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Using Quality Management Tools to Enhance Feedback from Student Evaluations
Author(s) -
Jensen John B.,
Artz Nancy
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
decision sciences journal of innovative education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1540-4609
pISSN - 1540-4595
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-4609.2005.00052.x
Subject(s) - statistic , computer science , quality (philosophy) , outlier , psychology , service quality , statistical analysis , range (aeronautics) , medical education , mathematics education , service (business) , applied psychology , statistics , medicine , marketing , artificial intelligence , philosophy , mathematics , epistemology , business , materials science , composite material
Statistical tools found in the service quality assessment literature—the T 2 statistic combined with factor analysis—can enhance the feedback instructors receive from student ratings. T 2 examines variability across multiple sets of ratings to isolate individual respondents with aberrant response patterns (i.e., outliers). Analyzing student responses that are outside the “normal” range of responses can identify aspects of the course that cause pockets of students to be dissatisfied. This fresh insight into sources of student dissatisfaction is particularly valuable for instructors willing to make tactical classroom changes that accommodate individual students rather than the traditional approach of using student ratings to develop systemwide changes in course delivery. A case study is presented to demonstrate how the recommended procedure minimizes data overload, allows for valid schoolwide and longitudinal comparisons of correlated survey responses, and helps instructors identify priority areas for instructional improvement.