Application of the SEEQ as an instrument to evaluate university teaching activity

This research has applied the questionnaire "Student Evaluation of Educational Quality" (SEEQ) in the Latin American context, in order to know the perception of students about the university teaching activity. The quantitative method was used to perform a careful measurement of the variables, using a descriptive and inferential analysis. The sample was composed of 820 students in a Latin American university, who were enrolled in different courses and areas of knowledge. The reliability of the instrument has been checked by applying it in a different context from the one where it was developed. The main results show that: (1) university professors have a better performance in the learning and assignment dimensions; (2) students perceive that encouragement, motivation and assignments improve their learning; and (3) weaknesses have been identified in teachers' social skills, since their abilities to interact with students and attract their attention have been rated low. On the basis of the connections detected among the assessed dimensions, these weaknesses can be overcome by developing strategies for the training of teachers from a holistic perspective of the teaching- learning process.