Each term, we ask students to evaluate the teaching effectiveness of the instructor, the coverage of the TCOs, the value of the course, and the service of the center staff. Every instructor receives an Overall Instructor Rating and a Composite Rating. When the staff member arrives to do the evaluation, you are asked to step out of the room. You will receive copies of your student evaluations after you have submitted your final grades. Student evaluations, as well as in-class observations by members of the academic staff, provide you with valuable information to ensure your continued growth as an instructor.
Student evaluations are generally interesting and informative.
Look for recurring comments or themes that run through your evaluations. Pay special attention to those comments which are specific enough to provide some learning, whether positive or negative and to those on which you can act to continue to do something that is effective or change something that is not effective. As experienced teachers, we recognize that sometimes we earn very high ratings from students when, in our hearts, we know there is much we can do to improve our teaching. In addition, we know that student ratings are subject to variation from term to term. While we want to be responsive to students comments, it is more important to react to trends than to every jiggle in the ratings.