Round 2 on course evaluations. Here we go. In a perfect world, student evaluations of teaching (SET) would be used as a formative tool rather than a summative assessment used to make personnel decisions. In a perfect world, SETs would serve as one part of the teaching evaluation, combined with peer chats, reflection and discussion, growth plans, support and affirmation, and nurturing guidance on how to enter into and thrive in higher ed teaching environments. While the US continues to use SETs as a tool to control and manage faculty, other countries use the SETs as tools to improve teaching. And when most of us come to higher ed with limited training in pedagogy, this seems like a valuable approach to the overall teaching review process. So why are they not used this way? Cultural change at the institutional level is difficult. In higher ed, there is a lot of "don't rock the boat" mentality when new leadership assumes a role or as leadership stagnates, and rather than collaborate with faculty to change practices that better serve the institution, the program, the faculty, and the students, leadership can at times fall into a comfy habit of maintaining the status quo and avoiding conflicts. There is limited consideration for how bias, prejudice, and misinformation influence the accuracy of evaluation data and uncertainty about whether or not students know enough about teaching methods and practice to determine faculty effectiveness at teaching. There is enough information to know, however, that SETs should only be one piece of data in a much larger compendium of information gathered to evaluate and identify good teaching. So is there anything faculty can do to find some meaning and purpose in the SET data? I think so. Researchers often look for patterns in data -- patterns that converge or diverge around particular phenomenon and that can be a useful way to approach your SET data for your own purposes and also if you have to write a reflection on your teaching as part of the annual review process. As I've looked at my SETs, I typically want to know what the overall impression of the course is and then usually I can compare that with the overall impression of teaching in the college and at the university. If my scores of comparable, I feel a sense of relief. And then beyond that, I look at any places where I might have received a noticeably higher score or lower score. In a number of iterations of SETs at different institutions, I've seen that some of the evaluations open by asking the student to reflect on their own participation and engagement in the course. The questions about being prepared for class, being interested in the course material, having enough time to work on the assignments, and frequency of attendance are a useful way to open the evaluation for the students and the faculty. I also appreciate feedback about the organization of the course, the pacing of the course, and when possible, whether or not students felt like they were prepared to achieve the course objectives (how well were you prepared to achieve the course objectives? question with Likert scale responses). This means that we have to share with students the purpose of the course objectives and connect the assignments, readings, and projects to the course objectives throughout the class. It also means that we have to have observable and measurable objectives and that we intentionally stick to them. And I think this is most important in 100 and 200 level courses. I did not always do that; at every institution I've worked at, I was not brought into the instructional/pedagogical value of course objectives or shown how to use them as a planning tool. It wasn't until I'd been teaching and working in higher ed that I was supported and trained on how to do that -- and why. I know my own worth as an educator. I fought tooth and nail to be part of the profession and I try to show that to my students in the ways I show up for them, encourage them, and tell them the truth, even when it is hard. College doesn't end with a few bad grades, but it does end if students feel like they have no way to succeed in college courses. Sometimes, we see those stories in our course evaluations and we must respond to them. Another area I really like to review closely is any information about assignment instructions. I have at times gone overboard on giving too many instructions and examples, and I have also not given enough. At one point, I made a short video explaining a multi-part assignment and that was a big hit with students and they wrote about it in the qualitative portion of the review; but the same information written out in the assignment was confusing.
A final area I try to look at, and this comes through more in the qualitative responses, is how I made students feel in my course. I've had students fail my classes and say "looking forward to having you again next time." Even in classes I didn't feel like I was especially great at teaching. I've discovered if students feel welcomed, cared for, and important, it can positively impact their college experience and their lives in immeasurable ways. This type of feedback has helped me adjust policies -- particularly optional ones that I inherited on syllabi -- that don't welcome students or make them feel like they belong in college or in my courses. And then when I have to reflect on my teaching, these are the areas in the review I write about. "I learned from students that..." "I adjusted my policy on... because..." "Next time I teach the course, I want to include..." "Students really liked X so I definitely want to keep it and try more..." Because administrators need to know about what we learn and if we're open to learning, they need to see that we can analyze SET data with the same attention we analyzed our doctoral data or at least parts of it, and they need to be reminded that data is a tool, but not the story's end. If we are excelling, we can still benefit from professional development. If we are struggling, despite all our passion and enthusiasm, we can benefit from professional development -- and administrators have to demonstrate the institutional courage to tell faculty members that and lead them on rewarding, enriching endeavors that improve our pedagogy and enhance the learning experiences of our students. And that can be done -- and it must be done if smaller colleges especially are to stay in the game. Now put your toes up for the winter holidays. You've earned it. I'm cheering for you, Lillian
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AuthorHi. Lillian (she/her) here. Welcome to Office Hours for faculty. Mostly comprehensive and liberal arts chatter, but R1 and R2s encouraged to enjoy. Collaborations, conversations, questions and camaraderie encouraged. I'm cheering for you. ArchivesCategories
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