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Workshop Syllabus
Session
1—Best Practices in Student Ratings
A.
Good practice in student ratings is (largely) independent of context
1. General guidelines for good practice
a. What is it?
b. Eighteen (more or less)
main points.
2. Dangers of poor practice
a. Some real-world examples
b. Relationships of poor
practice to the “mythology” of ratings .
B.
Good practice in ratings can not ignore context
1. Some situations with
special requirements or considerations
Team teaching /
multidisciplinary courses / internships / civic education / etc.
2.
The particular case of rating on-line teaching & learning
a. Research (or lack thereof)
on on-line teaching and learning
b. Research (or lack thereof)
on student ratings of on-line teaching and learning
c. Practical considerations
(cost, logistics, systems issues, controls, etc.).
C.
Evaluation and assessment are similar, not the same, but both essential
1. Definitions and
distinctions
2. Making best use of both kinds of
data (e.g., Flashlight stuff; “7 levers”; etc.).
Session
2—Online Student Ratings
A. Overview
of online ratings use across the US & elsewhere
1. Number of
institutions using online ratings and to what extent
2. OnSET
Website
B. Some
advantages of online student ratings (i.e., why people might be interested in
implementing online student ratings)
1. Quicker
feedback to instructors
2. Anonymity
of student comments
3. Longer
and more thoughtful student comments
4. Savings
of class-time
5.
Flexibility in rating form items and format
6. Possible
cost savings over time???
C.
Issues/challenges related to online student ratings and ways to address these
challenges [We could collect issues to address beforehand from participants.
Some possible issues are below.]
1. Response
rates
2. Faculty
and student support
3. Up-front
development costs and infrastructure
4. Student
confidentiality
5.
Appropriate access to, and use of, online reports
D.
Successes—what is working well
1.
Participants briefly share most successful practices of which they are aware
2. Highlight
some best practices at specific universities
Session
3—Uses of Student Rating Results and Related Considerations
A. Use of
results for faculty and course development
1. The
big picture: the work of the faculty and the skills necessary to do that work
effectively and
efficiently. Thinking about it apriori and post hoc for maximum
success.
a.
“Base profession” skills
b.
“Meta-profession” skills
c. Steps in a faculty development effort (general and/or specific to on-line
issues)
2. Linking
online faculty development resources to online rating reports (BYU example)
3. Use of
rating results in one-on-one consultations/interviews
a. Research
on change resulting from rating results *and* consultation
b. Faculty
developer consultations
c. Chairs
and unit head interviews/consultations
4. Use of
rating results as a baseline or springboard for more targeted data collection
and faculty development—effective follow-up
B. Use of
results for research on teaching and teaching improvement
1.
Variables unique to on-line situations (e.g., pedagogy; process, psychology)
2.
Variables related to technology choices (e.g., course management systems;
additional
technology supplements like mini-cams & audio for synchronous events;
combination with
video distribution systems, white/smart boards, etc.)
C. Program
and outcomes assessment, implications, and actions
1. The
technological issues (e.g., institutional and student systems compatibility)
2. The
pedagogical issues (e.g., objectives; strategies; assessments)
3. The
personnel issues (e.g., faculty; admin support; technical, reward systems,
other?)
4. The
infrastructure issues (e.g., implications for “systems” vs “software”)
5. The
research issues (e.g., What – How – How much – How often – For what purpose?)
6. The
institutional issues (e.g., degree of commitment; resource allocation; scope;
costs, etc.)
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