Get Your Students Hired
By far the most difficult part of my job as an instructor is developing and maintaining valid, fair, reliable, repeatable methods for grading students in our Restaurant Guest Service class. It's a class where there is a small bit of knowledge that can be tested for via written exams but most of it is Skills Application on a daily basis and a working restaurant where the person in charge is always pulled in 6 directions is a difficult place to closely monitor students activities and mastery of the techniques and methods I teach. Can you give any feedback on this or ideas on how I can effectively evaluate a class of 15 students simultaneously while still performing the other demands of my job? Thanks in advance.
Hi Mia - Thanks for sharing some great ideas for application based assessments! Best wishes - Susan
I personally like to develop the final exam, or something that will show me (and others) what each student had learned in the class. It can be a presentation about: Training for bartender, New hire orientation for new employees, Dealing with the difficult customer etc. Not only do I receive great presentations, an excellent input and work from my students, but also their involvement in the class is much more noticeable. Also gives you an opportunity to learn about your students (even the one who are very shy) or if teaching on line, you can get great summary of their learning experience.
HI Diane- I feel your pain!! The best online programs have VERY specific grading rubrics that make grading much easier. Best wishes for a better expereience next time and all the best in 2010! Susan
I just taught an online course for the first time; my grades were due in; I had to do 4 change of grade froms; it is very difficult on how to test what to test and how to grade what a headache!!
Hi Elizabeth - Welcome to ED 103! I remember the days when Customer Service was highly prized and always expected. I agree with you -today's students often just don't seem to get it. Hopefully we can make them see the importance of good service in all of the programs that we teach. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan
Also the hardest part of my job is teaching service. With the new Gen X generation with not knowing about "service" because everything now is so self served. This activity would have to be experience to understand what is expected. Learn by doing.
This is interesting since the guest way to find out in a "real scenario" would be have customer comment cards. If you are actually in a restaurant setting and have the students give comment cards to the customers. Also, ask the customer in person how they felt about their dining experience. the person who tells the truth are children.
Hi Jeffrey - Welcome to ED 103! You do indeed have a difficult job! Having grading sheets for each student with the grading rubric and the 1 to 5 scale is a good first step. Perhaps also observing and scoring just a handful of students at a time. Best wishes for continued success in your teaching career! Susan