Internal event driven surveys
The module evaluation covers all courses within a module and looks at the quality of the entire teaching package. The central question here is whether the content of the various courses is coordinated in such a way that the intended skills acquisition is achieved by the students.
Module evaluations take place on an event-driven basis. An occasion may arise, for example, from internal university statistics, the results of a Programme Evaluation or other feedback from students.
The topics surveyed in a module evaluation are compiled individually. They include, for example, the coherence of the content of the module structure, the student workload, the assessment of module examinations, assessment of performance feedback, a self-assessment of skills acquisition and the integration of the module into the course of study.
Module evaluations are therefore carried out independently by the faculty in cooperation with the module coordinator. On request, the faculties can be advised on content and organisation by Unit A.3.
The results are analysed in the faculties using software and sent to the module coordinator and the Dean of Studies. The module coordinator forwards the results to the lecturers involved in the module.
The module supervisor first discusses the results and consequences of a module evaluation with the lecturers concerned. The implementation and results of the module evaluation are reported in the subject committee, by the Dean of Studies in the Faculty Council meeting and in the programme or teaching report.
The aim is to check whether the originally calculated student workload corresponds to the actual workload, whether a degree programme can therefore be studied and whether reliable study planning is possible.
The review of the student workload is initially integrated into existing instruments of the QM system:
In the annual monitoring
- Course Evaluation: The faculties are recommended to integrate questions on student workload into the course evaluation questionnaires to ensure regular monitoring.
- Student Entrance Survey (every two years, alternating with the Graduate Survey): Questions on student workload are included in the questionnaire.
- Module Statistics: The set of key figures contains data that allow conclusions to be drawn about student workload.
- Teaching reporting: The template for teaching reporting contains questions on student workload.
In the 8-year cycle
- Programme Evaluation: The guidelines for the evaluation regulations stipulate that students are asked questions about their workload as part of the subject evaluation. The subject evaluation is carried out at least once, and most faculties even voluntarily twice in the 8-year cycle.
- Programme Audit: The question guide for the expert group includes questions that allow indirect conclusions to be drawn about the student workload and are also aimed at the binding derivation of measures.
Occasion-related surveys
- Module Evaluation: Module evaluations are carried out on a voluntary basis in addition to course evaluations. The corresponding questionnaire then also contains questions about the student workload.
- Student Survey: A university-wide survey of all students is conducted on an event-driven basis, but nevertheless at least once every five years. Depending on the focus of the content, questions on student workload may also be included - as in the last survey in 2020.
In addition, an in-depth review of the student workload can be scheduled as required and can be customised in the following formats, for example
- In-depth, one-off questionnaire (which may also be attached to other planned surveys)
- weekly survey (invitation by e-mail)
- diary model
- Moderated discussion round with students
The following topics must be considered in the in-depth workload assessment: Performance requirements, actual workload, distribution of the workload over the semester and an assessment of the achievement of the learning objectives.
Teachers who, based on their observations, suspect that the student workload is too high or too low can obtain support for an in-depth study with qualitative and/or quantitative elements at any time from Unit A.3 in consultation with the Dean of Studies.
Survey results from in-depth studies are made available directly to the lecturers concerned and to the Dean of Studies.
The central university-wide Student Survey aims to record the general study conditions, service and infrastructure for students at the University of Würzburg. It is necessary to identify relevant problem areas and potential for improvement and to make them transparent.
Student surveys are conducted on an event-driven basis. As a rule, the university management decides to conduct such a Student Survey on the recommendation of the PfQ.
The content of the survey is determined by the specific occasion. In addition to the general study conditions and satisfaction with the service and university infrastructure, ideally a specific subject area from the field of studying and teaching, e.g. examination organisation, studying abroad, family friendliness, etc., is analysed in detail.
The results are analysed at university, faculty and - if required and where possible - at degree programme/subject level. They are published within the university and presented and discussed in selected central university committees.
Based on the results, optimisation proposals are developed in the faculties, e.g. in the Programme Board and the Faculty Council, with student participation, and improvement measures are implemented, which are documented in the subject and teaching reports. At university level, the results are discussed in the PfQ and proposals for the overarching further development of study and teaching are submitted to the annual quality conference of the Extended University Board. The measures most recently adopted by the University Executive Board are transferred to a controlling system.
The survey is aimed at improving teaching and its framework conditions and is intended to give lecturers the opportunity to contribute their views.
Lecturer surveys are conducted on an event-driven basis. The University Board decides, if necessary with the involvement of the PfQ, to carry out such a Lecturer Survey.
The survey covers, for example, the appreciation of teaching, the use of different forms of teaching/learning, the need for exchange with others about teaching, satisfaction with the resources and framework conditions for teaching and teaching operations, higher education didactic (further) qualification and the greatest challenges in teaching. Current higher education policy topics can also be included in the survey.
An external company was commissioned to carry out the central teacher survey in 2015/16, which developed the questionnaire based on the preliminary work of a PfQ working group. The ZiLS organised and coordinated the survey on site. This responsibility has since been transferred to A.3.
The results are analysed at university and faculty level. They are published within the university and presented and discussed in selected central university committees.
Based on the results, optimisation proposals and suggestions for improvement are developed and implemented in the faculties with student participation, e.g. in the Programme Boards and the Faculty Board, with student participation, and improvement measures are implemented, which are documented in the subject and teaching reports. At university level, the results are discussed in the PfQ and proposals for the overarching further development of study and teaching are submitted to the annual quality conference of the Extended University Board. The measures most recently adopted by the University Executive Board are transferred to a controlling system.
