SETU at Monash and why it matters

What is SETU?

Student Evaluation of Teaching and Units (SETU) is a way the University gets to hear from students about their experience of learning within a unit of study. Your responses provide the University with a broad indicator of students' satisfaction with teaching and the student learning journey. The feedback is useful for academic teaching staff to reflect on their practice, what students perceive as effective and what areas they could improve. It is also useful for students in enhancing their learning experiences, and it helps the University nurture excellent teachers who give students excellent learning opportunities.

SETU is conducted via a survey shared with students towards the end of the teaching period. The survey has been updated as part of the University’s response to student feedback, and as a result of its continuous improvement cycle. So what do you need to know about SETU and how will the data be used? Read on to learn more!

How to complete SETU

SETU can be completed on any computer or mobile device that has internet access.

Completing SETU is easy and takes only a few minutes.

1. SETU can be accessed directly through the SETU survey landing page
2. Choose which unit you wish to evaluate
3. Select your responses (question types and numbers may vary between units)
4. Provide your additional comments
5. Submit your evaluation

If you use AI in producing additional comments, you should include a sentence acknowledging this. Check our Learn HQ resource for information about how to do this - it is quick and easy!

Honest feedback is welcome, even if it’s critical, but please ensure that your comments are constructive and adhere to the Equity, Diversity and Anti-discrimination Policy. Do not provide material that is of an offensive or sensitive nature (that may breach the Equity, Diversity and Anti-discrimination Policy or Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy). For example, material that includes unnecessary or inappropriate references to an educator's race, gender, ethnicity, political views, religion, membership of particular associations, or sexual orientation should not be included within your comments.

Why are some teachers and units available for evaluation, while others aren’t?

Faculties decide which teachers and units will be evaluated. Some units or teaching staff might not be included in a SETU survey period for various reasons, such as ensuring response anonymity in smaller cohorts.

When you begin an evaluation, you’ll see a list of staff members available for assessment, allowing you to choose whom you wish to evaluate.

Questions and format

There are three categories of questions to complete:

• Core, Likert scale questions about your evaluation of the unit
• Core, Likert scale questions about your evaluation of the teaching
• Open-text questions to support the improvement of the specific unit and the way it is taught
• Depending on the unit, you may also have optional questions in addition to the above.

How do the SETU prizes work?  (T&Cs)

To enter the prize draw, students must complete all available SETU surveys.

• Students' names are entered once in the draw.
• Up to 80 vouchers valued at $150 will be available. Monash Online and International campus students may receive alternative prizes.
• Winners are selected using a random, computer generated draw—four weeks after survey results are released.
• Winners are notified by email.

Survey timing

SETU is designed to collect feedback about students’ experience of teaching. Surveys are timed towards the end of the teaching period to enable the feedback to be as rich as possible. They are conducted before final marks for a unit are released.

Survey periods are set in consultation with faculties. There may be some faculty variation for specific groups of units which are not taught across a 12 week teaching calendar.*

*For further details of non-standard semester periods refer to the SETU Administration Timetable for the current semester.

Confidentiality

Don't worry! Your survey responses are kept confidential. The reason why you need to login to the portal to complete surveys is so that the survey software can display the appropriate surveys according to your enrolment - to ensure that you are eligible to submit an evaluation. It is also required to ensure that the University can remind students who have not yet submitted an evaluation to complete their surveys.

Publications based on data collected will at all times be de-identified and reporting of data is in aggregate or summary.

The University and teaching staff will not have any information that can identify you or your response unless you specifically mention something that may identify you within your comments – such as a specific incident or conversation.

Survey feedback cannot influence your results within units as no survey results (apart from the monitoring of response rates within units) are released until after unit results have been released to students.

You have the right to access personal information that Monash University holds about you subject to any exceptions in relevant legislation. If you wish to seek access to your personal information or inquire about the handling of your personal information, please contact the Monash University Privacy Officer.

If you would like to access SETU results for your previous units, unit evaluation data is available on the Unit Evaluation Reports website. Data for the most recent teaching period is released after the round’s results are finalised.

Using your feedback

SETU results are used in a variety of ways across the University.

• By unit coordinators and the teaching team to monitor the student experience within the unit. SETU data can be used to assist in unit review and development, as well as one of the sources of evidence of teaching quality for the purposes of appointment, promotion and teaching awards.
• Heads of school/department to monitor the units within their area and develop actions to improve subjects.
• Course and unit directors, Associate Deans, Deans, and Directors of Educational Quality to assess the quality of units, benchmark performance against similar units, improve the quality of units and courses and to improve the provision of resources.
• University management, Learning and Teaching Committee and staff within the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Education) to monitor the overall quality of units across the University and to inform enhancements to teaching and learning practice.

Why SETU matters

While it’s not compulsory, you are encouraged to complete SETU,  and to be part of the conversation about learning and teaching at Monash University. SETU is one of the key ways the University helps educators to improve the quality of their unit’s content and teaching. It allows your voice to be heard - to the benefit of not only you but of future Monash students.

Taking it further