Abstract:

This paper outlines the development of two prominent questionnaires that consider teaching and learning quality in higher education (HE) contexts. These questionnaires were originally designed for full-time students with examinations as a significant proportion of their course assessment. They have been developed for blended learning, vocationally relevant degree courses that are aimed at part-time students. The Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) was designed as an indicator of teacher effectiveness on courses in HE institutions and draws on learners’ perceptions of teaching, curriculum and assessment. The Revised Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ) was designed to evaluate learners’ approaches and motivation towards their study. The paper describes the steps taken to develop these questionnaires, including validity and reliability considerations, for this emerging and significant context. This was through a process of piloting and subsequent testing with 72 learners on corresponding degree courses within an education disciplinary area. The revised questionnaires are presented and would support tutors and course leaders evaluating their practices within this context. Further, suggestions are made to further improve the validity and reliability of the questionnaires for future research in this area.

Keywords:

Blended Learning, Course Experience Questionnaire (CEQ), Revised Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ), Part-time Learners, Adult Learners.