From performativity to professionalism: lecturers’ responses to student feedback

Abstract

Student evaluation questionnaires are used to measure academics’ performance in most English universities. Academics are assumed to respond professionally to student feedback, making appropriate improvements to their teaching. This paper describes a small-scale study into lecturers’ responses to student feedback. The evidence from semi-structured interviews suggests that the process is complex and is influenced by lecturers’ perceptions, beliefs and feelings. A typology of lecturers’ responses is developed, linked to concepts of performativity and professionalism, and consisting of four possible reactions: shame, blame, tame (the students) and reframe (the negative as something positive).