Classtrophobia: the student as troll in student course evaluations [an a/r/tographical video rendering]

Authors

  • Marta Kawka Griffith University
  • Kevin Larkin Griffith University

Keywords:

Practice-led research, A/r/tography, Higher Education, Student Evaluation Scores

Abstract

This a/r/tographical inquiry renders our experiences of “Student Evaluations of Course” (SEC) reports through the creation of a video art work, Classtrophobia. The work is our response to what it means to be an academic in the current neo-liberal climate of surveillance. The first section of the paper situates this inquiry within the available research literature investigating the use of SEC data to evaluate teaching quality. The second section of the paper presents two videos from the Classtrophobia body of work and examines the interplay of reflection and interpretation during the process of creation as a way to inquire into how meanings of our lived-experiences are constructed through the making process. In some sense, the creation of Classtrophobia is a cathartic exercise to help the authors manage the angst and frustrations often present in the seemingly incoherent bureaucracies of contemporary academic life. 

Author Biographies

Marta Kawka, Griffith University

Lecturer - Visual Arts and Media Arts Education
School of Education and Professional Studies
Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

Kevin Larkin, Griffith University

Lecturer - Mathematics Education
School of Education and Professional Studies
Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

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Published

2018-01-10