June 11, 2014, by Teaching at Nottingham

Evaluate: (SET/SEM) update

Prof Alan Ford: “I am pleased to be able to give you an update on the progress of Evaluate. In recent weeks, a number of UK schools (Chemistry, Health Sciences, Maths, Medicine, NUBS, Pharmacy and Physics & Astronomy) have been taking part in an extended pilot to further test Evaluate prior to the full roll out in September 2014 at which point the paper process for SET and SEM will not be processed or supported.

From September, the Evaluate Team, based within Professional Development, will take responsibility for and ownership of Evaluate. This team currently manages the SET process and policy and will be responsible, in conjunction with the Teaching and Learning Board (TLB), for ensuring that the Evaluate software, policy and procedure is reviewed and developed as necessary. TLB will have responsibility for ratifying any decisions.

For queries regarding the SET and/or SEM process and policy the Evaluate team can be contacted via evaluate@nottingham.ac.uk.

All technical issues with Evaluate will be supported in the usual way via it-helpline@nottingham.ac.uk.

Training in the use of Evaluate prior to September 2014

For UK Teaching Staff (between 1–1.5hrs)

Training sessions, led by Professional Development, will be held during July and September and are open to all staff involved in the SET/SEM process or who would like to know more about Evaluate. The sessions will work through tutor input and delegate participation in completing surveys and initiate discussions around the software and process. Participants should bring their own internet enabled device (laptop, tablet or smart phone) so that they can complete a survey during their training session.

Training sessions have been arranged in a variety of UK locations on a range of dates and times to provide a number of opportunities for staff to attend. To book places on the teaching staff training please visit http://training.nottingham.ac.uk/cbs-notts/Guests/GuestCourse.aspx?CourseRef=Evaluate.

If you have any queries or would like further information please contact evaluate@nottingham.ac.uk.

For UK Administrative Staff (between 0.5-1hrs)

Training sessions will also be available for administrative staff on using Evaluate, setting up surveys and managing data.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• use Evaluate to create SET and/or SEM surveys
• understand the data required to be able to create a survey
• understand the difference between surveys created using module information from the student records system (Saturn) and creating a survey without module information from Saturn
• edit a survey.
• consider how the SET/SEM process will be communicated to their Research and Teaching staff.

To book a place on the administrative staff training please visit http://training.nottingham.ac.uk/cbs-notts/Guests/GuestCourse.aspx?CourseRef=evaladmin
If you have any queries or would like further information please contact evaluate@nottingham.ac.uk.

Testing and Training for UNNC and UNMC

Roll out of Evaluate in Ningbo and Malaysia is also planned for September 2014.

1. Training for Teaching Staff (between 1–1.5hrs)

1a. Training video
A 30 minute training video, recorded by Professional Development in the UK, can be viewed here http://uilapech01.nottingham.ac.uk:8080/ess/echo/presentation/0bbbbcac-3929-4167-9574-bbf190c919ef.  The training video covers key features of the system, the history of the Evaluate project and SET at the University, administrative, reporting and student interface screen shots, the differences between the current paper and new system and information around the possible publication of data. Staff are encouraged to view this video in their own time before an opportunity to attend a ‘Question and Answer’ session with Professional Development colleagues in the UK which will be held via Video Conference.

1b. Drop in sessions
There will also be a number of opportunities for staff to attend a 30 minute ‘drop in’ session, led in person by David Clark.  These sessions will walk through the student experience of completing a SET and/or SEM survey and allow attendees to ‘have a go’ at completing a survey as if they were student.

2. Training for Administrative Staff (between 0.5-1hrs)

A training session will be available for administrative staff on using Evaluate, setting up surveys and managing data.  The session will be led in person by David Clark, IS Project Manager, and will take place on insert date/time/venue.
Participants will have the opportunity to:

• use Evaluate to create SET and/or SEM surveys
• understand the data required to be able to create a survey
• understand the difference between surveys created using module information from the student records system (Saturn) and creating a survey without module information from Saturn
• edit a survey
• consider how the SET/SEM process will be communicated to their Research and Teaching staff.

Timetables for UNMC and UNNC events:
UNMC timetable of training events
UNNC timetable of training events

When Evaluate is live, from September 2014

Evaluate questions
The SET questions used within Evaluate from September 2014 will remain as they have previously been on the paper SET forms. The SEM questions will be the university agreed questions. There will also be the opportunity to add up to six additional, school-based questions. The additional questions will be decided at school level and will not be monitored or reported on at a University level.

Publication of Student Evaluation of Modules (SEM) data
From September 2014 schools will be expected to publish SEM data. A template and guidance is being developed by the Evaluate team for schools on how to publish SEM data and this will be made available from September.

Publication of Student Evaluate of Teaching (SET) data
A proposal regarding the publication of quantitative SET data is being presented to Senate in June 2014. Any mandated changes to data publication will only be as a result of changes to University wide policy which must be approved by Senate. An update will be provided following the Senate meeting on 11 June.

Student Communications
The Students’ Union communicated with students in the extended pilot schools via course representatives in mid-March to inform them of the Evaluate pilot. Further communications will take place in the autumn as part of a student campaign led by Ruth Edgar and the Students’ Union. The student campaign will be focussed on ensuring that students understand the benefits of completing the surveys (for them and for the University) and are encouraged to complete their evaluations responsibly.

Future developments from September 2014
Contextual Questions – Professor Katharine Reid is leading a group which has been reviewing the historical University SET questions and will develop SET questions that are appropriate to a variety of teaching contexts including lectures, laboratory-based or clinical skills teaching and distance learning. The group aims to introduce these revised questions into Evaluate in September 2015. If you have any questions or would like to raise anything with the group please contact one of the following members:

Enhanced Dashboard Reporting – during the summer requirements are being gathered for the development of enhanced dashboard reporting to be developed from September 2014.

To view previous communications regarding Evaluate please visit: http://workspace.nottingham.ac.uk/display/EvImPr/University+Wide+Communications

Prof Alan Ford
PVC Teaching and Learning

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