🚀 go-pugleaf

Hugh (be assured, I wouldn't call you "Hugh" face-to-face!) - While I can buy
that some students choose to "strike-back" in instructor evals, I would have
to imagine that controls can, and probably often are, in place to account for
a *few* extraordinarily negative reviews.  I can't recall the term for it in
statistics, but isn't there a method for calculating results from statistical
data while leaving out extreme scores ("outliers" I think they're called)?
        Still, I agree that the use of alumni would be a superior system for
obtaining teacher evaluations.  I must admit, there were a few classes in
high school which I felt were substandard, until I discovered how useful they
were in college!  I suspect alumni would generally have the "wider vision"
necessary, for many criteria, to judge the competancy of an instructor.
        This does not mean I believe that currently enrolled students cannot
be of use.  There are many areas I think students can comment on with much
accuracy.  For example, was the teacher animated?, was he/she accessible?,
approachable?  Did the instructor encourage participation?  Listen to
questions and comments?  Address grievances?  Did he/she give sufficient
feedback on assignments?  Was he or she timely and clear on grading?
        This is only, in my opinion, the tip of the iceberg of information
that would be of value coming from students who just completed a class.

Kelly - the issue of honesty among the instructors themselves is a valuable
one, but moot at least here at the University of Buffalo because the completed
evals are given directly to a student whose job is to deliver them to the
department.


- Mitch