🚀 go-pugleaf

Jen - that "joke" played by the students was, I would agree, a pathetic and
stupid behavior.  But really, how often does something like this occur?  Is
that incident really an argument of any use in considering the value of
evals?  I've yet to hear of such a thing happening before . . .
        "Face-to-face" a better format for evaluations?  You can't be serious.
I can see how that would be of more use in a setting between peers, but - as
you might very well have guessed by my writings here - I'm considered one of
the more "outspoken" students, and I KNOW I'd be intimidated.  Even if I found
the courage to tell a professor in an "official" meeting what I thought of his
or her capacity to teach, any criticisms would become watered down to near
nonexistence and I'd undoubtedly emphasize the positive.
        For one thing, I'd fear "subtle" retaliation in any number of ways if
I lambasted a professor - such as a bad word to his/her colleagues (sorry, but
I do not believe that professors are automatically "above" such things.
).  Second, regardless of any potential consequences, it is very difficult to
say negative things to someone's face, especially a "superior's."  Third,
What if I had this person for a class in the future?  This would weigh
heavily on my mind.
        I honestly believe that the *vast* majority of professors would take
constructive criticism quite well.  But my point is that for the reasons I
stated above as well as others, I don't believe they'd RECEIVE much criticism
in such a format.  Anonymity does remove the "responsibility" students perhaps
should have for their answers, but it's surely the only way all but VERY few
of them would reveal their true, uncensored opinions.

- Mitch