ED101
Have you ever presented material to your peers and have them evaluate your methods of teaching. I have found they are not as critical as the students evals.
Hi Michelle,
You are correct about faculty evaluations of teaching effectiveness. They are never as critical as student evaluations for a number of reasons the biggest being, that what goes around comes around. I will be kind so others will be kind to me when my time comes.
I think you have to look at instructor evaluations from a number of different perspectives. What are the reasons for evaluating instructors and how will they be used? If they are to be used for job retention, salary increases, or promotions then a very specific form of evaluation has to be developed. If instructors want to improve on their own performances then another form of evaluation can be used.
Videoing taping instructors can be very good. The instructors have to feel comfortable with the process and know clearly how the tapes will be used. If they sense that the tapes can have a negative effect on their career then no instructional improvement will occur. A way I use a lot is to tape the instructor and the have that person set down with a check sheet and go through the tape looking for ways to improve on delivery and effectiveness. The check sheet I develop for each instructor based upon what improvements I am seeking. It can be as simple as highlighting for the instructor that they pace constantly while talking and the students find this annoying. The tape and check sheet will point this out with minimum trauma for the instructor, meaning that person will discover the problem themselves through the viewing. They won't feel pick on or pointed out.
Hope these ideas are helpful. If you have anymore questions let me know.
Gary
I agree Michelle. I think it is difficult to give peer evaluations that might be perceived as being too critical because we have to remain working among our peers.
Hi Cheryl,
Peer evaluations are tricky due to the professional relationships that must exist in the workplace. There are a number of different ways one can use peer evaluations if you want to. One is have a peer or peers review a videotape of one segment of your teaching effort, such as an opening activity and give feedback. I have found this method very beneficial since it does not threaten the total teaching of an instructor.
The most effective evaluations are those given by students. I give out 3x5 cards at different times throughout the course and have the students give me feedback on a specific item such as an assignment they just completed. The evaluations are anonymous and targeted. The students feel good about having input and I can adjust the way I am going in the course rather than waiting until the end of the course evaluations, when it is too late for that course. Just a couple of ideas for you to think about.
Gary
Hi Michelle,
I agree that colleague evaluations are not as useful as students. I believe this is because your peers rarely, if ever, have the experience of sitting in on an entire semester/quarter in your course. Thus, when students are evaluating your course they have the entire experience to analyze. Also, I stress the importance of the evaluations to my students and because of this have always received really useful feedback.
Michelle:
I agree too that peer evaluations is not useful as students. Because sometimes it influences the feelings of your colleague and also they can not evaluate you as a whole which student can
I agree, student are more critical then your colleagues are. Sometime the students are out to get a instructor if the instructor is new. The students will be more critical. They are some times like little children they are too honest. Shirley Cross
I don't think that we as peers are as critical as a student would be because we are trying to accomplish the same thing. We want to critique each other but not criticize. We respond better to useful suggestions rather than harmful criticism.
Hi John,
This is a good point. We need to focus on how we can offer suggestions that will benefit the individual and help him/her expand their skills as instructors.
Gary
