UCD Student Feedback - Work to date
Introduction
This section documents the background to the project and the work that has been done pre-rollout of the new Student Feedback system.
Background
Our current Student Feedback System has been in place since 2012 and it was reviewed in 2019 taking into account the views of students, faculty and staff. There was unanimous agreement that the current system should be changed to reflect the need to increase student response rates, close the feedback loop to students and to allow faculty to have their individual teaching captured for the purposes of their development and the promotion system. Changes to the current questionnaire were also recommended.
The report from the consultation recommended an approach that would focus on module feedback and allow faculty to reflect on their own individual teaching. This would be achieved through the introduction of two surveys
- Module Feedback Survey
- Lecturer Teaching Survey
The procurement of a new system was also recommended and approved by UMT in April 2020. The implementation of the new system was delayed by Covid-19.
Pilot of the Student Feedback project
To implement the recommendations of the 2019 recommendation, a Steering Group was established and a Project Team created in 2022. Seven UCD schools agreed to participate in the pilot;
- College of Business
- School of Civil Engineering
- School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore
- School of Law
- School of Physics
- School of Psychology
- School of Veterinary Medicine
The Steering Group oversaw the implementation of the enhancements to the Student Feedback process:
SOFTWARE SOLUTION
A new software solution was procured to deliver the UCD Student Feedback surveys for staff and students. (opens in a new window)Evasys is a dedicated student feedback evaluation tool used in higher education institutions across the UK and Ireland.
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
The evasys survey portal for both staff and students will be integrated into Brightspace. This enables easier access to surveys for both staff and students and improved communication and promotion. Staff and students login to their Instructor portal using their UCD login credentials.
SYSTEM INTEGRATION
The Student Feedback Project team provided training sessions and ongoing support to faculty, staff and students in pilot schools.
Developments for Teaching Staff:
- You will have access to a dashboard where response rates, current and historical surveys and data can be accessed through the evasys Instructor portal
- In the Instructor portal, Module Coordinators can add optional questions to Module Feedback and Lecturer Teaching Surveys
- The portal can be accessed through a ‘Student Feedback’ tab on the main menu in Brightspace
- The portal can also be accessed by clicking on this (opens in a new window)URL and using your UCD Connect login details
- Module Coordinators and Lecturers are able to respond to student feedback by submitting reflections to students using the new system
For Students:
- Students will also be able to access their Student Feedback surveys through Brightspace and their student portal (accessible with UCD Connect login details)
- This integration also facilitates pop-up survey reminders
Feedback from the Pilot
Following the first phase of the Student Feedback pilot, review was conducted and a report on the pilot compiled for submission to the University Management Team. Feedback from staff and students included:
- Students and faculty welcomed ‘closing the feedback loop’ functionality
- Improved mechanisms to promote with students were also noted (QR code, response rate tracking)
- Lecturer Teaching Survey appreciated by teachers on module as providing opportunity for feedback on their individual teaching
- Improved reporting (frequency of responses)
The report on the pilot was considered by the University Management Team and the new system was approved in October 2023 for rollout across the university.
Resources and Guidance
For further resources check out the Resources section of this website.
All key dates have been outlined within the workflow documentation at the side of the page. For access to training see the events sections below.
Project Team
A project team has been formed to oversee the implementation of a new student feedback system. The project team will report directly into the Student Feedback Steering Group, who are responsible for the overall governance of the project and the successful delivery of the project.
Maura McGinn
Business Owner
Director Of Institutional Research
Ryan Teevan
Project Manager
Senior Project Manager - Educational Technology Services - IT Services
Lisa Bennett
Institutional Research Analyst
Catherine Murphy
IT Project Manager – Educational Technology Services - IT Services
Sinéad O'Rourke
Project Communications Manager
Communications Officer - IT Services
Maria McDonald
Head of Enterprise Application Services
IT Services - Enterprise Applications Group
UCD Institutional Research
University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. T: +353 1 716 1088/1502 | E: studentfeedback@ucd.ie | Location Map(opens in a new window)www.ucd.ie/institutionalresearch