2008 Woodie Awards
University to test common course evaluation in fall 2008
Rachel Perron
Issue date: 4/22/08 Section: Campus
According to Kriehbiel, in spring 2007, a subcommittee of the APC was created to consider the benefits and possible composition of a university-wide template for course evaluations.
According to Frymier, the committee recommended that questions common across all the five academic divisions would be the most useful basis for effective evaluation.
At the request of Herbst, Frymier conducted a study involving 10 departments across the five divisions, 78 instructors and nearly 2000 students, to further identify important items for assessing instructor quality.
"Teaching is multidimensional, and in order to evaluate you have to measure more than one thing, and to measure anything you need to ask multiple questions," she said.
After reviewing her findings, the Provost's office and APC developed the common course evaluation to be used in the 2008 pilot, according to Frymier.
In addition to adding the university-wide evaluation, "Provost Herbst also wants the final proposal to implement a process to encourage students to take (evaluations) seriously and understand how important they are for teacher's careers," Frymier said, though work no work on this plan has begun.
Because promotions, tenures and raises are merit-based, course evaluations are especially important at Miami, according Bryan Marshall, associate professor of political science.
Sophomore Christa Bernecker said depending on the class, she takes some evaluations seriously.
"If I enjoy a class I take teacher evaluations really seriously and if I hate the class I take them really seriously, but if it's a big lecture hall class I don't think about it too much," Bernecker said.
According to Marshall, helping students like Bernecker understand the importance of course evaluations is a useful plan for the Provost's Office and APC to pursue.
"That way students realize their feedback has a potential impact," he said. "That way they'll take more time to consider the evaluation process."
According to Frymier, the committee recommended that questions common across all the five academic divisions would be the most useful basis for effective evaluation.
At the request of Herbst, Frymier conducted a study involving 10 departments across the five divisions, 78 instructors and nearly 2000 students, to further identify important items for assessing instructor quality.
"Teaching is multidimensional, and in order to evaluate you have to measure more than one thing, and to measure anything you need to ask multiple questions," she said.
After reviewing her findings, the Provost's office and APC developed the common course evaluation to be used in the 2008 pilot, according to Frymier.
In addition to adding the university-wide evaluation, "Provost Herbst also wants the final proposal to implement a process to encourage students to take (evaluations) seriously and understand how important they are for teacher's careers," Frymier said, though work no work on this plan has begun.
Because promotions, tenures and raises are merit-based, course evaluations are especially important at Miami, according Bryan Marshall, associate professor of political science.
Sophomore Christa Bernecker said depending on the class, she takes some evaluations seriously.
"If I enjoy a class I take teacher evaluations really seriously and if I hate the class I take them really seriously, but if it's a big lecture hall class I don't think about it too much," Bernecker said.
According to Marshall, helping students like Bernecker understand the importance of course evaluations is a useful plan for the Provost's Office and APC to pursue.
"That way students realize their feedback has a potential impact," he said. "That way they'll take more time to consider the evaluation process."
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