How can student evaluations lead to improvement of teaching quality? A cross-national analysis

The shift in higher education towards emphasis in quality processes and practices triggered universities to question their existing quality mechanisms to meet the demands of globalisation. Within the scope, despite extensive controversy on their implementation, student evaluations of teaching quality were initiated or the existing evaluation processes started to be improved so as to respond to quality criteria as specified by a substantial number of assessment and evaluation procedures. This study investigates instructors’ perceptions on the influence of student evaluations on teaching quality. It reports on findings from a qualitative study in which interviewing methodology was used to explore how student evaluations can lead to improvement of teaching quality. Data was collected from Turkish and American instructors via semi-structured questionnaire forms and analysed through thematic analysis from a comparative perspective. The findings of the study demonstrate that student evaluations can lead to improvement of teaching quality on condition that articulated concerns are elaborated on with regard to design of the evaluation scheme, administration of evaluation of teaching quality and post-evaluation procedures. Pedagogical implications are presented to widen understanding about the concerns that instructors hold in both countries as well as recommendations to be considered for ideal practice.