How Much Feedback How Much Feedback Can We Get?Can We Get?

Pavel KurfürstPavel KurfürstInstitute of Foreign LanguagesInstitute of Foreign LanguagesPalacký University in Olomouc, Czech RepublicPalacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic

Institute of Foreign Institute of Foreign LanguagesLanguages

established 1996established 1996 languages for specific purposes (LSP)languages for specific purposes (LSP)

– Latin Latin / Latin for foreigners/ Latin for foreigners– EnglishEnglish– GermanGerman– CzechCzech for foreigners for foreigners

5 members5 members 800 students800 students (2003/04)(2003/04)

Institute of Foreign Institute of Foreign LanguagesLanguages

Obligatory language choice

77%

23%

English

German

Evaluation can be very threatening;Evaluation can be very threatening;it suggests change and change is it suggests change and change is often resisted. The threat is greatest often resisted. The threat is greatest when evaluation is seen as as imposed when evaluation is seen as as imposed external act, over which there is no external act, over which there is no control. In fact evaluation is a very control. In fact evaluation is a very constructive and powerful activity and constructive and powerful activity and a very stimulating one.a very stimulating one.

Dudley-Evans Dudley-Evans && St. John, Developments in ESP St. John, Developments in ESP

(1998, p. 129)(1998, p. 129)

Evaluation can be time consuming, Evaluation can be time consuming, complex and frustrating.complex and frustrating.

Hutchinson Hutchinson && Waters, English for Specific Purposes Waters, English for Specific Purposes

(1987, p. 155)(1987, p. 155)

Palacký University - CREPalacký University - CRE

European University Association (CRE) European University Association (CRE) Institutional Evaluation ProgrammeInstitutional Evaluation Programme

1999: expert team1999: expert team’s visit to ’s visit to Palacký Palacký UniversityUniversity

CRE IEP ReportCRE IEP Report– critical (formal quality management)critical (formal quality management)– suggestions (norms suggestions (norms && mechanisms at the mechanisms at the

faculties; questionnaires, feedback for faculties; questionnaires, feedback for students)students)

Palacký UniversityPalacký University

summer semester 1999/2000summer semester 1999/2000 evaluation recommendedevaluation recommended questionnairequestionnaire

– 4 general questions4 general questions– specific questions to be added at depts.specific questions to be added at depts.

formal, unattractive, no feedback formal, unattractive, no feedback

Faculty of MedicineFaculty of Medicine

since 2000/2001since 2000/2001 recommended questionnairerecommended questionnaire compulsory at all departmentscompulsory at all departments annual report to the faculty annual report to the faculty

managementmanagement faculty reportfaculty report formal, not all departments, no formal, not all departments, no

feedbackfeedback

Faculty of Medicine - Faculty of Medicine - researchresearch

studentsstudents’’ research on the attitudes research on the attitudes of students and teachers to of students and teachers to evaluationevaluation

faculty studentsfaculty students’ ’ conference (2003)conference (2003) 250 students (S); representatives of 250 students (S); representatives of

all departments (T)all departments (T) response rates 83% and 61%, resp. response rates 83% and 61%, resp.

Faculty of Medicine - Faculty of Medicine - researchresearch

tailortailor--mademade for each department for each department (76% of S)(76% of S)

studentsstudents’’ responses taken seriously responses taken seriously (93% of T)(93% of T)

outcomes should be publishedoutcomes should be published(95% of S; 37% of T)(95% of S; 37% of T)

comments taken into consideration comments taken into consideration (85% of T) (85% of T)

Institute of Foreign Institute of Foreign LanguagesLanguages

since 1999/2000, ie 9 semesterssince 1999/2000, ie 9 semesters own questionnairesown questionnaires 2 parts (basic + additional questions)2 parts (basic + additional questions) teachersteachers’ qualities, programme, ’ qualities, programme,

literature, evaluation, web page etc.literature, evaluation, web page etc. results incl. teachersresults incl. teachers’’ comments comments

published on the internetpublished on the internet

question 3

teachers’ pedagogical qualities

question 8

the questionnaire - its usefulness and suitability of the questions

(June 2004)

Section for Medical Section for Medical EducationEducation

part of the Medical Students part of the Medical Students Association at the facultyAssociation at the faculty

estest’d’d 2001 2001 research projects focused on medical research projects focused on medical

educationeducation conferences (CR, Slovakia, Bulgaria, conferences (CR, Slovakia, Bulgaria,

Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, USA, Canada, Mexico) Netherlands, USA, Canada, Mexico)

Section for Medical Section for Medical EducationEducation

Medical StudentsMedical Students’’ Language Language Needs AnalysisNeeds Analysis

2003/2004 project2003/2004 project Daniela Jelenová (year 6) and Daniela Jelenová (year 6) and

Katherine Růžičková (year 3)Katherine Růžičková (year 3) supervisor Pavel Kurfürstsupervisor Pavel Kurfürst questionnaires questionnaires outcomes presented at the studentsoutcomes presented at the students’ ’

conference conference (May/June 2004) (May/June 2004)

Needs analysis survey Needs analysis survey projectproject

qquestions onuestions on– sstudentstudents’ l’ language competenceanguage competence– use of English during lectures, seminarsuse of English during lectures, seminars– recommended literature in Englishrecommended literature in English– use of English for extracurricular use of English for extracurricular

activities activities (research, exchange programs, (research, exchange programs, travels etc.)travels etc.)

– usefulness of English for medical studies usefulness of English for medical studies and professionand profession

– use of other languagesuse of other languages

Needs analysis survey Needs analysis survey projectproject

176 questionnaires processed176 questionnaires processed(year 3: 112, year 6: 64)(year 3: 112, year 6: 64)

English necessary for medical studies English necessary for medical studies (76%) and profession (84%)(76%) and profession (84%)

English literature recommended for English literature recommended for preparation for seminars (69%) and for preparation for seminars (69%) and for exams (64%): physiology, biochemistry, exams (64%): physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathology, pediatrics, pharmacology, pathology, pediatrics, internal medicineinternal medicine – – (nearly) all subjects(nearly) all subjects

Evaluation can be very threatening;Evaluation can be very threatening;it suggests change and change is it suggests change and change is often resisted. The threat is greatest often resisted. The threat is greatest when evaluation is seen as as imposed when evaluation is seen as as imposed external act, over which there is no external act, over which there is no control. In fact evaluation is a very control. In fact evaluation is a very constructive and powerful activity and constructive and powerful activity and a very stimulating one.a very stimulating one.

Evaluation can be time consuming, Evaluation can be time consuming, complex and frustrating.complex and frustrating.

Lessons learned about Lessons learned about evaluationevaluation

seen as a regular, integral part of the seen as a regular, integral part of the tuition both by students and teacherstuition both by students and teachers

not formal, not imposednot formal, not imposed questionnaires:questionnaires:

decent layout, tailor-madedecent layout, tailor-made anonymous, well explainedanonymous, well explained carefully processed, with commentscarefully processed, with comments outcomes published outcomes published

Lessons learned about Lessons learned about evaluationevaluation

feedback on different levelsfeedback on different levels– individual teachersindividual teachers– head of the departmenthead of the department– faculty managementfaculty management

valuable suggestions and comments valuable suggestions and comments should be taken into consideration should be taken into consideration and implementedand implemented

www.ucjlf.upol.czwww.ucjlf.upol.czpavel.kurfurst@upol.czpavel.kurfurst@upol.cz