Comprehensive qualitative analysis of reflective essays as an evaluation of teaching effectiveness

UDC 37/09:378
DOI 10.20339/AM.12-25.053

Elena Yu. Vasilyeva, Dr. Sc. (Pedagogy), Professor, Head of the Pedagogy Department, Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk City, Russia, SPIN-code: 9762-2111, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8992-8758, e-mail: dr.evasilyeva@gmail.com

The contemporary quality assurance system in higher education remains predominantly focused on formal outcomes (exams, credits), neglecting the subjective experience of students. Reflective essays, recognized as a valuable feedback tool, are rarely utilized due to the lack of valid and systematized methodologies for the objective interpretation of qualitative data and its prompt application for the purpose of correcting the curriculum.

The objective of this research is to determine the effectiveness of the developed set of qualitative analysis methods for reflective essays in objectively assessing the influence of the academic course on the formation of postgraduate students’ professional-pedagogical thinking and in identifying specific directions for educational process improvement.

Material and Methods. The study is based on the concept of reflective and student-centered learning. The analysis was conducted on a sample of 20 reflective essays from first-year Master’s students in the field of Psychology after they completed the course “Pedagogy and Psychology of Higher Education.” A complex of qualitative methods was used for text analysis: thematic, structural, stylistic, sentiment analysis, and evaluation of the depth of self-reflection.

Results. The comprehensive analysis revealed a high positive tone in the essays and a clear adherence to the established “Before” and “After” training structure. This confirms the successful assimilation of the material, increased confidence among Master’s students in their psychological and pedagogical competence, and their readiness for pedagogical practice.

Conclusions. The developed set of methods has been validated as a tool for rapid internal assessment, allowing educators to transform subjective data into concrete pedagogical solutions. Future research prospects are related to the standardization of criteria for evaluating the depth of reflection to enhance the objectivity of this approach.

Keywords: quality assurance in education, reflective essay, qualitative analysis, thematic analysis, sentiment analysis, professional thinking, critical thinking, feedback in education

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