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Using Student Ratings?
Student ratings are only one element in faculty evaluation.
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Student ratings are only one source of information about teaching, and
teaching is only one aspect of faculty performance. Never make the
mistake of judging teaching or overall performance on the basis of
ratings alone. Theall and Franklin (1990) recommend the collection of
more and more information as the purpose of evaluation moves from
student information to promotion and tenure decision making.
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Many people who are asked to interpret and use student ratings have
little or no training in evaluation and ratings literature. Some may not
even have sufficient quantitative backgrounds to correctly interpret and
use basic statistics. Fair practice demands users who are able to assess
results accurately. A necessary part of any evaluation system is the
ability to inform users about the data they receive.
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Evaluation without resources for improvement is punitive. One of the
major factors in creating a campus culture and climate that support
teaching is to have an established center for teaching and qualified
staff to provide assistance. Any true system for evaluation should
therefore be accompanied by resources for improvement.
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Research shows us that teachers benefit most from evaluation data when
the data are competently explained and when assistance and resources for
improvement are available. Simply sending a computer printout to a
teacher does little to help that teacher understand the results or to
improve teaching.
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Commitment to and support for teaching from the highest levels of the
institution are required if the evaluation process is to be perceived as
useful and nonthreatening. Anything less results in polarized views
about the purpose of evaluation and leads to anxiety, resistance, and
hostility.
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Research on student ratings has given us consistent findings, and
Marsh (1987) offers a definitive outline. But research findings
generalize from a sample to a population and do not guarantee that every
situation will be explained by the generalizable results. It is critical
to have an understanding of the context of the evaluation so as to be
able to make fair and accurate decisions.
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Evaluation is a systematic process and requires acceptance,
participation, and cooperation from a number of stakeholders. There are
ways to develop evaluation systems that take into account the complexity
and sensitivity of the process. As Arreola (1994) demonstrates, arriving
at consensus about what is important, what will be evaluated, who will
contribute, and what criteria will be used, is the most important first
step in good practice.
Arreola, R. A. Developing a Comprehensive Faculty Evaluation System.
Bolton, MA: Anker, 1994.
Marsh, H. W., "Student Evaluations of University Teaching: Research
Findings, Methodological Issues, and Directions for Future Research."
International Journal of Educational Research 11 (1987): 253-388.
Theall, M, and J. L. Franklin. "Student Ratings in the Context of
Complex Evaluation Systems." In Student Ratings of Instruction:
Issues for Improving Practice, ed. M. Theall and J. Franklin. New
Directions for Teaching and Learning 43. San Francisco: Jossey Bass,
1990.
Additional Resources
The POD Network and the Special Interest Group in Faculty Evaluation and
Development of the American Educational Research Association (SIGFED) both
have listserves and Web sites through which interested parties can request
and receive information on evaluation and development topics. The E-mail and
URL addresses are as follows:
Join the POD listserve by sending an E-mail message to:
listproc@catfish.valdosta.edu.
Include only the following in the message: SUBSCRIBE POD
You will receive confirmation that your subscription has been accepted.
Address mail, comments, questions, or requests to:pod@catfish.valdosta.edu.
The POD Web site is: chiron.valdosta.edu/CATL.SIGFED. Join the listserve
by sending an E-mail message to:majordomo@uis.edu
Join the listserve by sending an E-mail message to:majordomo@uis.edu
Include only the following in the message: subscribe sigfed firstname
lastname<E-mail address> (include the <>).
For example: subscribe sigfed michael theall <theall@uis.edu>
After confirmation, send further E-mail to: sigfed@uis.edu. Visit SIGFED
at: www.uis.edu/~ctl/sigfed.html.
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