Using Quality Circles to Enhance Student Involvement and Course Quality in a Large Undergraduate Food Science and Human Nutrition Course

Large undergraduate classes are a challenge to manage, to engage, and to assess, yet such formidable classes can flourish when student participation is facilitated. One method of generating authentic student involvement is implementation of quality circles by means of a Student Feedback Committee (SFC), which is a volunteer problem-solving and decision-making group that communicates student-generated input to the teaching team for the purpose of improving the course content, structure, and environment in the present and redesigning it for the future. Our objective was to implement a SFC in a large introductory Food Science and Human Nutrition (FSHN 101) course to enhance student involvement and course quality. Overall, the SFC provided a continuous and dynamic feedback mechanism for the teaching team, a beneficial experience for the SFC members, and an opportunity for class members to confidentially share their input to enhance the quality of the course throughout the semester. This article includes a brief introduction of the use of quality circles in higher education classrooms, as well as our methods of implementation and assessment after using the SFC for 3 semesters (Spring 2003, Fall 2003, and Spring 2004).