Course Evaluation: Reasons, Necessity, and Barriers in Iran Universities

Course evaluation is widely recognized as one of the most precious means of promoting the quality of teaching and learning. This is mainly because evaluation could lead to efficient feedback for both the university professors and universities with regard to the quality of the elements of the curriculum. Hence, the present study seeks to investigate the reasons, necessities, and ways of course evaluation along with its barriers in Iran universities. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 20 experts and faculty members of the universities of the country who are considered as experts in the field of evaluation and curriculum. Upon their transcription, the interviews were analyzed as open categories. The findings indicate that there are four pivotal reasons at the bedrock of undergoing evaluation in Iran universities. However, there are also three different reasons lying behind the refusal of going through evaluation in universities: a lack of proper culture of criticism, students' over-obsession with the reaction and feedback of the professors, and the lack of confidence from the part of department, faculty and university heads about students' feedback. The findings also point out that undergoing evaluation can be practiced via extant students, graduates, collogues, and external beneficiaries using computer, interview, questionnaire, and creative methods.