Closing the Loop: An Essential Part of Student Evaluations

Feedback from students is critical in any higher-education institution that has an effective quality assurance and enhancement system. Such feedback can inform change and reassure students that their voice is being heard. To achieve an effective change outcome, it is essential to close the loop; this comprises a mechanism to collect qualitative and quantitative feedback from all cohorts of students; triangulating the data from various sources to identify areas of good practice and areas needing improvement; communicating the results of the feedback to students, staff and partner institutions; implementing improvements in consultation with stakeholders; communicating with current and prospective students about the actions taken; and monitoring the impact of actions in future student surveys. These steps constitute an effective framework for a quality management system. This chapter outlines the need for institutions to develop systematic processes to effectively use student feedback data to inform timely improvement. It also outlines the current weakness and strategies for effectively using student feedback to inform improvements.