TEACHSOC: Re: Mid-Course evalautions

[Kathleen McKinney]

Also, based only on my experience and conversations with others but I agree with Keith's three points below. But, in terms of the first point, you must be prepared to change but this does not mean you must do everything they suggest. You consider the suggestions, think about the literature, your objectives, practical issues, etc. and you make choices. Either way you get back to students about what you will and won't do and why. In terms of the third point, I have heard people say there is research to support this but I do not know of any citations. It makes sense in that the intervening processes would likely be that 1. students perceive you care so they feel better about you and the class; perhaps more motivated or responsible.... and 2. you make changes that do improve the course and learning.

-If you ask for their advice and then fail to make any adjustments, you really have unhappy campers!  You must be prepared to change the modus operandi of the course.
-If you ask for advice at midterm, it sometimes changes the tone of the class, with students perceiving the instructor to be more accessible.
-If students are really not pleased for some reason and they “vent” on the midterm evaluation, then they seem less likely to vent at the time of the final evaluation.  The final evaluations are actually more positive.  Has anyone else had this experience?
 
Kathleen

At 11:51 AM 2/15/2006, Roberts, Keith wrote:

 
I've had wonderfully useful papers come in, and I think it affects the level of responsibility many students bring to the learning process. 
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This is a good point.  Midterm evaluations are interesting in terms of how they seem to affect a course.  It would be wonderful to have some hard evidence on this, and my “data” are anecdotal, but here are some of my “soft findings” on doing mid-term evaluations:
 
-If you ask for their advice and then fail to make any adjustments, you really have unhappy campers!  You must be prepared to change the modus operandi of the course.
-If you ask for advice at midterm, it sometimes changes the tone of the class, with students perceiving the instructor to be more accessible.
-If students are really not pleased for some reason and they “vent” on the midterm evaluation, then they seem less likely to vent at the time of the final evaluation.  The final evaluations are actually more positive.  Has anyone else had this experience?
 
Like Kathleen, I have used formal Likert-type instruments before (I will attach one sample), but I do think narrative-style feedback is usually more useful.  Note that it is a good idea to ask them about what they have been doing to help make the class go well.  Midterm evaluations are a time when students can be urged to realize that the instructor only controls a small number of the variables that influence the classroom experience, and the students control some others.  As Susan points out, midterms can actively invite students to be participants in shaping the course, including getting them to reflect on their roles.
 
I have also borrowed a procedure from a colleague on occasion.  It is called “three stars and a concern.”  On a half sheet of paper you have three little stars and “smiley-face” (but it has a grimace rather than a smile).  The students are given five or six minutes to write three things they like (which gets them thinking positively and also offers you some positive feedback) and one concern, question, complaint, etc.  This does not take much time but can provide feedback on how things are going.
 
 
 

Kathleen McKinney
Cross Endowed Chair in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Professor, Sociology
Carnegie Scholar
Box 6370
Illinois State University
Normal, Il 61790-6370
off 309-438-7706
fax 309-438-8788
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http://www.ilstu.edu/~kmckinne/