Semester Evaluation Research Articles

The impact of electronic media on faculty evaluation

With the proliferation of computer networks and the increased use of Internet‐based applications, many forms of social interactions now take place in an on‐line context through Computer‐Mediated Communication (CMC). Many universities are now reaping the benefits of using CMC applications to collect data on student evaluations of faculty, rather than using paper‐based surveys in Face‐To‐Face (FTF) classroom settings. While the relative merits of CMC versus FTF student evaluations have been researched extensively, there is limited research published about the ways students respond to the questions from either mode of data collection. This paper reports on a research study to analyse the communication differences between student scores from FTF student evaluations and CMC evaluation questions from end of semester evaluations from a university in the Middle East region. In addition to the questions about communication mode differences between two evaluation questions, several demographic variables were measured to determine any interaction effects. The results of our study suggest that the type of communication channel mitigates the responses that students make on CMC evaluations vis‐à‐vis FTF evaluations of faculty. In particular, even though there were significant differences found at the aggregate level between CMC and FTF evaluations, when the course and instructor are controlled for, there were no significant differences reported. In addition, several differences were noted depending on the type and level of the course being studied. Also, we found that students are more likely to express more extreme responses to scale questions in CMC than FTF evaluations. Administrators should consider these potential differences when implementing on‐line evaluation systems.

ELT teacher views on the appropriateness for teacher development of end of semester student evaluation of teaching in a Japanese context

Abstract While the use of student performed evaluation of teaching is a topic of considerable debate, little has been written in a Japanese context. Sixteen English language teachers who work either part time, under a limited term contract, or have tenure in Japanese universities commented on a summary of common questions which had been collected from 50 different forms used in end of semester evaluation of teaching surveys (SETs) to see if communicative language teaching approaches are represented through the explicit assumptions of a teaching method in the evaluation tool. Findings suggest that even if the evaluation is intended for formative development, many teachers do not gain any new knowledge as they question both the value of the information received and the overall content validity of evaluations as they are cross-curricular and used in all courses. Evaluation should draw distinction between prescriptive, acontextual, summative evaluation and collaborative approaches that show the richness and diversity of teaching while giving learners as well as ELT teachers more voice.

First impressions and professor reputation: influence on student evaluations of instruction

We examined the effects of professor reputation versus first impressions on student evaluations of instruction. Students in 19 Psychology courses completed course evaluation surveys either before meeting the instructor or 2 weeks into the semester. Both groups then completed the course evaluation again at the end of the semester. Unlike evaluations completed prior to meeting the professor, students’ ratings 2 weeks into the semester did not differ from end-of-semester evaluations. Therefore, students considered first impressions more important than professor reputation as determinants of their end-of-the semester evaluations. Results suggest that students form lasting impressions within the first 2 weeks of classes.

Does the use of end of semester evaluation forms represent teachers’ views of teaching in a tertiary education context in Japan?

This paper considers both how the mandatory introduction of student evaluation of teaching surveys (SETs) fits into the social and political context of tertiary education in Japan, and the assumptions about teaching underlying SETs. Through interviews with English teachers, a technical–rational perspective whereby teaching is a profession only to the extent that it involves applying theoretical knowledge to the pursuit of educational ends is discussed. Teachers’ capacities to make complex judgments are not recognized so that teaching becomes indistinguishable from technical expertise. Quantitative evaluation as a measurement of effectiveness and efficiency leads to teacher exclusion from dialogue on how teaching might be improved.

Podcasting to Provide Teaching and Learning Support for an Undergraduate Module on English Language and Communication.

