Paper/Course evaluation

Order a questionnaire with Otago inFORM and read how to administer a questionnaire.

Paper questions provide feedback on different aspects of a student's learning experience within a given paper, course or programme. The results of paper questions can be used as evidence of teaching competence when submitting an application for promotion and form part of your Otago Teaching Profile. In this case, they should be accompanied by a context form which shows the extent of your contribution to the paper, particularly in team-taught situations.

Historically, paper and teacher questions have only existed in separate questionnaires. To allow you to run one questionnaire, where previously you may have run two, a single-questionnaire can now include both paper and teacher, questions. For example, one questionnaire could include both the 'paper core' and 'teacher core' questions.

Paper questions can be:

• the 4 'paper core' (2 closed with 2 'Please explain: questions)' that the University has developed to offer a standardised measure of the quality of a paper/course.
• chosen from a category within Otago inFORM (5-point Likert scale or open-ended comments questions) and, if desired, customised to suit.
• your own custom designs (2 or 5-point Likert scale or open-ended comments questions).

Paper Reports

Questionnaires with paper questions generate either 1 or 2 reports depending upon whether they are accompanied by the 'teacher core' questions. If the 'teacher core' questions are included, you will also receive an individual teacher summary report summarising the 'teacher core' questions.

Different reporting scenarios:

A focus on distance education

You have the opportunity to include in your evaluation a set of 10 questions specifically designed for distance courses. These questions focus on aspects of papers that are central to good design and teaching in distance education. Using the distance question set on every occasion that you evaluate your paper allows you to assess the impact of any changes to your paper over time. To include the set of distance education questions, select this template in Otago inFORM.

Confidentiality policy for paper questions

Each time a set of paper questions are processed an analysis report is sent to the person who requested the evaluation. A copy of this report is also sent to the relevant dean/head of department because course and programme development is a collective responsibility of each department and programme. In rare situations of potential impropriety, we may seek advice that includes releasing results to the Director of QAU and relevant PVCs/DVCs. Student feedback is also aggregated (e.g., at departmental and divisional levels) and shared with the wider university to identify and respond to common threads in student opinions.

Please note: if you wish to run paper questions that specifically name other staff members, then you will need their written authority. This can be achieved in an email, or by completing an authority form from Forms and resources.