Methods and Target Values Used to Evaluate Teaching Concepts, with a Particular Emphasis on the Incorporation of Digital Elements in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Previous evaluations of teaching quality have not considered the integration of digital elements. This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines and offers a critical examination of the integration of digital elements in university teaching quality evaluations. The objective is to provide a comprehensive and systematic overview of the methods and target values used for special attention on the incorporation of digital elements in teaching concepts. This review analyzed 22 articles published between 2004 and 2023 from a pool of 11,851 manuscripts. The studies were classified into evidence levels A to C based on the clarity of quality criteria and documentation of measurement instruments. The findings indicate a significant gap in comprehensive quality criteria and instrument references. Self-developed questionnaires and performance examinations were prevalent, mostly classified under the lowest evidence level (C). A limited number of studies focused on psychological outcomes and the evaluation of digital teaching concepts, fulfilling all criteria for the highest evidence level (A). The results indicate a focus on using open-ended questions, interviews, and feedback mechanisms to gain insights into students’ perceptions, which are essential for refining teaching concepts. There is a need to develop and validate evidence-based measurement techniques to better accommodate digital elements integration in teaching evaluations for future university pedagogy enhancements. The findings of this review provide a robust foundation for this purpose. This systematic review has been registered on INPLASY (INPLASY202460060).

Keywords

• evaluation
• digital tools
• teaching
• university