This paper reports findings from research into the benefits of integrating podcasts into a first year undergraduate module on English Language and Communication at Kingston University. As part of a Faculty teaching and learning support scheme for first year undergraduates, six podcasts were developed to improve students’ learning and study skills and to provide advice on portfolio development and presentation skills. Student learning experience through podcasts was evaluated through two focus groups, personal interviews (six students) and an end of semester evaluation questionnaire (n=35). The paper describes the teaching and learning context and how the podcasts were integrated as part of the blended learning delivery. It discusses to what extent podcasts were able to achieve of the intended outcomes and the processes involved in achieving those outcomes. The findings led to development of a model for integrating podcasts in on-campus blended learning, and which can have potential applications in distance learning contexts. The model is based on three main features of podcasts identified as facilitating student learning: learner choice and flexibility offered by podcasts; tacit knowledge and experience of peers conveyed in discussions; and a sense of informality brought into formal learning.The research reported in the paper was carried out as part of a UK national research project entitled Informal Mobile Podcasting and Learning Adaptation (IMPALA) with funding from the UK Higher Education Academy.

Mid-Semester Student Feedback Enhances Student Learning

Student feedback can facilitate teaching improvements. The most common form of student feedback is obtained from end of semester student evaluations. Unfortunately this feedback does not benefit the students who provided the feedback. Mid-semester student feedback overcomes this limitation. The feedback obtained may be used by the instructor to make adjustments to the course in progress. Mid-semester evaluations have been conducted in a third-year fluid mechanics course and the sequel unit operations laboratory course over a four-year period. The results of this study indicate that soliciting mid-semester student feedback encourages a more responsible attitude by the students as they reflect upon the course. Making use of a third party facilitator to obtain this feedback results in constructive suggestions by the students. Implementation of some of these suggestions results in an improved learning environment and can lead to improved end of semester evaluations.

Factors related to study success in engineering education

Recent studies on student learning in higher education have paid attention to the relationships between characteristics of the learning environment and students' study orientations and study success. The purpose of the present paper is to examine these relationships in university level engineering education. The data were collected from Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland, by means of an Internet survey (n=394). Grade point average, credits per semester and students' qualitative evaluation of their learning outcomes were used as indicators of study success. The findings of the study indicate that students' perceptions of their learning environment were related to their study orientations which, in turn, were related to study success. Having a deep study strategy was the most important predictor of study success. Having a surface strategy, doubt about one's abilities and lack of regulation were factors negatively related to study success. Meaning-oriented and self-regulated students using a deep strategy showed the best success in their studies and externally regulated students using a surface strategy the worst. The findings of the study suggest that the learning environments in Lappeenranta University of Technology encourage deep learning.

Higher grades = higher evaluations: impression management of students

This study investigates the effects on end‐of‐the semester evaluations of the instructor resulting from grade inflation by the administration of a different number of mid‐semester tests to four different classes of the first course of accounting. Students in two classes received six mid‐semester examinations, while the other two classes received three. All classes were given a cumulative final examination. Giving six examinations rather than three allows a student to memorize less of the course material before each examination, resulting in higher overall grades. Analysis of the data revealed that students receiving six mid‐semester examinations scored higher than those receiving three. These differences were statistically significant at the 0.1 level. Students’ end‐of‐the semester evaluations of the fairness of grading, quality of the instructor and the quality of the course were consistently more positive in the class that received six mid‐semester examinations. Higher grades did result in higher evaluations. Two of these comparisons were statistically significant at the 0.01 level; the third was significant at the 0.5 level. The benefits of administering six mid‐semester examinations exceeded the additional effort required.

A research-led approach to the evaluation of certificate in education (post-16) programmes

This article reports the process and outcome of a two-year research-led evaluation of Certificate in Education and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Post-16) programmes in the School of Education and Continuing Studies at the University of Portsmouth. The courses are industry standard teaching qualifications for those wishing to teach or instruct in specialist fields and disciplines in technical training and further education colleges. The term ‘research-led’ distinguished the evaluation from routine semester evaluations required by the University and subject reviews carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency and similar bodies. The evaluation sought information on four major dimensions of course provision – organisational arrangements – curriculum and pedagogy – student responses – resource related matters. Under cooperative, permission arrangements, information from 150 plus course members and their tutors, both at the University of Portsmouth and at five associate partner colleges at Chichester, Chippenham, Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Havant was derived from interviews, content analysis of course documents, informal discussions and a survey instrument known as a Course Quality Survey. Collectively the results permitted a 12-point systematic description of the courses and output data that was broadly indicative of staff and student satisfaction with the overall programme. However, variations in trends in the datasets were sufficient to point towards a need for structural amendments to the programmes. To that end, 10 warranted recommendations were formulated for course development. It was postulated that such recommendations would have resonance with other institutions providing Post-16 Certificate in Education courses.

