Lost in translation: from the university's quality assurance system to student evaluation practice

Abstract

Student course evaluation is a mandatory part of quality assurance systems in Norwegian higher education, aiming to enhance educational quality. However, several studies report that student course evaluation mainly is used for quality assurance and not for quality enhancement. Drawing upon translation theory, this paper analyses how the quality assurance system (QAS) that regulates evaluation, the actors and the arenas of translation at a Norwegian university affect student evaluation practice and its uses. Academic leaders were interviewed and evaluation documents analysed. Results show that the leaders were not familiar with the university’s established guidelines for an ideal evaluation practice in QAS. The academics described an evaluation practice that seems to be more internal-driven rooted in their values, previous experiences, local cultures and traditions rather than on regulations like QAS. Their translation of evaluation can be regarded as modified translation. The academics’ approach to evaluation seems to be based upon a logic of appropriateness. The different actors involved in evaluation processes seem to base their actions on contradicting logics. This can help understand why a de-coupling from evaluation described in QAS occurred. These findings and the academics’ perspectives should be taken into consideration when future evaluation systems are created.