Job Discussion Forums

[englishgibson]

Since I prepare students to western unis and our company insists on students feedback on us, the facilitators of this program, I'd love to know from the ones that've got their recent experiences with US/Aus unis. I am not aware there's such a thing as students feedback on their uni profs in US, but please enlighten me on that. However, I am aware of the UK unis and their "soap opera" on this topic.

I know it's a great marketing tool to ask students "how good their teachers are", but these are the students going to the western unis and their applications are dependant on their results in my classrooms. Or, at least I'd like to think so.

Cheers and beers to students results rather than their views of their teachers in China

[YankeeDoodleDandy]

EnglishGibson. Back in the 1990's at Cal State Northridge, we evaluated teacher's at the end of the term. There were about 12 questions. This was all done annonomously. One student would put all of the responses in a manilla envelope and seal it in front of the class and then return it to the respective department. The questions dealt with knowledge, competency, would you take another class from this teacher, etc,etc

[Ms Bean]

In the U.S. that's done at probably every state college and junior college.

The teacher evaluation form that I've seen consists of prompts with which students either
4. agree
3. somewhat agree
2. somewhat disagree
or
1. disagree completely.

Each value is tabulated for each prompt.

Questions range from "The professor begins class on time" to "The professor stays on-topic throughout the entire period" to "The professor comes to class prepared for class" to "This is the best professor I've ever had."

The teacher is provided with a tabulation for each of 20 areas, as well as evaluation based upon 4 out of twenty questions which were supposed to indicate the degree of rapport between the teacher and the student and other group dynamics.

It also shows how each individual scored the teacher. No student names are associated with scores, but it's pretty easy to guess which students didn't bother to read the questions and just assigned the lowest mark to every prompt.

The students are told that the teacher will not know the results of the evaluation until after the end of the marking period; it should be that way, but it isn't. Some profs get their evaluations before the end of the term and should be checked to see if they were toting a flame thrower to class.

What usually infuriates profs are the personal comments which the students are allowed to leave on a separate piece of paper. The weirdest comment I ever got was "The professor talks about her personal problems all of the time."

I couldn't figure it out until I asked a student who had been in several of my classes. She told me that she thought that it was a comment I had made ONCE.

I commented that I thought that I needed new glasses.

It made me realize that everyone lives in a separate reality.

[brsmith15]

At the 6 colleges and universities where I taught in the US, every one had some form of student evaluation. This went for both undergrad and grad schools, state and private places. I'd be given a pack of roms and told to leave the room for 15 mins or so. I always told them that I had a fingerprint kit and could track down who said what.

Put them in a good mood to give me higher marks!?

[killian]

concur with the others above. additionally, there are sites on-line wherre folks can state their opinions of their profs.

i forget the name. try googling up "rate professors" and such.

[arioch36]

most profs I know thought the space provided for personal comments was the most interesting and helpful part.

Yes every one lives in their own reality, including teachers. Such comments help me examine how I view my reality and how it interacts with the students' realities

[bradley]

Teachers are also evaluated by students here at the university I teach in China.

[Jordean]

When I taught German at the U of Wisconsin aeons ago, students did blind evals of the TAs, generally three to four essay questions, the last being "would you take another class with this teacher". We got them after the final grades were given. I don't remember doing evals on our own profs, though.

Ah for those days again. Well-lit apartment with heat, communication with the faculty and direction on class policies, exams, etc.

In my other graduate studies and law school, however, no one cared what the students thought.

[arioch36]

Under grad feedback was very welcome, negative or positive.

Grad school feedback was unwelcome unless you wanted to praise the teacher highly

[Ms Bean]

[theincredibleegg]

I know that we (Swedish uni's) have one student feedback form for each course. But those forms have nothing to do with any employment-related issues. It would surprise me if UK-universities would do things differently. If they do, then I must say that UK unis have to re-think. Civilized student evals are only intended to help the teacher to improve his/her work.

[arioch36]

Ms bean

[eddy-cool]

In China there hardly is an 'evaluation' of an FT's performance; there is, however, an ongoing canvassing of feedback, especially during the first few weeks.

This is done to make sure that FT fits into a Chinese school with its very Chinese dynamics.

Typically you will never know what students said about you; you will, however, be interviewed if students have too many complaints.

In that event you will hardly be listened to; you will be expected to reform. The alternative is to bow out...

Every school, college or varsity runs an office where students air their grievances. In some places special staff called 'mentors' gather feedback on teachers.

[englishgibson]

thanx for your replies. some surprising since i've had a different experience with either canadian or us unis. maybe i am too old or nobody bothered asking me how great my teacher was.

cheers and beers to all

[bradley]

at Central Michigan University where I was an adjunct the forms were called S.O.S. forms - haha - Student Opinion Surveys!