Usually, feedback is collected from students, but rarely from students’ parents (see annex, Section 1.20), from teachers and trainers (but rarely from other staff of a VET institution), and from former graduates and their employers, companies cooperating in work-based training, business organisations (such as chambers of commerce and industry) and other stakeholders in the local community (see annex, Section 1.36). An overview of the internal and external stakeholders that should be included in evaluation of processes and outcomes of a VET institution is given in Figure 7.

Figure 7. Overview of stakeholders involved in evaluation

Source: CEDEFOP.

Students and learners are the most important stakeholders for providing feedback; usually their feedback is generated annually and it should be possible to collect it online. Questionnaires might include items addressing personal data (respecting anonymity) and the institution and its various services (such as library and catering facilities), but focus should be on questions concerning the learning process. This section should contain questions on students’ awareness of the learning outcomes to be achieved in classes, an appropriate combination of theory and practice, use of new media, opportunities for self-organised learning and clarity of assessment criteria.

Box 16. Tool: campaign protocol

A questionnaire for students’ parents might address parents’ views on whether classes attended led to increased knowledge and competence or whether their child made positive/negative comments about the school, its classes, teachers and trainers.

Questionnaires for collecting feedback from teachers, trainers and other staff members may address issues such as the institution’s quality culture, performance of senior management, possibilities for participation, satisfaction with communication and information policy, the working climate and the way conflicts are dealt with.

Investigating former graduates’ destinations to get information on their employment status is essential for every VET institution’s quality. Issues to be addressed in such enquiries refer to occupations obtained as well as satisfaction with the completed education and use of acquired skills and competences at the workplace.

Mirroring these enquiries, employers of graduates might be interviewed about graduates’ job performances and their career prospects considering their acquired skills and competences.

Feedback questionnaires addressed to companies offering work experience and work-based training may ask about satisfaction with exchange of information and cooperation between the VET institution and the company, quality of classes, lessons and learning material, a general assessment of the institution’s image and incidents observed over the past 12 months.

Finally, other stakeholders, such as chambers of commerce and industry, business organisations, employee organisations or NGOs representing socially-disadvantaged groups, might be asked to give their feedback, in particular on their perception of quality and overall image of the VET institution.

Box 17. Tools: questionnaires for collection of feedback