Framework
Why 8am sections score lower: three explanations
A framework for reading lower course evaluation scores in early morning slots. It sets out three explanations: a genuinely worse learning experience, students blaming the lecturer for the schedule, and cohort composition. Only the second is bias in the strict sense. Quality offices can use it to decide what to test in their own data before comparing sections. Koji helps by asking students in follow-up questions whether the timetable shaped their experience.
What's in this framework
- Genuine experience difference: Students in the slot attended less, slept less and struggled more. The low rating is an accurate report of a worse experience.
- Attribution error: The experience was worse and students blamed the lecturer, not the schedule. Only this one is bias in the strict sense.
- Composition: Early slots are not filled at random. Programme, year group, commute and part-time status can make a cohort effect look like a slot effect.
Use this image
Free to use in your docs, decks and posts under CC BY 4.0, as long as you credit Koji with a link to this page. To embed it, paste this into your page:
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<a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/timetable-slot-lower-ratings-three-explanations"><img src="https://www.koji.so/visuals/timetable-slot-lower-ratings-three-explanations/timetable-slot-lower-ratings-three-explanations.png" alt="Framework showing three explanations for lower ratings in early timetable slots: a real experience difference, attribution error and cohort composition." width="1200" height="649" /></a>
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.koji.so/visuals/timetable-slot-lower-ratings-three-explanations">Why 8am sections score lower: three explanations</a>, Koji</p>
