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[gradstudent07]

To those whose raises depended on course evals:  were these at teaching-oriented (liberal arts) colleges?  Is this also the case at research-oriented universities?

[case_insensitive]

Also the case at research oriented places... even worse there in my experience. I think this is partly because they want an easy way to evaluate and because they are not teaching oriented (but think using evals make them look like they are) they don't know a thing about how to really assess outcomes and results of classroom activities. 

My first job was at a teaching oriented school, they used evals, but not as a really important measure. rather, they also took the time to observe faculty teaching and to encourage useful assessment activities in class that could be used to show outcomes.

At two RU/Hs, no one has ever been into my classroom, this over a decade!  No one has ever reviewed my teaching materials.  But those evals -- just that "teaching effectiveness" number, reign supreme.

[just_me]

When I first started teaching at a research university, I also thought it was odd that student evaluations played such a large role in evaluating teaching. At my prior two jobs (at more teaching-oriented colleges), we had annual peer and chair observations, teaching portfolios, etc…

Then it finally dawned on me. We allowed student evaluations to play such a large role here because teaching was considered so inconsequential.  We would never let our students have a decisive say in the evaluation of our research because that is what determines promotion, tenure and annual raises. Teaching evaluations are used because they are easier to judge at a glance by administrators than peer and chair evaluations or other evidence of teaching excellence. Why waste time on something that matters so little? Despite the evaluation formulas, its weight in tenure and annual evaluations is probably ten percent (if that).

Student evaluations are also useful in identifying the five-ten percent or so of professors here who emphasize teaching and are charismatic enough to win the few “Teacher of the Year” awards. And since teaching competence is considered binary (you either have a problem or you don’t) for the rest of us, it helps point out that small percentage of professors that are having serious problems. Why should various administrators have to sit through the lectures of 1,000 professors to find the 75 who are having problems?

Student evaluations also work nicely to restate the unstated minimalistic contract between student consumers and the modern university. If students are paying and not causing a public fuss, administrators are happy. I could probably spend the entire semester discussing differences between Latin American and Nordic goalies, and no administrator would care as long as my evaluations were acceptable and there were no student complaints. 

[john_proctor]

I saw this on another board... hee hee hee

***********************
From The Onion:

Professor Pressured To Sleep With Student For Good Course Evaluation June 27, 2006 | Issue 42•26

FAYETTEVILLE, AR—Alan Gilchrist, an associate professor of English literature at the University of Arkansas infamous for his tough grading standards and dry lecturing style, was coerced into sleeping with an undergraduate on Monday in order to earn a good course evaluation. "My tenure's on the line here, so I allowed a student to take advantage of me," said an emotional Gilchrist of the experience, which he hopes will earn him at least six "very much enjoyed" responses on the eight-item evaluation form. "I told myself it would be just this once, and that it would be over soon, and that it wouldn't be that bad, but I was used. And I can't stop showering." Sources said that the unidentified student is one of the most popular and charismatic on campus, raising questions about possible abuse of power.

**********************************

Not to judge a situation where I have no first hand knowledge

but,

as I read this, I can't escape the idea that Dr. Gilchrist must be the fastest thinking man alive.  Brillant.

[mindfulwhim]

You may not have any control over how the evals are used, but you do have some control over what the evals measure. As a department, you might approach a redesign of the evaluation forms so they measure appropriate variables.

How long has it been since the evalutation forms underwent a revision?

Also, I tell my students that the administration doesn't pay attention to the written comments; that those are only for me so I can make my courses and teaching better. I ask students to write helpful comments for me to increase my teaching effectiveness, and to write suggestions on how I can make the course better. This lets the students know that I am interested in being a better teacher, and gives it them an opportunity to participate in their institution's management. They like that.

It also never hurts to bring treats (sugar) to class on the day of evals. * Sure, it's shameless, but it works! If your pay is dependent upon student evals, then you have a right to address that issue in creative ways, IMO.

