Involving students in teaching and learning: a necessary evil?

Abstract

Quality has permeated higher education in various guises. Investigates the potential for improving quality in the consumer studies teaching process, through group work, presentation skills and peer/self assessment techniques, culminating in a final questionnaire and group discussion. Students accepted groupwork, while they were less enthusiastic about peer assessment. They consistently overrated and although appearing to recognize good and bad presentations, this was reflected more in their qualitative feedback, rather than in the final marks awarded, perhaps reinforcing the belief that what the technique lacks in terms of precision, it compensates for in learning quality. Final‐year students developed their discriminatory abilities but were sceptical of the benefits, while year‐two students, although willing, actually marked more generously. Ultimately, there is a need to continue to involve students and to see evaluation in a positive, developmental light, incorporating qualitative feedback to define and assess teaching quality more correctly.