Lights and Shadows on Student Evaluation Surveys: Insights from Service Dominant Logic

Student evaluations surveys (SES) in Higher Education (HE) now range worldwide; however, in spite of their profusion they remain controversial. Their impact extends beyond that on university teachers and its consequent effect on society cannot be regarded as a trivial matter. The literature dealing with this topic is abundant with defenders and detractors. Perhaps now it is time to consider the most important controversies, balance positions and propose solutions. Based on research in the service discipline, this chapter undertakes a critical analysis of SES instruments used to evaluate teachers in most universities. The complexity of HE as a service demands an integrative approach to preserve the qualification of future professionals jeopardized by the use of these SES. We apply a Service Dominant Logic (SDL) perspective as a service theory framework to conceptualise, analyse and manage teaching quality and learning goals. Applying the SDL approach appropriately for the institutional context, we argue that viewing education value as a co-creation process is necessary in order to ensure teaching and learning quality in the long term.