Rethinking SET. A recursive approach to teaching evaluations in higher education

Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) aim to measure students’ perception of learning and teaching to facilitate effective teaching through continuous improvement. However, a re-evaluation of current SET practices, particularly their emphasis on instructor performances and competencies, is warranted because of concerns regarding the reliability, validity, and evaluation biases of standardised SET. In this conceptual paper, we advocate for a recursive approach to standardised SET, aiming to inspire instructors and quality commission representatives to develop innovative methods for evaluating teaching. Recursive teaching evaluation integrate students’ competencies and performances into the evaluation process, in that they contextualise the learning experience and facilitate reflection and learning processes for both students and instructors. These processes are crucial for collaboratively creating effective teaching and learning environments by reflecting on past learning experiences.