The teacher's purpose is to teach and the students' is to learn, but teachers can learn from students how to teach better. In the United States virtually every postsecondary facility utilizes some method of faculty or course evaluation. The evaluation of teaching can come from many sources: (1) self evaluation, (2) peer-evaluation, (3) classroom research techniques, and (4) faculty and course evaluations. Methods for improving teaching using student feedback techniques ASp, 7-10 | 2012 1 Reasons for evaluation 8 Why would teachers want to evaluate their teaching? By identifying the weaknesses, they can be eliminated. By identifying the strengths they can be exploited. 9 Data from evaluation instruments can be used in making decisions to revise, maintain or discontinue certain aspects and content of a program. Although the concern over administrative policies of using student evaluations for personnel decisions was addressed frequently in the literature (Lewis 1991; Weimer 1990; Wennestrom & Heiser 1992), the use of feedback techniques as a tool for improving teaching was universally endorsed (Dianda 1992; Katz 1988; McKeachie 1994; Weimer 1990). Feedback defines strengths and weaknesses and outlines areas that need improvement. Improved teaching leads to improvements in students' learning. Major concerns with using evaluation forms Aleamoni (1987) reported on research of typical faculty concerns about the use of student evaluation forms. Results indicate that the concerns are largely unsubstantiated. Concern 1: Students cannot make consistent judgments Research shows that students tend to be fairly consistent in what they are saying about instructors and instruction. Concern 2: Student ratings are nothing more than a popularity contest Studies have shown that students are very consistent in their ratings of teachers in terms of teaching effectiveness. Those teachers that are very dynamic and enthusiastic may rate highly in that section but not in others. Concern 3: Students cannot make good judgments until they have graduated Studies indicate a positive relationship between students who were currently taking the course and former students who have graduated. Concern 4: Forms are both unreliable and invalid Many studies have found that student ratings reasonably correlated with student learning. Arguments for professionally created and teacher created forms have been debated with evidence supporting both sides. Concern 5: Extraneous variables affect ratings Little or no relationship was reported for variables such as class size, student or instructor gender, time scheduling, or time of year. There were data that support the effects of course level on student ratings. First year students tended to rate instructors lower than second year students. Concern 6: Students' grades are highly related to their ratings of the course. Studies show that there is not a significant correlation between ratings on an evaluation form and the grade received. Students who obtained low final grades did not necessarily score teachers a...
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