🚀 go-pugleaf

FROM CHUCK TUCKER 920218

I have done evaluations of my classes for many years and have come to a
number of decisions about them.  Briefly, I do the following:

      1. I gather information about the students on the first day of
         class that can be used for comparative and sorting purposes
         in statistical analyses.

      2. I require that the student identify  him/her self on the
         evaluation form - if the student does not trust me than
         there is no need to do an evaluation.

      3. I use both open-ended and closed-ended questions on my
         form.

      4. I only ask questions that a student would be able to
         answer with their knowledge, e.g. a student in an intro
         class has no idea whether I "covered the field adequately"
         or not.  An answer to such a question is useless in my
         evaluation.

      5. I don't ask any attitude or feeling questions just ones
         that are descriptive, e.g., not did you like the exams but
         would you want more or less or the same of them [I use all
         types of examinations in my courses so type is not relevant]

      6. I use the evaluations and their analyses for my own purpose of
         trying to improve my teaching - any analysis that I might give
         to anyone else would be partial and selective and relevant to
         the questions they might have about my teaching [I may not have
         the information they want]

I don't agree with those who claim that teaching can not be evaluated -
any human activity can be evaluated - the question is how not whether.
Granted, some procedures are useless but like any carefully done activity
you have to test your procedures to find out which are the most useful for
your purposes.

Regards,   Chuck


   Charles W. Tucker (Chuck)
       Department of Sociology
       University of South Carolina
       Columbia SC 29208
  O (803) 777-3123 or 777-6730
  H (803) 254-0136 or 237-9210
  BITNET: N050024 AT UNIVSCVM