In order to improve courses and educational programmes it is essential to evaluate courses given. This can be done in several ways and depending on how the evaluation is performed; you will receive answers on different questions. This paper describes the methods used at Linköping University, with the main focus on the evaluation organised by the student body and the aspects it adds to the evaluation.
The evaluation process as a whole consists mainly of two parts. One part is a general form that is used for all courses at the entire university. Since the form has to be applicable on very different courses, the questions are of a general character. Naturally, the information you receive will also be. This system is simple and gives clear numbers and graphs on how the courses are working in general. But in order to work more with individual aspects and problems of each course something else is required. Therefore, the other part is important. It focuses on a dialog between the course examiner and student representatives.
This part of the evaluation is organised by the student body. Student representatives collect the opinions, and suggestions of changes in the course, from each student group. The opinions are then presented to the examiner during a meeting. After this presentation, a further constructive discussion concerning the course and its different parts takes place. Most examiners listen to the opinions and try to improve the education in their course. In order to ensure that the students’ opinions are taken in serious consideration the students are represented in the programme board. Furthermore, this also gives an opportunity for students to affect the whole educational programme, which courses should be given and their contents.
2nd International CDIO Conference, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, 13 – 14 June 2006
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