Evaluating the Student Experience

Abstract

Student surveys are ubiquitous. Originating with the democratic improvement ethos in Western higher education, student evaluations became a bedrock of quality assurance. Ratings of teaching feed into the neoliberal model of higher education, providing a transparency tool for governments, fuelling competition, and driving marketing campaigns. Some argue for the power of the student voice, others critique bias in ratings. But a future based on students’ actions—through data analytics and artificial intelligence—may speak louder than words.