculum, teaching, assessment and student performance. The course evaluations are rooted in a reflective practice and continuous improvement approach to teaching and learning.

 

Formative and Summative Evaluation Process

The formative mid-semester evaluations are carried out after the fourth and fifth week  of the semester. Students are given ten days to complete the evaluations. The midsemester evaluations are a formative approach for students to be integral to the process of continuous improvement of the teaching and learning process. The formative midsemester evaluations are are not included in the end of semester reporting to Faculty. The formative mid-semester evaluations will be shared with the instructors three days after the surveys have closed. Summative end of semester course evaluations are shared with the instructor(s) after grades have been submitted for the semester.

The end of semester course evaluations are undertaken ten days before the examinations period begins. Student are provided with further ten days to complete the course evaluations.  The summative end of semester evaluations may be customized for teaching faculty. Faculty are able to include three additional question. For example, these questions may be unique to a topic that was taught during the semester. This may support instructures, and Faculty, to further understand and improve their teaching and curriculum design.

 

Standard and Personalized Reporting

At the end of the semester each teaching faculty will receive a personalized report providing  course feedback based on the summative course evaluation undertaken by students. Summative end of semester course reports will be provided for all course taught by faculty.
Divisional reports are also provided to Deans. The reports provide overall and comparative course reporting data and associated analysis. Personalized Divisional reports may also be provided on request from the Dean and Associate Dean for teaching and learning.