Undergraduate Students’ Perceptions of Fairness in the Evaluation Systems for Non-Face-to-Face Classes －Focusing on the Case of I University Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to improve the fairness in the evaluation systems for non-face-to-face classes, and to propose improvement plans ensure their quality. It is based on a questionnaire survey regarding the undergraduate students’ perceptions of fairness in the evaluation systems for non-face-to face classes, focusing on the case of I University students. We investigated the undergraduate students’ perceptions of fairness in the evaluation standards, evaluation methods and evaluation results for non-face-to-face classes in order to discover what important factors have an influence on these evaluation criteria.</br>From the results, we found that students believe that evaluation systems for non-face-to-face classes should be differentiated from those of face-to-face classes. They consider the fairness in the evaluation systems of non-face-to-face classes to be differentiated from face-to-face classes. However, they do not differentiate between the two when it comes to actual evaluation results, and they were even more highly satisfied with the evaluation results under non-face-to-face systems, showing a degree of duplicity in their assessment. Further, they consider evaluation methods to be the most important factor for the fairness in the evaluation system for non-face-to-face classes. These results are also differentiated according to the students’ different class experiences.</br>From these results we propose that a blended learning system should be adopted for face-to-face and non-face-to-face classes, in order to overcome the problems inherent in the non-face-to-face classes, such as a shortage of actual contact and communication between professors and students. We also suggest that universities develop individualized education and evaluation systems applying various online education techniques to improve the quality of education that must now cope with the problems and challenges of providing non-face-to-face classes.