Final evaluations

REGULAR

The framework concept stipulates that each course is evaluated at least once every three years. The faculties plan the evaluations accordingly and select the mandatory courses to be evaluated.

VOLUNTARY

Lecturers can have their courses evaluated on a voluntary basis in order to receive data-based information on how to improve their teaching or to use the evaluation results for their personal teaching dossier.

AS A FOLLOW-UP

For courses that were categorised as "insufficient" in the previous final evaluation, a new final evaluation and an interim evaluation are mandatory the next time the course is held.

The final evaluation takes a stock-taking approach and allows an assessment of the current situation as well as an observation of the development of teaching quality at the University of Bern.
In addition, it provides lecturers with data-based indications of the need for improvement in their courses. If the final evaluation is a follow-up to an interim evaluation, it also shows the extent to which the measures taken after the interim evaluation have been successfully implemented.
More information on the purposes of course evaluations can be found at here.

Default evaluation date: Towards the end of the course dates, from the 11th week of the semester

The link and the QR code for the survey are sent to the main lecturer 1-3 weeks before the planned closing date of the survey.

Surveys for the final evaluation are closed by default three days after the second-last session of the course (according to the entry in the KSL, not including performance assessment). Block courses that have been declared as such are closed four days after the last session.

The closing date can also be customized using this form or by sending an email to the Teaching Evaluation Office: lehrevaluation@unibe.ch.

The surveys for the final evaluation are conducted online with a non-personalised link ("Losung"). The link and the QR code are sent to the main lecturer or - on request - to another person.

The link/QR code should be made available to the students during the second last lesson at the latest so that they can complete the survey during the course.

If this is not possible, the link/QR code can be forwarded to the students or made available in ILIAS.

Final evaluation surveys with personalised "TAN" links are possible on request (condition: the students' email addresses must be available in KSL).

Paper questionnaires are no longer possible.

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RESPONSE SCALE

A 6-point Likert scale is used in the questionnaire:

The level of difficulty and pace are assessed on a 5-point scale, with the optimum value (‘just right’) in the centre.

Please note that the course evaluation is an opinion survey and not a grading system.

LANGUAGES

The questionnaire is available in German, English and French (selection via the flag in the online-survey).

In order to cover additional, course-specific aspects in the surveys, it is possible to add one or more supplementary module(s) to the core questionnaire for final evaluations. The results for supplementary modules are intended solely for informational purposes for the instructors and do not count towards the overall result (success level rating) of the final evaluation. The additional modules (max. 3) must be ordered using the form or requested by email from the Teaching Evaluation Centre.

The following supplementary modules are available:

• e-learning

The supplementary module «e-learning» is designed for courses that use digital formats (e.g. Zoom, Teams, Livestream, Podcast) for at least half of the sessions. It contains 6 questions that are answered using a 6-point scale. Additional feedback can be provided in the form of open comments.

Sample: e-learning

• Student contributions 

The supplementary module «Student contributions» is designed for courses in which students contribute their own content, e.g. in the form of presentations. It contains 9 questions that are answered using a 6-point scale. Additional feedback can be provided in the form of open comments. 

Sample: Student contributions

• Team teaching 

The supplementary module «Team teaching» is designed for courses that are taught by several instructors simultaneously or in rotation. It contains 7 questions that are answered using a 6-point scale.

Sample: Team teaching

• Application orientation 

The supplementary module «Application orientation» is designed for courses that focus on the practical application of theory. It contains 6 questions that are answered using a 6-point scale. Additional feedback can be provided in the form of open comments. 

Sample: Application orientation

• Interdisciplinarity

The supplementary module «Interdisciplinarity» is designed for courses that cover contents from several (sub-)disciplines. It contains 6 questions that are answered using a 6-point scale. Additional feedback can be provided in the form of open comments. 

Sample: Interdisciplinarity

• e-Coach products / ILIAS-course-room

This module is only intended for lecturers who have taken part in the e-Coach programme. It contains 4 questions about the digital components and the ILIAS course room, which are answered using a 6-point scale.

• Course format

This module is only intended for lecturers who have taken part in the e-Coach programme. It contains 3 questions that are answered using a 6-point scale and can be easily combined with the module e-Coach Products / ILIAS-course-room.

Information about the categorisation in the success levels can be found here.

1. Planning

In a first step, the lecturers plan 2-3 dates for the survey during the preparation of the course: one date for the survey, possibly a reserve date, and a date for discussing the results with the students.

2. Registration

The final evaluations should be registered with the KSL by the 8th week of the semester (see deadlines). As a rule, registration is carried out by a central office of the institute.

Early evaluations must be registered earlier and additionally confirmed by e-mail (see also special cases).

Final evaluations with additional modules are registered in the KSL in the same way as all final evaluations. The additional modules must additionally be submitted using the form or e-mail (lehrevaluation@unibe.ch).

3. Preparing surveys

After the registration deadline, the Teaching Evaluation Office prepares the surveys for the final evaluations.

4. Sending the links

An email with the link and QR code for the survey will be sent to the main lecturer responsible or, if requested, to alternative recipients 1-3 weeks before the planned closing date of the final evaluation.

This email contains the planned closing date of the survey (regular courses: 3 days after the second last course session, block courses: 4 days after the last course session, unless otherwise notified) as well as further information on the conduct of the survey.

5. Conducting the survey

The final evaluation should be carried out towards the end of the course dates (default: from the 11th week of the semester or the second last session).

As soon as the person responsible receives the link/QR code, the evaluation can be carried out. Ideally, students are given 10 minutes at the beginning of a course session.

For higher response rates, it is recommended to conduct surveys in the (possibly virtual) presence of the lecturer. This requires an internet connection and a laptop, tablet or smartphone (‘bring your own device’).

The survey is automatically closed on the default or previously agreed date (see point 4).

6. Report

Immediately after the end of the survey, all lecturers of the evaluated course receive an automatic evaluation report, provided that the minimum response rate of 5 answers has been reached.

If fewer than 5 responses are submitted, the lecturers receive an automatic message that the report could not be generated. Depending on the response rate, the report or at least the answers to open questions can be submitted manually on request to the Teaching Evaluation Office.

If lecturers have any questions regarding the interpretation of the results, they can contact the Teaching Evaluation Office..

The LEAD department is available to advise lecturers on questions relating to higher education didactics.

7. Discussion

Lecturers are required to discuss the results of the survey and the findings and potential consequences (e.g. improvement measures) with the students (see Closing the first loop).

8. Adjustments

The students' feedback can provide an opportunity to make adjustments to the course.

9. Follow up

The second control loop stipulates that courses classified as "insufficient" must be re-evaluated the next time they are held (interim and final evaluation). The faculty Quality Assurance and Development (QSE) is responsible for implementing these measures and informs the lecturers concerned about further steps (see also framework concept and minimum requirements for the measures).