[stapler]

To those whose raises depended on course evals:  were these at teaching-oriented (liberal arts) colleges?  Is this also the case at research-oriented universities?

Yes, it can also be the case at research-oriented universities.  I'm at an RU/H, and the chair informally bases pay raises on two things: teaching evals and publication.

[hilde]

Just_me said:

Then it finally dawned on me. We allowed student evaluations to play such a large role here because teaching was considered so inconsequential.  .... Student evaluations also work nicely to restate the unstated minimalistic contract between student consumers and the modern university. If students are paying and not causing a public fuss, administrators are happy.

Well said!

Our school has no in-class monitoring of teaching quality. In fact, even our teaching excellence awards has no requirement that anyone visit the classes.

The bottom line, as Woody Allen said, is that 90% of life is just showing up. The things we care about are the things we attend to in person. I don't care if you're a parent who buys your kids' love because you can't be with them in person or you're an administrator who gives bubble-evaluations instead of visiting classrooms, the message is the same: "Let's all pretend to care about this thing we don't care about enough to actually monitor with our presence." As long as student GPA's are not too low and degrees are being dispensed, no one rocks the boat. Down we go...

[pasha]

I have heard about some evaluations that border on slander. I doubt this type of behavior would never be condoned in any other arena and actually used to determine raises. In addition, a statement that costs someone money/damages and could not be proven to be valid seems like it could be material for a lawsuit. I also do not understand how "rate a prof" and other sites get away with posting names and hateful comments.

Can you imagine what a public school teachers' union would say if their teachers were dependent upon a 9th graders evaluation of their competancy???

Where is AAUP????

[untenured]

At my school the only question they paid attention to for raises was "Rate the teaching effectiveness of this professor"

That's mine too.  Maybe we work at the same place. Ha.  Here I am typing away and good 'ol Case is on the floor above me.  Wouldn't that be a treat.

Untenured

[case_insensitive]

HAHAHA! untenured, are you on the second floor??

;o)

[untenured]

Nope, third.  You'd be on the fourth floor in my little world.

Aww shucks.

Untenured

[case_insensitive]

hehehehe!  too bad! I was hoping! *LAUGH*

[kasaidsen]

Pay isn't the only thing that student evals can affect. At my department/school/college student opinions on evaluations are so valued that untenured professors can be terminated over them. A collegue of mine received an evaluation with a comment from a student that he was a sexist. Administrators, Deans and Department Heads formed a committee to evaluate those accusations (which proved to be just groundless accusations at best), and eventually he had to resign due to the negative buzz that spread to his tenure committee review and to his collegues.

Makes you wonder, students as students or students as clients?

[crazybatlady]

Also, I tell my students that the administration doesn't pay attention to the written comments; that those are only for me so I can make my courses and teaching better. I ask students to write helpful comments for me to increase my teaching effectiveness, and to write suggestions on how I can make the course better. This lets the students know that I am interested in being a better teacher, and gives it them an opportunity to participate in their institution's management. They like that.

I do something similar, and I often ask them to address a specific kind of assignment we've done over the term in one of their answers.  That way, they can say they disliked xyz, but might not say they hated the whole course (or me!).  It's such a weird psychological game--one that does have serious consequences.

I wonder: those of you who also have a peer evaluation every year, do you think those days are really representative of your teaching?  (I know I do a lot more prep work the day my chair is watching me teach....)

Perhaps another question with a similar slant is: what would work?  In your ideal world, what would be the best way to evaluate teaching methods?

[caphd]

Well, all of my courses are videotaped (by my boss), so at least I have boxes of evidence to dispute any negative evals. Hey, no pressure ...

Re the post, I say student evaluations be damned. The most ridiculous waste of time and money I have ever seen. There must be a better way. Here we have students with such a sense of entitlement, all demanding A's, and extorting them from professors in exchange for positive evals. Anyone else see something terribly wrong with this picture??? Say it with me now: "Skewed, biased, and inaccurate."

Rubbish!