Classroom Assessment Techniques. Thomas Angelo and K. Patricia Cross. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers, 1993.

BOOK REVIEWClassroom Assessment Techniques. Thomas Angelo and K. Patricia Cross. San Francisco: Jossey Bass Publishers, 1993.C. Joanne HolladayC. Joanne HolladayPublished Online:01 Mar 2002https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00056.2001MoreSectionsPDF (34 KB)Download PDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesGet permissionsTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInEmail Most college faculty approach their own research with a critical eye. But when it comes to assessing what is going on in their own classes, their feedback may be limited to a somewhat subjective sense of how the class is going, along with student grades, and end of the semester evaluations. Why not take a more systematic approach to answering the whys and hows of student learning? Classroom assessment techniques, or CATs, provide this opportunity.In Classroom Assessment Techniques, the authors provide a rationale and description of the classroom assessment process. The process attempts to answer two fundamental questions: 1) how well are my students learning? and 2) how effectively am I teaching? These questions are answered through observing, getting feedback, interpreting this feedback, and then using the results to improve student learning. As such, it is formative, specific to the class, and ongoing. Angelo and Cross provide background, rationale, and 50 specific examples of classroom assessment techniques that can be administered either in or outside of class. Examples of successful projects are included, along with discussions of how the implementation of the CATs informed changes in the class.What is a CAT? The bulk of this book is devoted to illustrating techniques, with descriptions and step-by-step instructions. They range from the simple, “The Minute Paper” (what is the most important thing you learned during this class?) or “The Muddiest Point” (what was the most confusing thing we discussed today?) to the more complex. CATs can provide information on a variety of learning-related questions: Do students have the background needed to understand this material? What did they think of the group work that I asked them to do last week? Were my examples in class today meaningful? Are they aware of the significance of this issue in history? Are they doing the assigned reading and getting what is important from it?Classroom Assessment Techniques is a sourcebook of ideas, providing an approach based on research, a wide variety of techniques, and, best of all for busy faculty, practical information on how simple or complex each assessment technique is. The 50 CATs are also indexed by discipline, on the basis of feedback that the authors have received from those “in the field.” Ultimately, the greatest benefit of CATs is that they are designed to be part of a feedback loop that can become an integral part of your teaching. For CATs to be effective, you must report the results and your interpretations back to the students. As a result, you open a dialogue with students about the teaching and learning process, motivating them to be more actively engaged and motivating yourself to think more consciously of how you teach.This review was written for the University of Texas Center for Teaching Effectiveness newsletter, The Teaching Network, Vol. 22, No. 1, Fall 2001.This article has no references to display. Previous Back to Top Next FiguresReferencesRelatedInformation More from this issue > Volume 26Issue 1March 2002Pages 57-57 Copyright & Permissions© 2002 American Physiological Societyhttps://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00056.2001History Received 18 December 2001 Accepted 18 December 2001 Published online 1 March 2002 Published in print 1 March 2002 PDF download Metrics Downloaded 1,385 times

Cooperative learning and feminist pedagogy--a model for classroom instruction in nursing education.

This article reports on a research study conducted as part of a doctoral dissertation on the development of a cooperative learning teaching model in nursing education. The subjects for the study were a convenience sample of registered nurses who were pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing at an urban university. Principles of feminist pedagogy were incorporated as part of the cooperative learning model. The teacher/researcher taught two sections of the same course and, through the use of action research, developed a model for using cooperative learning strategies as the primary teaching modality. End of class and end of semester evaluations provided feedback that suggested that this was an exciting and effective alternative to traditional classroom teaching.