Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Shinnam]

Hey,
I'm trying to get some ideas for making an instructor evaluation form for the students to give the professors feed back. Does anyone have a "good" form? The one that my uni is using doesn't really generate good information for teachers to reflect and use to improve their courses.
Any help would be appreciated.

[PRagic]

Here are the questions used on the evaluation form from when I taught at large university in the U.S. Individual instructor results are presented in comparison to departmental and college (with the university) results.

(all on a 5 point Likert scale except #17: 1= Strongly Disagree and
5= Strongly Agree)

1. The syllabus helped me to understand the goals and expectations.

2. The various elements of this course combined well in helping me to learn.

3. The added classroom technology helped me to learn.

4. The instructor provided feedback that was timely, fair, and constructive.

5. The instructor enjoyed teaching the subject and working with students.

6. The instructor organized class time well.

7. Analytical thinking, creativity, technical skills, competence improved.

8. The instructor taught at a level that most students were ready for.

9. I would recommend this course to other students.

10. I would recommend this instructor to other students.

11. My overall rating for this course is good or excellent.

12 - 14. Department or Instructor provided questions (optional).

15. I expect to receive a grade of (5=A, 4=B, 3=C, 2=D, 1=F)

16. My class standing is: 1=Freshman, 2=Sophomore, 3= Junior, 4=Senior, 5=Grad

17. This class is 1= a requirement, 2= an elective

18. Optional item

The students can also write in specific comments after certain questions, and this can help lower the auto response bias. Have at it. Hope this helps.

[ajstew]

Add a couple more:

1) I attended a) 95%-100% b) 85%-94% c) 75%-84% d) 65%-74% e) 50%-64% of the classes.

(From these results give higher weight to students who select the 'a' and 'b' answers. Give 1/2 weight to those in the 'c' and 'd' category and zero weight to those in the 'e' category.)

2) I participated and did my best a) 95%-100% b) 85-94% c) 75%-84% d) 65%-74% e) 50-64% of the time I spent in class.

(Same as above. Give higher weighting to those who answer in the different categories)

I've never seen something like this applied, but if you want to get a real reflection of how the class has gone, it really isn't fair to treat the survey results of a student who attended class regularly the same as one who didn't. Those students who don't come are just going to slag the teacher anyway, because they are pretty certain of what the teacher is giving them for a score.

[PRagic]

Interesting input, but statistically there are reasons those questions aren't included. First, they're very subjective. 'I tried hard,' means different things to different people, and 'I attended...% of classes,' especially in Korea, well, they all want the check mark.

In short, the projected grade is used as a proxy for effort and attend., and other questions help to shape the opinion of the instructor and the class.

No offense meant. Any input is good input, but those questions, at least in my opinion, shouldn't be included in an evaluation.

[ajstew]

Just a comment on the 'attendance question' I mentioned:
Of course if it wasn't verified that students really did attend the number of classes for the box they checked off, it wouldn't make sense to add the question. If it could however be determined, and people took the time to verify that those attendance records were accurate, then it makes good sense. I mean honestly, which student is better to take seriously concerning the thoughts on the class, the one who comes to class or the one who doesn't and yet still checks off the boxes? I think it is a question worth adding, but I understand it would make the lives of some people more difficult and time consuming when crunching the data.

[PRagic]

Can't agree with you. Ask anyone with a lot of classroom experience here. Many show up to get their 'check' thinking that that will help secure their grade. Sticking with the expected final grade proxy just makes more sense. Having said that, there are 'optional' questions that can be added by the department and/or instructor, so you could pretty much add anything you want.

[jackson7]

I wrote up my evaluations in Korean and English, and it was really funny (not surprising, but funny) to see what the students had written for their attendance. Students lied about their attendance as though I didn't have a record of it sitting right there in paper and on my computer. Amazing "cunning-ness" these K-kids show, isn't it?

[aka Dave]

I taught as UC Santa Barbara for a while, and we had to do evaluations every quarter. However, the questions were generally more open-ended and not simply yes or no questions. I suppose you might want to use them for Koreans, but I'd have a few questions welcoming actual input.

Here at the Korean Univ. I teach the students write their evaluations on the Univ. website. It's all in Korean and I'm a beginner in that language so I have no idea what they say about me. However I usually get 10 to 15 students over the max wishing to add the class (and I was stupid enough to add some of them - I have 100 essays a week to grade, though I'm not obligated to), so I think they find the classes useful. Who knows, though.

[ajstew]

"Can't agree with you. Ask anyone with a lot of classroom experience here. Many show up to get their 'check' thinking that that will help secure their grade."

Not looking for agreement. I've got a fair bit of classroom experience and have been teaching at universities long before you started posting here, so you disagreeing doesn't matter to me. Some might even say that if you have students just showing up for the check, that the 'lot of classroom experience' you have hasn't done much for you.

I see what you are saying though. You think all surveys from all students should be treated equally regardless of attendance. That means that those students who don't come to class and yet still fill in those survey boxes which discuss teaching methods and feelings on the class should be given the same weight as all others. That is a problem to me.

I'll say this, I'd respect the results of a survey far more from those who came to class than from those who didn't, any day of the week... and that is all the question results would show. The only problem is the verification of students attendance by those who crunch the numbers.

Maybe if 'you' have classes where you have students just sitting there and doing nothing then it wouldn't mean much. In my classes, those who come get involved, meaning their is a huge difference in how the class is perceived by those attending and those not.

[PRagic]

"I'll say this, I'd respect the results of a survey far more from those who came to class than from those who didn't, any day of the week... and that is all the question results would show. The only problem is the verification of students attendance by those who crunch the numbers."

Like I said, you could put in any question you want. No matter how you slice it, though, 'expected grade' is a better proxy. And, hey, why take my word for it. I've only taught university here for 10 years, and only a couple in the US. I'm sorry, but you're missing the point. In Korea, a vast, vast majority DO come to class to get their 'check', and if given the opportunity, they'll lie about their attend. to get the free percentage donation to their grade.

Why? Because English is a required class. Most schools mandate one or possibly two semesters, and while some students do try, a vast majority just don't want to be there. They show up to get their 'check' because they know that if they miss X number of couses, they'll be failed and have to take it all over again. The highly motivated grade sharks, especially at the better schools, will try no matter what class you put them in. In short, while attendance may be positively related to performance, it is not statistically relavent in situations where attendance is mandatory. If you have to be there to not fail, then it doesn't mean you're doing anything or not.

You sound like a highly motivated teacher, which is what we need more of. Glad that you can be sure your students are all working and learning, and that you have class sizes and educational directives that facilitate your efforts. Is attendance mandatory in your classes? If so, don't kid yourself about their motivation, though.